GUYANA first participated at the Commonwealth Games then known as the British Empire Games in 1930, in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and won two medals, a silver in the men’s high jump and a bronze in the men’s four-man rowing team.

Since then, Guyana participated in 15 other games, winning a total of 13 medals, making its overall tally 16, comprising three gold medals, five silver medals and seven bronze medals.
Guyana’s best showing was at the 1978 Edmonton, Canada Games where the country won three medals, a gold, a silver and a bronze.
For this year’s Games which begins on July 23 in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, Guyana’s chances of improving its medals tally are very good; since most of the athletes selected to represent the Land of Many Waters have vast experience in their respective disciplines.
In the squash competition, Guyana stand a better than good chance of medalling through world number 19-ranked Nicolette Fernandes, who has been campaigning in Europe for more than eight years and who has come up against the world’s top women contenders.
The other squash team members are Alexander Arjoon and Sunil Seth who have both been performing outstandingly recently. Carl Ince is the manager/coach
The table tennis team is an experienced one comprising Christopher Franklyn, Paul David, Shemar Britton, Idi Lewis, Trenance Lowe, Jody-Ann Blake and Nathalie Cummings with Godfrey Munroe as manager/coach.
Lowe and Blake are exceptional players and they have both won medals at the Regional level.
Swimming starts at a disadvantage as Niall Roberts who was selected for the Games withdrew through injury and the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association is yet to name a replacement. The other swimmer is the inexperienced Onika George with Sean Baksh as manager/coach.
A lot is expected from track athlete Winston George who represented Guyana at the 2012 London Olympics and performed creditably. The other track athletes are Adam Harris and Stephen James with Kenrick Smith as coach.
Guyana teams have had reasonable success in athletics over the years, starting from the 1934 Games when Philip Aaron won a gold medal in the men’s 800-yard run.
The country won another gold medal at the 2006 Manchester, England Games through Aliann Pompey in the women’s 400-metre. She also won a 400-metre silver medal at the 2010 Delhi, India Games, but this was after finishing third and the original second-place finisher, Folashade Abugan of Nigeria, was disqualified for using steroids.
In 1978 James Wren-Gilkes won a silver medal in the men’s 200-metre at the Edmonton, Canada Games.
The rifle shooting team, comprising Mahendra Persaud, Lennox Braithwaithe and Ransford Goodluck, have vast experience in the sport and have competed at several meets in Europe. Much is expected from them.
The men’s cycling team comprising Alanzo Greaves, Geron Williams, Scott Savory, Raynauth Jeffrey and Marlon Williams is a young one. These athletes will surely do their best. The exposure will serve them well in the future. They will be accompanied by Dwayne Gibbs as manager/coach.
One female cyclist, Clair Fraser-Green who is based in London will also be a part of the cycling contingent and she will be coached by her husband Shaun Green.
Professional boxers Theresa London, Eon Bancroft and Dennis Thomas, along with amateur boxer Imran Khan, make up Guyana’s contingent at the Games and their chances of medalling are uncertain. Their manager/coach is Terrence Poole.
Guyana’s best boxing performance at the Games was back in 1978 when Winfield Braithwaite defeated Scotsman James Douglas in the final of their junior welterweight to take the gold in the Edmonton, Canada Games.

(By Michael DaSilva)