In a ceremony held at Olympic House in Lilliendall, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) honored a group of remarkable young athletes for their exceptional achievements at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. The team, comprised of seven athletes, including three swimmers and four track and field athletes, made their nation proud with outstanding performances.
Under the leadership of Nalini McCoy, the Guyanese contingent clinched a series of impressive victories, including a gold medal in the 4×400 mix relay, a gold in the women’s 400 meters, a bronze in the women’s 400 meters, and a silver in the men’s 400 meters.
What sets this ceremony apart is the GOA’s groundbreaking decision to provide substantial financial rewards to the medal-winning track and field team and their coaches. The recipients of these rewards included Tianna Springer, the gold medalist in the women’s 400 meters, who received half a million Guyanese dollars. Narissa McPherson, the bronze medalist in the women’s 400 meters, was presented with 250,000 Guyanese dollars. Malachi Austin, who secured a silver medal in the men’s 400 meters, received 350,000 Guyanese dollars, while Jevon Roberts, a member of the record-breaking 4x400m Mixed Relay team, collected 100,000 Guyanese dollars.
During the ceremony, President of the Guyana Olympic Association, Godfrey Munroe, praised the athletes as national ambassadors who achieved a phenomenal feat and inspired the entire nation. He also announced that Emmanuel Archibald, a gold medalist at the Central America and Caribbean Games earlier in the year, would also be recognized for his outstanding performance upon his return to Guyana.
Amanda Hermonstine, President of the Athletics Association, took the opportunity to commend the coaches for their dedication and hard work in preparing the athletes for success.
In a gesture of appreciation, coaches Julian Edmonds and Mark Scott were each awarded 50,000 Guyanese dollars for their contributions. The ceremony was attended by other members of the General Secretary’s office, including treasurer Garfield Wiltshire and chef de mission Nalini McCoy, who all demonstrated their support for the accomplished athletes.
The GOA’s decision to recognize and reward these young athletes underscores its commitment to nurturing talent, promoting excellence, and elevating the nation’s sports stars on the global stage.