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Kaieteur News
Saturday August 18, 2012
Williams highlights first round Historic Goodwill Swimming C/ships Dave Persaud’s U-19 matches splashes off at National Aquatic Centre Talented off-spinning allrounder Shaquille Williams slammed the competitions first century (108) before returning to bag 4-6 to spur Malteenoes to a crushing 184run win against hosts Everest on the opening day of the inaugural Dave Persaud Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) 100-over one day cricket competition last Thursday. Nikose Barker (58) supported Williams’ unbeaten ton as Malteenoes were bowled out for 263 in 43 overs. Ryan Dhanraj captured 4-19 for Everest who crashed to 79 all out, C. Norton complimenting Williams’s performance with 4-13. Demerara Cricket Club
Shaquille Williams (DCC) ‘B’ defeated St. Stanislaus College by 134 runs at GNIC Ground after 186-9 declared in 29.4 overs and dismissing the
schoolboys for 52 in 21 overs. R. Balgobin made 59, K. Savory 54 and D. Crandon 32 for DCC; N. Doodnauth took 5-41 and C. Gaspar 2-38. T. Belgrave who made 12 was the only batsman from Saints to reach double figures. S. De Souza took 3-3 and D. Crandon 3-5 for the winners. In the other first round match, Transport beat Ace Warriors by 159 runs at GYO Ground. Transport batting first were bowled out for 188 in 29.3 overs; S. Singh led the way with 60 and D. Whitney 27. E. Ward captured 4-18, D. Peters 2-31 and J. Raphael 258 for Ace Warriors which in response were sent packing for 29 all out. A. Vickram snared 4-8 and K. Morris 2-15.
Guyana charged-up for Senior CASA with full contingent - tournament serves off today in T&T With hopes to changing its fortune at the senior level, the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) has sent a full contingent of players to compete at the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Senior Squash Championships which serves off today August 18 at the Cascadia Squash Club, St. Ann’s Trinidad and Tobago. Guyana’s team for this year’s event is packed with talented players that have won CASA titles at both the senior and junior levels. This year Guyana has sent a male team, a female team as well as veteran competitors. The Men’s team comprises Richard Chin, current national champion Alexander Arjoon, former national champion Julian Chin, Jamal Callender, Deje Dias and Steven Xavier. On the women’s side, Guyana will be led by World number 73 Nicolette Fernandes along with Ashley Khalil, Mary Fung-a-Fat, Ashley deGroot, Victoria Arjoon and Tiffany Solomon. The veterans are Brian Yong (Over-40), Alwyn Callender (Over-50) and Dennis Dias (Over-60). GSA President Andrew Arjoon was optimistic of Guyana’s chances in challenging the Region’s top senior competitors with a full quota of players for the overall title this time around. “We are happy to be sending a full complement this year and expect that we shall be a competitive team. The competition will be of an
- 3 gold; 2silver & a bronze for Guyana on day one By Juanita Hooper History was created yesterday in the Land of Many Waters when 18th Goodwill Swimming Championships, hosted by the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) splashed off at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, the first Major Meet at this new multimillion dollar facility. Last year’s Guyana Teachers Union National Swimming Championships would have been the only major local competition at the facility. The annual Goodwill competition features teams from Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The opening ceremony and traditional march pass of the participating countries along with the hoisting of the respective national flags preceded the historic opening ceremony which saw Director of Sport Mr. Neil Kumar declaring the competition open. Kumar welcomed the overseas contingents while informing them of the historic moment they were a part of. “This is history, whatever you do here today will go down in history.” He challenged GASA to start focusing on preparing for competition at the 2014 Olympic Games which will be hosted in neighboring Brazil. Kumar’s welcoming speech soon took an unwelcoming turn especially for the locals when he firmly uttered that he knew Guyana
would not have done anything at the recently concluded London Olympics, “I am saying it here,” he said. He later backed up his speech by saying that Guyana must prepare a short term programme for sports, “We must work from now and prepare a short term programme.” T&T was singled out as a good opponent in the Championship since they have a very fgood structure in place for swimming where all schools in the Twin Island Republic compete in swimming. President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K.A Juman Yassin in brief remarks said that records can now recorded at the Centre since it’s the first International Meet Guyana is hosting. The President in conclusion said that he was looking forward to great things from the Meet which concludes tomorrow and hopes that medalist’s from the event will be staking their claim for spots on their respective country teams to the Rio Olympics. GASA Secretary Dee George brought the official welcome while thanking the sponsors for their support and partnership which has helped to make the 18th Goodwill Swimming Championships a success. The Athletes Oath was done by Guyana female team Captain Soroya Simmons while the Coaches Oath was delivered by Ms. Joanne Lowe.
T&T takes the lead in Goodwill Swimming Championship - van Lange gold with record, Gaskin silver, DeNobrega bronze Alexander Arjoon
Nicolette Fernandes
extremely high level but we feel that Team Guyana will be up the challenge,”Arjoon said yesterday. Barbados won the overall title at last year’s tournament after winning the women’s team title and the veteran category, while Jamaica placed second overall. The Organisation of the Easter Caribbean States, (OECS) are the defending men’s team champions. Unlike the junior team which has won eight consecutive overall CASA Overall titles, Guyana’s senior team won its last overall Senior CASA title in 1995. Six-time CASA Junior Champion Nicolette Fernandes will be looking to win her fourth senior title in the women’s individual category. Fernandes defeated former world ranked player Karen Meakins of Barbados to win her third senior Caribbean title last year. In the male individual category, US based Guyanese squash legend
Richard Chin, who made an emphatic return to Caribbean squash in 2010, will once again be on the Guyana roster this year. Chin, who won the senior title in 2010, was narrowly edged in the final of the men’s draw by youthful Jamaican Chris Binnie last year. Apart for his titles at the junior Caribbean level, Chin is also a four-time All American player and played on the USA National team at the World and Pan American Squash Championships. Two-time national champion Alex Arjoon is also in top form looking to improve on his performance in last year’s tournament, along with freshman senior Deje Dias, and junior player Steven Xavier who competed at Junior CASA last month in Jamaica. Mary Fung-A-Fat also competed at Junior CASA where she won the Under-19 title and managed to play the team tournament and individual category without dropping a game.
Guyana (131 points) copped three gold medals, two silver and one bronze medal on the opening day of the 18th Goodwill Swimming Championship being held at the National Aquatic Centre. Despite a satisfying performance, the host nation ended at the bottom of the combined points table; Trinidad and Tobago is at the helm with 452.5 points followed by Suriname (449.5) and Barbados (263). Guyana’s only gold medalist on the opening day was Britney van Lange, the athlete also splashed her way to a new record at the Centre in the 50m Breaststroke. The silver medals were won by Hannibal and Athena Gaskin while Steffi DeNobrega won a bronze medal. van Lange, competing in the girls 15-17 age-group used the experience gained from her participation at the just concluded London Olympics, gliding her way to the top podium spot in the 100m Butterfly. The Olympian won the butterfly in 1:11.84 seconds, to record a new personal best time in the event after entering with a seed time of 1:13.84 seconds. She also achieved another Goodwill record in the 200m freestyle when she won in a time of 2:14.54 Seconds erasing the old record of 2:15.03 which was held by Barbadian Lani Cabrera. While the other Guyanese swimmers failed to medal in the Butterfly, Suriname dominated by sweeping up nine medals (5 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze). Trinidad and Tobago was runnerup with 11 medals (1 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze) while Barbados took one gold and two silver. Hannibal Gaskin’s silver medal was won
Britany van Lange
in the boys 13-14 200m freestyle. He stopped a one/two podium finish by the Surinamese with his time of 2:11.09 seconds. The race was won by Jair Vreugd in 2:08.50 seconds; his team mate Chefarao Wijders was third in 2:11.60 seconds. van Lange returned to the pool later in the day and along with Athena Gaskin and Steffi DeNobrega swept the girls 15-17 50m Breaststroke in 37 Seconds, 38.71 and 41.02 Seconds respectively, van Lange bettering her previous Goodwill record in this event. Guyana also earned silver in the girls 400m 15-17 Medley relay and a Bronze medal in the boys 13-14 400m Medley relay. The championship continues today from 10:00hrs with the 100m individual medley.