UG honours top Athletes at annual Sports Awards Ceremony

…new programmes to come on stream to strengthen sports development

The University of Guyana recently hosted its Annual Sports Awards and Dinner which saw several of the institution’s top athletes, for the Academic Year 2024/2025, being honoured.

The event which was held at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre, Turkeyen Campus, went beyond celebrating wins and titles, focusing on how sport has shaped character and perseverance throughout the academic year. It also highlighted plans for new academic programmes that will further develop sport at the University, strengthening the pathway for students to grow both on and off the field.
Delivering the feature remarks, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, underscored the University’s long-standing vision for sport as both an academic and developmental pillar. “The dream of having a structured sports programme at the University of Guyana is about to be realised in a very tangible way,” the VC said.
According to the VC, the Faculty of Education and Humanities (FEH) has approved a new department that will offer three academic programmes in sport — Sports Administration, Coaching, and Sports Facilities Management. She added that the university is also continuing efforts towards developing the long-awaited sports programme within the College of Medical Sciences (CMS).
In her remarks, Professor Mohamed Martin also paid tribute to Kristoph Shepherd, describing him as “the embodiment of resilience”, recounting his remarkable journey from a life-altering car accident and two-month coma to earning a Master’s degree and preparing to serve children with special needs through sport.
Remarks on behalf of the Registrar were delivered by Deputy Registrar, Dr Juneann Garnett, who conveyed Registrar Dr Nigel Gravesande’s reflections on the steady growth of sport at the University. “This year has been one of great progress and promise for the University of Guyana’s Sports Department. We are seeing an emerging manifestation of camaraderie, discipline and purpose across teams at all campuses and centres. The eagerness of our athletes is evident, and the connections being forged will significantly assist those aspiring to excel in sport,” Dr Garnett said.
Providing highlights for the academic year, Sports Director Mr Osafa Dos Santos, reflected on sport as a powerful vehicle for communication, unity and change. “This academic year, our athletes did not merely play games; they told powerful stories of discipline, resilience, teamwork and Trojan pride. Through sport, they spoke a language of effort, sacrifice and belief — a language young people understand,” Dos Santos said.
He highlighted the reintroduction of football to campus life, noting that fourteen teams competed in the Inter-Faculty Champions Cup, reigniting tradition and strengthening campus unity.
“Football returned, not quietly, but boldly. Every tackle, every goal and every celebration reconnected our students to a shared sporting identity,” Dos Santos said.
Dos Santos also highlighted the expansion of the inter-faculty sporting calendar to include table tennis, volleyball and football, describing these initiatives as reflective of UG’s commitment to inclusion and growth.
Outstanding performances were recorded across disciplines, including the UG Trojans Basketball Team, who captured the Youth Basketball Guyana Tertiary Knockout Championship 2024/2025, and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, who secured the UG Inter-Faculty Volleyball Championship 2024/2025 through resilience and teamwork.
At the international level, UG student-athletes represented the University at the 2024 FISU America Games in Cali, Colombia, competing in basketball, chess, and track and field, while the UG Under-19 Cricket Team delivered commendable performances at the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers International Cricket Tournament in Barbados, earning individual honours and All-Star selections.
Despite challenges related to facilities, financing and academic–athletic balance, Dos Santos emphasised the determination of UG athletes and reaffirmed the Sports Unit’s commitment to continued growth. “Our athletes did not merely participate: they rose, conquered and inspired and will continue to make the UG community and by extension, the entire country, proud,” Dos Santos said.