VC Notes Major Advancements in Sports Infrastructure, Introduction of Sports Programmes

Third from right, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, UG’s Vice-Chancellor, and Fifth from right,  Vice-President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Cristy Campbellsurrounded by members of the senior management team and athletes who achieved major wins at the Annual Sports Awards and Dinner, held at the Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus.

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 of 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 sporting disciplines. "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 performances 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-x1IyHSIEvTuY0k7JXy1LuA3Yu4…

UG in Brief

The University of Guyana, the accredited national University of Guyana, now in its 62nd year, was founded in October 1963, three years before Guyana became independent. “UG”, as it is fondly referred to, offers over  180 distinct programmes in over  80 disciplines from Certificates, Diplomas, associate degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees to Ph.D.’s. These programmes are offered in online, face-to-face or blended formats. UG delivers through a system of eight campuses. This includes its 37-year-old community-based Institute for Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) and the second major campus at Tain in Berbice celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, as well as the pathbreaking Maoka Taawa Forest Campus. The University of Guyana’s student population is over 11,500.

Through its 8 academic divisions and  10 Research Institutes and Centers, including an accredited College of Medical Sciences, School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation and the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences which has been ranked # 5 globally, “UG” has provided education, training and research for over 71,000 alumni over its 62-year history with significant national and global impact. Key faculties include the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the College of Behavioral Sciences and Research, the Faculty of Education and Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences. The University’s 10 Research Institutes include the recently launched Institute for Marine and Riverine Ecologies and Economies (IMAREE), the internationally important Centre for Biodiversity, the Institute for Food and Nutrition Security, the Institute for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Institute for Energy Diplomacy, the Green Institute, the Institute of Gender Studies, the Institute for Human Resiliency, Strategic Security and the Future, and the International Centre for Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

The mission of the University of Guyana is to discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the advancement of communities, the nation, and mankind within an atmosphere of academic freedom, transparent accountability, pragmatic innovation and universal respect.

UG’s forward-thinking Blueprint 2040 is currently setting the course for the University’s future design and institutional response to the changing needs of Guyana, the region and the world. It is entering the 2nd of its four phases. UG is currently celebrating its 62nd anniversary with continued focus on becoming the leading teaching and research University in Guyana.

Visit UG at www.uog.edu.gy.