THE National Sports Commission (NSC) came to the assistance of Guyana’s CARIFTA Games team heading off to the 49th edition of the event in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 16 to 18.

Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) president, Aubrey Hutson, received the cheque valued at $2M from Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, yesterday at NSC’s Middle Street, Georgetown headquarters.

Guyana will be represented by 13 athletes at the Caribbean’s most prestigious track and field event which caters for U17 and U20 athletes.

Anisha Gibbons, the first female athlete to win gold for Guyana in the javelin event in the history of the CARIFTA Games, will lead the team, coached by Raymond Daw and Sham Johnny.

Gibbons,,who won Guyana’s historic gold in javelin, in 2019, and 800m bronze medallist Adriel Austin will lead Keliza Smith (100m, 200m), Karese Lloyd (100m, 200m), Hannah Reid (400m), in the Girls’ U20 division.

Narissa McPherson (800m) and Attoya Harvey (800m, 1500m, 3000m) are the U17 girls. Javon Roberts (800m) is the lone competitor in the Boys’ U17 category.

Meanwhile,, Shamar Horatio (100m, 200m), Ezekiel Newton (100m, 200m), Wesley Tyndall (long jump), Gabriel Lim (javelin and discus) and Trevon Hamer (triple jump) will represent Guyana in the Boys’ U20 category.

At the 2019 CARIFTA Games, AAG sent a record 21 athletes and finished with four gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Close to 650 athletes are expected on the Land of Wood and Water, competing in U17 and U20 categories as well as 150 officials from 27 countries.

This is the eighth time that Jamaica will host the CARIFTA Games since its inception in 1972. Of the 48 editions held so far, Jamaica have topped the medal table on 43 occasions.