GUYANA Under 20 athletics team were left empty handed on day 1 competing at 2024 edition of the World Athletics U20 Championship in Lima, Peru.

One of the country’s best opportunities of taking hardware was in the mixed 4×400 relay, the local squad made up of Enock Munroe, Narissa McPherson, Gill De Neilson and Tianna Springer finished in a time 3 minutes 26.06 seconds for sixth place.

Munroe ran 47.8 for the first leg, the 2nd leg was run by McPherson in 55.6, third leg was De Neilson in 48.2 seconds and 4th leg ace sprinter Tianna Springer in 53.9 seconds.

Poland won the race with Norway second as both advanced to the next round.

Meanwhile in the women’s 100-metre heat number 1 Athaleyha Hinckson with a personal best of 11.39 second achieved this year was 6th with a time of 12.01 seconds in the race and did not qualify for the next round.

In the men 100-metre dash Ezekiel Newton also came in 6th in 10.80 second to be just out of the qualifying zone with the top five moving on to the next round.

Newton, an up-and-coming rising star, had a disappointing showing considering he has a pb of 10.39 and season best of 10.42 seconds.

US based Jackson Clarke was also off his best with a run of 10.68 seconds in the 100 metres for fifth position, having produced 10.32 seconds in March in the US.

Malachi Austin and Tianna Springer will compete today in the men and women 400 metres heats.

Also representing Guyana is Kaidon Persaud.

The team is managed by Athletics Association President Sheryl Hermonstine with support staff, physiotherapist Aretha Legall and coaches Quincy Clarke and Julian Edmonds.

The championship runs from August 27th to September with the country’s best athletes representing Guyana against the best from 200 countries around the globe.