By Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly news |
From the chessboard at School of the Nations to the historic Eden Gardens in India, Guyanese athletes dominated the regional and international stage this past weekend. Here is your comprehensive wrap-up of the latest in local and international sports.
Chess: Fernandez Ciria and Sam Crowned U14 Champions
The 2026 National U14 Rapid Chess Tournament concluded on Saturday at the School of the Nations, featuring a record-breaking field of 74 young players.
- Open Category: Abel Fernandez Ciria emerged as the champion, securing 6 points and winning on tie-breaks over Alek Ubaldo Singh. Reigning U12 champion Aiden Tinnie finished strong in 3rd place with 5.5 points.
- Girls’ Category: Kataleya Sam claimed the title with 6 points after a tie-break victory over Rebha Lachman, while Divya Persaud took 3rd with 5 points.
Special Youth Awards:
- U12: Aiden Tinnie & Divya Persaud
- U10: Landon Mohabir & Malia Thompson
- U8: Pranav Suman
- Youngest Player: Roshan Ali
Football: Georgetown Edges Linden at Bayroc
In a thrilling friendly fixture at the newly commissioned Bayroc Stadium in Region 10, the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) narrowly defeated the Linden Football Association (LFA).
- Final Score: 1-1 at regulation; Georgetown won 5-4 on penalties.
- Scorers: Keshon Leacock (Linden) and Deon Alfred (Georgetown).
CONCACAF U-17: Honduras Rallies Against Junior Jags
Guyana’s Junior Jags suffered a heartbreaking 4-2 defeat against hosts Honduras on Sunday at the Estadio Francisco Morazán. Despite a brilliant brace from Matthew Stewart, the Honduran side capitalized on second-half momentum to pull away. Guyana now faces Suriname this Wednesday in a must-win fixture to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
Modec Tertiary Tournament: UG and GTI Deliver Thrashings
The inaugural Modec Tertiary Football Tournament kicked off at Queen’s College Ground with a flurry of goals:
- University of Guyana (UG) vs. GITC: UG cruised to a 5-0 win with goals from Spencer, Sobers, Bradford, Anderson, and Alcindor.
- GTI vs. Texila American University: GTI dismantled Texila 7-1, led by Ackeem Smith and Alton Fraser.
Cricket: West Indies Crush Scotland in World Cup Opener
The West Indies began their 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign with a dominant 35-run victory over Scotland at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
- The Batting: Shimron Hetmyer was named Player of the Match for a blistering 64 off 36 balls, guiding the Windies to 182-5.
- The Bowling: Romario Shepherd etched his name into history by taking the first hat-trick of the 2026 tournament, finishing with incredible figures of 5-20.
- Result: Scotland was bowled out for 147 in 18.5 overs.
