By Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — National distance standout Attoya Harvey and French runner Odylson Prika delivered commanding performances on Sunday to secure the marquee titles at the Guyana Ex-Athletes and Friends Association’s 2026 Independence 10K Road Race. The annual event, which maps out a competitive route from Thomas Road through the Rupert Craig Highway before culminating at the Eve Leary Ground, drew an expansive field of local elite distance specialists, junior prospects, and veteran masters athletes.
In the Senior Men’s division, Prika mounted a successful structural defense of his title. He executed a calculated pacing strategy to outlast local favorite Odida Parkinson, crossing the finish line comfortably to take the top spot with a clear two-minute margin. Seasoned distance runner Cleveland Thomas secured third place to complete the senior men’s podium.
On the distaff side, Attoya Harvey demonstrated immense athletic range. Following her gold-medal victories in both the 800-meter and 1500-meter track events the previous day, Harvey transitioned seamlessly to the asphalt, putting in a superior endurance effort to outpace stiff competition from Jelesa Wright (2nd) and Malika Marques (3rd) to capture the Senior Women’s crown.
In the highly competitive Junior 16–19 division, middle-distance specialist Ebo McNeil continued his dominant form to claim the Boys’ title, while Ester McKinnon secured the Girls’ division crown. The Over-40 Masters categories saw veteran runners Kelvin “Skello” Johnson and Abidemi Charles assert their experience to claim the male and female titles, respectively, while Oswald Phill captured the Master 50+ division trophy.
GOLF: Richard Haniff Captures Independence Open Title at Lusignan
The Lusignan Golf Course on the East Coast of Demerara served as the staging ground for the 2026 Independence Golf Tournament on Tuesday. Organised as a collaborative sports initiative between Ready Mix Concrete, Banks DIH Limited, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the tournament attracted a highly competitive field of 34 golfers.
Richard Haniff delivered a masterclass in short-game precision and fairway management, outmaneuvering the field to emerge as the Overall Tournament Champion. In the Men’s 14–28 Handicap Flight, Anand Persaud secured the top spot after netting a clinical card, while former national champion Dr. Joaan Deo claimed the Women’s Championship title. Individual specialty accolades were presented to Karamchan Persaud for recording the Longest Drive of the day, while Orson Ferguson took home the prize for hitting Nearest to the Pin.
FOOTBALL: Blue Lock FC Claims West Side Under-18 5-A-Side Crown
Grassroots football development took center stage on Tuesday as the Vergenoegen Community Development Council (C.D.C.), working in partnership with the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), successfully staged the 2026 West Side Under-18 5-A-Side Football Tournament.
The knockout competition brought together several neighborhood youth teams and secondary school selections from across the West Demerara region. Following a grueling day of fast-paced, high-intensity play, Blue Lock FC advanced to the grand final to face off against a disciplined De Willem Secondary School squad. The final match was decided by a single moment of individual brilliance in the second half, allowing Blue Lock FC to hold onto a hard-fought 1–0 victory and hoist the 2026 regional youth trophy.
FOOTBALL: Timehri United and Swan United Secure Dominant Elite League Qualifier Wins
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) advanced its structural league pyramid over the weekend, hosting two high-scoring fixtures in the 2026 Elite League Qualifiers at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence.
- Timehri United FC vs. Kukururu Warriors: In the opening fixture, Timehri United displayed clinical offensive efficiency, exploiting space along the flanks to hand the Kukururu Warriors a dominant 7–2 defeat.
- Swan United vs. Circuitville: The secondary matchup proved equally one-sided as Swan United put on an absolute passing clinic to thrash Circuitville 7–0. The goals were distributed fluidly across Swan’s attacking front, with precise clinical strikes recorded by Alex Downer, Mark Lonke, Abram Webb, Ronaldo Fredericks, and Christov Roberts.
CYCLING: Brighton John Crowned Grand Prix de l’Ouest Champion in French Guiana
National cyclist Brighton John achieved a definitive milestone for Guyanese cycling on Monday, officially securing the overall General Classification championship and the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2026 Grand Prix Cycliste de l’Ouest in French Guiana.
Representing the regional Sinnamary Cycling Club, John entered the final stage in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni facing a narrow deficit behind the overnight general classification leader, Larry Lutin. Executing a highly coordinated and aggressive team strategy, Sinnamary CC repeatedly isolated Lutin on the crosswind sections, allowing John to break away with the leading peloton.
While the final stage honors were claimed by Terry Tsang following a late bunch sprint, John’s tactical positioning allowed him to secure the overall cumulative time victory. The Guyanese wheelsman stood on the top step of the international podium ahead of Guadeloupe’s Lutin (2nd overall) and French Guiana’s Benjamin Bousquet (3rd overall), cementing his reputation as one of the premier road racers in the Caribbean and Guianas region.
