The University of Guyana hosted its highly anticipated Annual Sports Awards and Dinner on Thursday, January 30, at the Education Lecture Theatre, celebrating the outstanding achievements of its student-athletes for the 2023/2024 academic year. The event recognised excellence across multiple sporting disciplines, including basketball, scrabble, and track and field.
The awards ceremony underscored UG’s commitment to promoting athletic excellence alongside academic success. By honouring top-performing student-athletes, the University reinforces its role in fostering sports development and encouraging young talents to balance their studies with their passion for sports.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, congratulated all the athletes on their dedication and achievements. Encouraging them to continue striving for excellence, she also highlighted key advancements in UG’s sports infrastructure, including the development of the Multipurpose Auditorium through the generous support Gafoor’s family and ongoing improvements to the university’s football and cricket fields due to various collaborative initiatives. Additionally, she announced the introduction of a major sports programme under the Faculty of Education and Humanities, focusing on coaching and management, as well as a sports medicine programme in the College of Medical Sciences. “This initiative will provide opportunities for practitioners to gain the academic qualifications needed to teach and contribute to the growth of sports at UG,” she noted.
Registrar of the University of Guyana, Dr. Nigel Gravesande, highlighted the significant growth in student participation in sports over the past academic year, noting both qualitative and quantitative improvements in the various sporti discipines. “We have seen student involvement in sports rise from just 60 active participants post-COVID to over 800 by the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, with disciplines expanding from eight to twelve,” he said. He also underscored the university’s introduction of sports interns, who received hands-on training and made meaningful contributions to sports development. Dr. Gravesande emphasised the direct correlation between sports participation and academic performance, encouraging even greater involvement as UG aims to surpass 1,000 active student-athletes this year.
Guest Speaker and Vice-President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Cristy Campbell, encouraged student-athletes to strike a balance between academics and sports, emphasising the benefits of discipline, teamwork, and resilience. She said: “The onus is upon you to create the balance that allows you to succeed in academia and sport. Participation in sports not only builds discipline, teamwork, and resilience but also enhances cognitive function and mental alertness, which can be transferred from the sports field to the classroom. With the right structure, synergies, and resources, Guyana is on course to achieving remarkable athletic and academic success.”
Recognising Sporting Excellence
A highlight of the evening was the recognition of the UG Trojans Basketball Team, who secured the runner-up position in the Youth Basketball Guyana Tertiary Knockout Tournament for the 2023/2024 season. The team members recognised for their efforts included Jushawn Bayley, Timothy Erskine, Malachi Grimmond, Calix Bernard, Oroyo Trotman, Michael Nwairo, Andrew Thomas, Daryl Manawar, and Jaheim Vandenburg.
Individual excellence was also celebrated, with Jushawn Bayley being named Most Valuable Player of the Year, while Leeandre Abrams received the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Additionally, the K.A. Yuman Yassin Sports Awards were presented to Keon Schwiers and Shaquawn Gill for their contributions to sports at UG.
Scrabble Champions Crowned
In the university’s Scrabble Tournament, Cassidy Burnett was crowned Scrabble Queen, with Samara Hutson as the runner-up. On the men’s side, Joel Persaud emerged as Scrabble King, while Kwasi Benjamin finished as the runner-up. Special recognition was given to Bhomini Babulall, President of the Scrabble Club, for her outstanding contribution to the development of scrabble at UG.
Track and Field Stars Shine
The Inter-Faculty Track & Field Championship saw the crowning of top-performing athletes in various categories:
- Sprint King: Noelex Holder
- Sprint Queen: Savannah Adams
- Middle/Long Distance King: Hicks Mittelholzer
- Middle/Long Distance Queen: Aquiba Reynolds
- Throws King: Joshua Tappin
- Throws Queen: Eletha Stewart
- Jumps King: Moses Best
- Jumps Queen: Leoni Adams
The evening’s most prestigious individual accolades were awarded to Joshua Tappin and Noelex Holder, who were jointly named Champion Male Athlete, while Savannah Adams received the Champion Female Athlete award.
Celebrating Athletic and Academic Excellence
Assistant Sports Organiser, Osafa Dos Santos, who presented the Sports Unit’s report highlighted the University of Guyana’s remarkable sporting achievements for the 2023-2024 academic year. “Our Scrabble Championship was a major success, promoting critical thinking and mental agility among students, while our Track and Field Championship was one of the largest of the year, showcasing outstanding athletic performances across multiple disciplines,” he stated. He also noted UG’s growing international presence, with the Trojans basketball team securing second place in a highly competitive tournament in Trinidad and dominating the local tertiary league. Additionally, Dos Santos commended the progress made on UG’s draft sports policy, which involved extensive stakeholder consultations and will serve as a foundation for the university’s athletic future.
The Annual Sports Awards and Dinner served as a reminder of the integral role that sports play in shaping the university experience. UG remains committed to supporting student-athletes, providing them with platforms to excel both on and off the field. The success of the event reflects UG’s continued emphasis on fostering a culture of excellence in sports and academics. As the university looks ahead to future sporting seasons, its commitment to nurturing talent and promoting athletic achievement remains steadfast.
The programme was chaired by Deputy Sports Coordinator, Mr. Dos Santos and Assistant Registrar Committee and Archives Mr. Keon Skeete. The programme also saw beautiful performaces from Sherrian Munroe and Tirishatha Semple.
Please click this link to view the event:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JoWr1VSjYbTYaVTM9SYk8V-iv2kKNbjW/view
Please see link to photos here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17V6T-x1IyHSIEvTuY0k7JXy1LuA3Yu4G?usp=sharing
