KELIZA Smith has officially arrived on the international stage. The Guyanese sprinter stormed to a third-place finish in the women’s 200m final at the junior Pan American Games in Paraguay, clinching a bronze medal for her country.
Smith crossed the finish line in a blistering 23.42 seconds, cementing her place as one of the nation’s most promising young track stars and adding to Guyana’s medal haul. The top of the podium was claimed by Liranyi Alonzo of the Dominican Republic, who set a new championship record with a dominant 22.69 seconds. Colombia’s Marleth Ospino grabbed the silver with a time of 23.14.
Smith’s journey to the podium was highlighted by a phenomenal semi-final performance, where she set a new season’s best of 23.08 seconds. That time put her within striking distance of Brenessa Thompson’s 2017 national record of 22.94, a tantalising glimpse of what could be in store for the rising talent.
The bronze is Guyana’s third medal of the Games, following strong showings from swimmer Raekwon Noel and the 4x400m Mixed Relay team.