By Tamica Garnett in Suriname

AFTER grabbing some of the easiest wins in track and field, the Guyana athletics team at this year’s Inter-Guiana Games, in Suriname, established that they are more than able to defend their title against the Dutch.

Leading athletes like Chantoba Bright, Daniel Williams and Joanna Archer showed their Suriname counterparts that their athletics still has quite somewhere to go.
World Youth Championship silver medallist Williams could not stop beaming as he celebrated his first gold medal win abroad, taking a gaping win in the Boys’ 400m, despite clocking just 52.1 seconds in the quarter mile.

The Lindener registered an almost 25m lead in the first 200m, but coming off the turn his compatriot Samuel Lynch began closing in.
Lynch continued his momentum, but never caught Williams and had to settle for second place as he finished one second behind.

Suriname’s Bengalvio Salesman trotted in third on 55.9 seconds.
Williams also had the joy of bringing the curtain down on the day’s athletics activity, as he anchored Guyana to a win in the Boys’ 4x100m relay.
Toyan Raymond had the same pleasure in the Girls’ 4x100m, where she was supported by Binka Joseph, Deshauna Skeete, and Bright.

In the first competition of the day, in the multi-sport event, Raymond set a nice precedent for the country, as she picked up the win in the Girls’ 100m, with a time of 12.5 seconds, to the cheering from a small, but vibrant group of Guyanese that came out to catch the competition at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium in Paramaribo.

Suriname’s Sabrina Menso was able to take second for Suriname clocking 12.9 seconds, earning one of the few silver medals that the home side collected for the day. Binka Joseph ended in third place, with a time of 13.2 seconds.

Suriname had a good showing in the Boys’ 100m, however, where it was a 1-2 win, as Marciano Shepper dashed to a time of 11.7 seconds, the same time that Dwayne Wee Wee clocked for second, leaving Guyana’s Umkosie Vancooten and Mark Solomon in third and fourth respectively.

However, conceding in the Boys’ 100m was just a small dent to Guyana, who are sure to retain their title when the competition ends today.
Suriname’s low performance, coupled with lack of participation in a few events, would require divine intervention for a win.

Guyana’s Ronardo Greene had the first field event leaping to 13.81m in the Boys’ triple jump. On his final try Timmeon Spencer reached his maximum 11.78m jump, but still left him in fourth when sized up against the 12.31m from Suriname’s Ronaldo Letterbo, and the 11.71m from Dorniegill Wersen.

Later in the afternoon, Bright nailed the Girls’ triple jump with an 11.2m leap, her only other competition, Virlyn Gibson, was second, with her best jump of 9.76m.
Gibson had a gold in the high jump, which was another all-Guyanese lineup, giving Gibson an easy win after she was the only one to clear the 1.40m height, Guyana’s Tayanna Blair unfortunately could not

Joanna Archer was definitely in a class all her own in the Girls’ 1500m, and the Surinamese did themselves no favours by trying to keep up with her.
By a few laps Surinamese Abby-Jo Winter had pushed herself past her breaking point and could go on no longer, leaving Archer’s only competition being her compatriot Shaquka Tyrell.

Despite the tough track, Archer was able to easily defend her win and had a time of 5:04.5s. Staying the course Tyrell strolled in another four seconds later behind Archer.
The athletics continues at the Stadium today from 09:00hrs local time.

Athletics is one of six disciplines being contested at this year’s IGG, the others being cycling, football, basketball, volleyball and swimming.
Volleyball, football and basketball also started last night. Swimming commences today.