Velazquez, Harding capture End Game men’s title

… Suriname pair rule women’s division

Guyana’s Juan Velazquez and Vance Harding completed an unbeaten run to capture the men’s title at the End Game Beach Volleyball Tournament 2026, while Suriname’s Ketura Heijmans and Gianina Stewart claimed the women’s championship when the two-day competition concluded on Sunday.
The tournament, organised by the Guyana Beach Volleyball Association (GBVA), was held on September 26 and 27 and featured players from Guyana, Suriname and the Cayman Islands. Local players also travelled from Linden and the Rupununi to compete alongside their Georgetown counterparts.
Velazquez and Harding entered Sunday’s decisive stage following a dominant opening day in Group A, where they won all three of their matches without dropping a set. The Guyanese pair won all six sets and finished the preliminary stage with nine points before carrying that form into the knockout phase.
They eventually secured the men’s championship ahead of Evgenii Titov and Daniel Joseph, who finished second. Kenneth Glidden and Andrea Tognazzo of the Cayman Islands claimed third place.

Group B had been tightly contested on the opening day, with Glidden and Tognazzo, Micah Chichester and Clarence Lucius, and Titov and Joseph each recording two wins and one loss to finish on five points.
Glidden and Tognazzo led the group with five sets won, while Chichester and Lucius and Titov and Joseph each secured four. Ryan Reid and Antuan Stephen finished with three points, while Neyo Robinson and Fabio Philips completed the group.
In Group A, Josua Jackson and Kauan Lima Do Nascimento finished behind Velazquez and Harding with six points, while Tayshaun Griffith and Anphany Fredericks recorded three. Kai James and Akon Holder completed the group.
Meanwhile, Heijmans and Stewart were equally impressive in the women’s competition. The Surinamese pair went unbeaten in three opening-day matches, winning all six sets and collecting nine points before completing their campaign with the championship.
Guyana’s Joyce Simon and June Lewis secured second place, while the Cayman Islands pair of Elise Marie and Julissa Kelly took third.
Simon and Lewis had ended the opening day on four points. Kim Chan-Bagot and Semira Greene, Kelly and Swaby, and Precia Griffith and Jamayfia Smith each recorded three points, while Sonia Agapchenko and Aliyah Blackman advanced with two points after winning four sets.
The remaining teams returned on Sunday for the qualifiers before the competition moved into the semifinals and finals.
The first-place teams in both divisions received G$100,000, while second-place finishers collected G$60,000 and third-place teams received G$40,000.
According to the GBVA, the tournament gave Guyanese players an opportunity to test themselves against regional opposition and different playing styles. The inclusion of players from Georgetown, Linden and the Rupununi also highlighted the expanding reach of beach volleyball locally.
The GBVA said the response from players, supporters and spectators contributed to the successful staging of the tournament and provided useful experience as the association continues efforts to develop the sport and create more opportunities for local and regional competition.
The tournament received support from A+ Printing & Embroidery, Autopit Signs, Dagron Tours, Sagacity Inc., CinNex Inc., Kurt Gonsalves & Associates Architects and Building Consultants, Guyana Volleyball Federation, Guyana Tourism Authority, K&A Painting, Anil Lalsa Construction, Massy Distribution Guyana Inc., Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Sonic Business Services, James Variety Store, One Stop Realty Investment Inc., KS General Services and Stars Party Rental.
The GBVA also thanked officials, volunteers, supporters and the visiting players from Suriname and the Cayman Islands for contributing to the tournament.