… Guyanese contingent departs for IGG today

A contingent of 155, inclusive of athletes and officials, departed Guyana today for neighbouring Suriname, where they will compete at this year’s Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) from August 25 to 27.
The games, a brainchild of former President Forbes Burnham, will be celebrating its ‘Jubilee Edition’ (50 years), having started in 1967 as a means of using sports to foster closer bilateral relations with Suriname.
Guyana and Suriname will do battle in track and field, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cycling and football. With the exception of track and field and swimming, the other disciplines will have only male participants.

“We anticipate that we should do fairly well since all the disciplines would have been participating at high level both locally and overseas throughout the year,” Director of Sport Christopher Jones told reporters yesterday at his Homestretch Avenue office.
Jones said that he was pleased with the handling and preparation of the respective teams by the various associations, adding that he would have also been proud of the anxiousness of the athletes to represent the ‘Land of Many Waters’.
“At least the ones at the various camps I’ve visited, they are excited and some of them had participated last year as well,” the Director of Sport said, noting, “their own prediction is they can win. There is hype and excitement amongst the Guyanese delegation to win these games.”
Apart from track and field, cycling and volleyball where team Guyana rule supreme, the Dutch-speaking country hold the IGG titles for both basketball and football (male and female).

TRACK AND FIELD TEAM:
Girls: Toyan Raymond (100m, 200m), Binka Joseph (100m), Deshauna Skeete (200m, 400m), Kezra Murray (400m, 800m), Joanna Archer (800m, 1500m), Shaquka Tyrell (1500M, 3000m), Leyanna Charles (3000m), Chantoba Bright (long jump, triple jump), Tatyanna Blair (long jump, high jump), Virlyn Gibson (triple jump, high jump), Mian McPherson (shot put, javelin), Jamacia Scott (shot put, discus), Prudence Codrington (javelin, discus)

Boys: Tyrell Peters (100m, 200m), Umkosie Vancooten (100m, 200m), Daniel Williams (400m, high jump), Samuel Lynch (400m, 800m), Daniel Melville (800m, discus), Murphy Nash (1500m, 5000m), Ronaldo Wishart (1500m, javelin), Rickie Williams (5000m), Anthony Williams (long jump, triple jump), Ronaldo Greene (long jump, triple jump), Tarique Boyce (high jump), Jermine Simmons (shot put, javelin and Lennox Henry (shot put, discus).
Kenisha Headley and Quincy Clarke will coach the squad while Nadine Trotz and Carolyn Garraway will act as managers.

BASKETBALL: Andrew Wiggins, Stanton Rose, Jermain King, Akeem Crandon, Timothy Thompson, Shamar France, Nigel Bowen, Jaheel Young, Aton Fileen, Jamal Gilkes, Andrew Johnson and Akil Vaughn.
Abdullah Hamid is the team’s head coach, Kirk Fraser assistant coach and Troy Green manager.

CYCLING: Adealie Hodge, Marcus Keiler, Cortis Dey, Jason Cameron, Shenika Barker, Yonka Barker and Deance Welch.
SWIMMING: Andrew Gordon, Antonia Rodrigues, Daniel Scott, Nathon Hackett, Leon Seaton, Alex Winter, Nikita Fiedtkou, Teshana Hunter, Anna Isaacs, Accalia Khan, Kenita Mahaica and Lian Winter.

VOLLEYBALL: Kirstoff Shepherd, Akil Vaughn, Omari Joseph, Hellod Singh, Andy Rohoman, Jaleel Roberts, Samuel Jordan, Ronaldo Bobb, Montel Denny, Daymyon Alahamad, Ronaldo Griffith and Kellon Leitch.

FOOTBALL (FEMALE): Indera Amardeo, Vicky Jonannis, Althea Austin, Odessa Smith, Lendey Adolph, Anastacia Horsham, Shania Riley, Naomi Aaron, Ashana Williams, Stacy Adams, Amanda McKenzie, Tiandi Smith, Latesha Sutherland, Shontel Greene, Jamaica Hunte, Sasha Rodrigues, Anulissa Johnson and Selena Chan.
Head coach Akilah Castello and assistant Tricia Munroe

FOOTBALL (MALE): Jervis Cumberbatch, Simeon Hackette, Cecil Jackman, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Padmore, Shomol Smith, Marriheo Eastman, Raushan Ritch, Orin Moore, Ryan Hackette, Ryan Dowding, Nixon Robertson, Chris Macey, Anton Peters, Shane Haynes, Brandon Atkinson, Sherral Daniels, and Lorenzo Miller.
Head coach Sampson Gilbert.