GUYANA ended a 12-year drought to claim overall champions of the 2026 Inter-Guiana Games in Paramaribo, Suriname, holding off spirited challenges from French Guiana and hosts Suriname.
A blistering campaign across six disciplines saw the Guyanese contingent tally 475 points, finishing 31 points clear of runners-up French Guiana (444), while Suriname had to settle for third on 431.
It marks Guyana’s first overall title at the tri-nation showpiece since 2014, built on an extraordinary display of track-and-field dominance.
The Guyanese athletes delivered a tour de force on the track, amassing a mammoth 334 points across the men and women divisions to build an unassailable advantage. The women led the charge with 189 points, while the men added 145, effectively putting the overall crown out of reach for their regional rivals.
Guyana’s men also secured crucial points, claiming top honours with nine points after hard-fought victories over French Guiana (seven points) and Suriname (five points).
Guyana’s athletics cushion proved vital in weathering significant deficits elsewhere, particularly in the pool.
Suriname swept swimming, posting a maximum 288 points across the men and women events, compared to French Guiana’s 229 and Guyana’s 98.
The hosts were equally ruthless in chess and volleyball, collecting 18 points in each discipline, while Guyana and French Guiana took 12. Basketball also proved testing for the champions, with Guyana taking 10 points across the male and female competitions, while Suriname and French Guiana finished level on 16.
However, Suriname’s technical sweep could not overturn Guyana’s commanding advantage on the track, confirming Dr Karen Pilgrim’s squad as champions in the Surinamese capital.
The competition now heads east, with French Guiana set to host the 2027 edition of the Games.