By| Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly News|
Ashley Khalil Claims PanAm Masters Squash Silver in Colombia After Brilliant Unbeaten Run
MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA — Five-time Guyana women’s national champion, Ashley Khalil, added another historic international accolade to her decorated resume, securing a silver medal at the 2026 PanAm Masters Squash Championships in Medellín, Colombia.
The Guyanese standout entered the grand final in imperious form, storming through four consecutive matches against world-class opposition without surrendering a single game. In the championship match, Khalil started brilliantly against Chile’s top-seeded Anita Pinto, claiming the opening game 11-5 to place the tournament favorite under immense early pressure. However, Pinto utilized her deep international experience to rally back, capitalising on crucial unforced errors to claim the next three games 11-9, 11-5, and 11-7, handing Khalil a hard-fought 1-3 defeat.
“I am a little disappointed, as I think any athlete would be after reaching a final and falling just short,” Khalil noted after the match. “However, I had my opportunities during the match and wasn’t able to execute as effectively as I would have liked at some key moments. It’s back to the drawing board now. This experience has given me valuable lessons that I can take into my training.” Despite falling just short of the gold, Khalil’s silver-medal campaign remains an outstanding achievement, reinforcing her reputation as one of the most successful racquet sport athletes in the region.
GCC Elite Women and Pepsi Hikers Men Crowned Diamond Jubilee Hockey Champions
PROVIDENCE, GUYANA — The Guyana Hockey Board’s Diamond Jubilee Cup 1st Division Tournament concluded on Monday night at the National Stadium in Providence, crowning two dominant champions following a pair of tactical, high-stakes final fixtures.
In the women’s championship game, the GCC Elite Women put on a clinical masterclass to lift the regional title, thoroughly thrashing the Hikers Women in a 9-1 blowout. The GCC frontline overwhelmed the Hikers’ defensive block from the opening whistle, orchestrated heavily by utility player Carolyn Deane, who was deservingly awarded the tournament’s Women’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy.
The men’s final shifted to a much more fiercely contested encounter, as the Pepsi Hikers secured a hard-fought 4-2 victory over a resilient Old Fort Top Form lineup to claim the Men’s Title. The Hikers’ transition play was anchored by international forward Jamarj Assanah, whose offensive brilliance earned him the Men’s Tournament MVP honors. Defensively, the tournament highlighted exceptional structural goalkeeping, with Old Fort’s Christian Sumeer and the GCC Elite’s Kendra Gordon recognized as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Goal-Keepers for their respective divisions.
New Central High Crowned South Georgetown Zone Champions via Lodge Secondary Default
PROVIDENCE, GUYANA — The New Central High School has officially been crowned the South Georgetown Zone Champions in the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) 2026 Blue Waters Shipping Under-15 Girls National Secondary School Championship.
The regional title was decided under unusual circumstances at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence after tournament organizers awarded New Central High a regulatory default victory over Lodge Secondary, who failed to field a compliant match-day squad.
Despite the lack of an on-field battle in the final fixture, New Central High thoroughly dominated the zonal group stage, anchored by the tactical brilliance of dynamic young playmaker Amanda Saunders, who was formally recognized as South Georgetown’s Most Outstanding Player. The default result officially locks down New Central High’s place in the upcoming national final round, where they are scheduled to square off against other regional zone champions for ultimate national honors and the coveted tournament trophy.
St. Therese Primary Edges Tain Primary to Capture Berbice Future Warriors Tapeball Title
ALBION, GUYANA — Grassroots cricket development took center stage on Sunday afternoon as St. Therese Primary held their nerve under intense pressure to capture the Berbice Zone title of the ExxonMobil Guyana-sponsored 2026 Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament at the historic Albion Sports Complex in Region 6.
Emerging from a highly competitive pool of 16 primary school teams, the New Amsterdam-based St. Therese Primary secured a hard-fought 13-run victory over a formidable Tain Primary lineup in the grand final. Batting first in the frantic eight-overs-a-side format, St. Therese posted a formidable total of 81-6, anchored by a composed top-order knock of 20 from Christiano Ramdeo and a vital, late-innings cameo of 19 from Ghani George.
Faced with a steep asking rate of over 10 runs per over, Tain Primary’s response was clinically restricted by a disciplined St. Therese bowling unit. Even though Tain’s star batsman, Adriel Chichester, threatened to break the match open with a brief 16 runs, his side was limited to 68-2 when the final over concluded, forcing Tain to settle for the runner-up spot for a second consecutive year. Chichester’s tournament aggregate of 62 runs earned him the zone’s Most Runs Award.
However, individual tournament honors belonged entirely to Rose Hall Estate Primary’s young bowling sensation, Mario Ramsammy. Ramsammy was named the tournament’s overall MVP and Leading Wicket-Taker on the back of an exceptional return of 11 wickets across four matches, operating at a highly efficient economy rate of 5.88. Aside from the silverware and equipment bags, the top four finishing schools each received electronic scoring tablets to introduce youth players to modern digital cricket metrics. St. Therese Primary will now advance to the national “Champion of Champions” postseason tournament in late August, while action continues this weekend with the Essequibo Zone tournament rolling into the Anna Regina National Stadium on June 20.
Guyana Amazon Warriors Unveil Domestic Roster for 2026 Women’s CPL Campaign
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise has officially finalized its domestic player core selected to represent the nation at the upcoming 2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), scheduled to bowl off from September 5 to September 17, 2026, at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The powerhouse squad will be captained by veteran West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Shemaine Campbell, who is fresh off a blistering, unbeaten 90-run performance in the current ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The local roster retains a potent mix of senior international experience and explosive youth development, featuring regional standouts Realeanna Grimmond, Ashmini Munisar, and fiery West Indies pacer Shamilia Connell.
The finalized domestic core also includes Eboni Brathwaite, Sheneta Grimmond, Chedean Nation, Reniece Boyce, Latoya Williams, and rising youth star Tilleya Madramotoo. According to franchise management, the local contingent is scheduled to be further enhanced by the draft selection of five elite international franchise players before the tournament squad undergoes its preliminary training camp ahead of the Barbados tour.
