Blog

From left: Narissa McPherson, Attoya Harvey, Javon Roberts, Malachi Austin, Tianna Springer, Elliott Gonsalves, Shareefah Lewis and Ariel Rodrigues (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/July 29, 2023)

Athletes and events

• Tianna Springer (Women’s 200m, 400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Javon Roberts (Men’s 800m, 1500m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Malachi Austin (Men’s 200m, 400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Narissa McPherson (Women’s 400m, 800m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Attoya Harvey (Women’s 800m, 1500m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Ariel Rodrigues (Women’s 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle)
• Elliott Gonsalves (Men’s 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 400m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley)
• Shareefah Lewis (Women’s 100m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle)
• Flagbearers: Tianna Springer and Elliott Gonsalves

Flagbearers Tianna Springer (left) and Elliott Gonsalves (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/July 29, 2023)

What they said

Godfrey Munroe, President of the Guyana Olympic Association: “I know it’s a very competitive Games and it provides the opportunity for young athletes within the Commonwealth region to match skills. We believe that our athletes selected for these Games will be quite competitive.

Julian Edmonds, Track and Field coach: “The team consists of five athletes; they are all CARIFTA medallists. We expect the team will go good. Preparations have been going on, but not to the best because of the weather and the unavailability of our two tracks to train on. But the athletes have been training in the best possible way they can. I am satisfied with the preparation…as a matter of fact, all of the athletes would have competed yesterday (Friday) at the Police Championship, just sharpening up for their races.”

Syhka Gonsalves, Swimming coach: “They’ve (swimmers) been working hard, training and all round having fun with what they do. We expect them to try their best, do extremely well and have fun all at the same time.”

About the Commonwealth Youth Games

Commonwealth Games Associations have been busy finalising their team selections for the event, which will see 1,000 athletes and para-athletes aged 14-18 descend on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago from August 4-11.

The athletes will be competing in seven sports across 99 medal events over six days of competition.

Seventy-one (71) of the Commonwealth nations and territories will participate in Aquatics (Swimming), Athletics, Cycling (Road Race, Time Trial and Track) and Triathlon, as well as Rugby Sevens and Beach Volleyball.

Netball’s shorter, faster format, FAST5, makes its debut at the Youth Games with eight women’s teams competing for a medal.

A fully integrated Para-Athletics programme will also make its first appearance at the Games with athletes competing in six medal events (three women’s and three men’s events).

Venues include the Hasely Crawford Stadium (Athletics and Para-Athletics), National Aquatics Centre (Swimming) and National Cycling Velodrome (Track Cycling) in Trinidad, and Pigeon Point Beach (Beach Volleyball) and Shaw Park Cultural Complex (Fast5 Netball) in Tobago.

The Commonwealth Youth Games is an invaluable springboard for the stars and leaders of tomorrow, contributing to the further development of youth sport throughout the Commonwealth.

The first event took place in Edinburgh in 2000, and Trinbago 2023 will be the seventh edition of the Youth Games. The most recent took place in the Bahamas in 2007.

The grassroot programme is geared to increase the number of young boys and girls playing the sport (Photo: GFF/July 28, 2023)

The GFF’s Grassroots Summer Programme will kick off in August in Bartica, Linden, Berbice, Essequibo and Georgetown. President Forde will be visiting various regions over the four-week period.

GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph added that the grassroots sessions will be fun, but young players will also learn about the fundamentals of the game.

“The grassroots programme represents the foundation of everything we do. We cannot produce senior national team players if we are not focused on having structured grassroots sessions.”

He also encouraged parents to register their children for sessions which will focus on agility, balance and coordination.

Bartica Football Association (BFA) President Alden Marslowe thanked the GFF for organising “another wonderful initiative.”

“This initiative is geared at strengthening…grassroots development. Without the root the tree will eventually die and so it’s important to cultivate the culture of football into our children so that we can have…continuous development.”

East Bank Football Association (EBFA) President Orein Angoy said: “When it comes to grassroots, I always tell all the coaches on the East Bank if we lose the grassroots we eventually lose footballers. We need the grassroots to replace the older ones.”

He added: “I think it is a great initiative and I would like to thank them for coming on board with us and supporting the East Bank when it comes to football and grassroots.” (GFF)