With 368 athletes already registered, the Athletics Association of Guyana’s 2026 National Championships will take on its biggest weekend format in recent years when the event gets underway on Friday at the National Track and Field Centre.
The championships were launched yesterday afternoon at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, where the AAG outlined plans for the three-day meet. This year’s edition will mark the first time the senior and junior championships are being staged together, creating one combined national showcase from June 26 to 28.
Fourteen AAG-affiliated clubs have registered athletes so far, while the association is still expecting additional entries from overseas athletes and invited organisations before the start of competition.
The championships will be contested in the Open, Under-18 and Under-20 categories. The track programme will feature events from the 100 metres up to the 5000 metres, while the field side of the competition will include the jumps and throws.
The move to combine the junior and senior championships has been made with participation and atmosphere in mind. In previous years, the youth and junior events were held separately, while the senior championships did not always attract the numbers the AAG wanted. By bringing the categories together, the association is hoping to create a stronger weekend of competition and a larger stage for athletes at different levels.
For the younger athletes, the championships will carry added value, with qualification spots for the World Under-20 Championships in September available. That is expected to add further intensity to the Under-18 and Under-20 divisions, where several athletes will be aiming to use the national meet as a stepping stone to international competition.
Among the seniors, attention will fall heavily on the men’s 100m. Reigning champion Emmanuel Archibald will not be present to defend his crown, leaving the title race open and creating an opportunity for a new national sprint champion to emerge.
The men’s 400m is also expected to draw interest, with national record-holder Malachi Austin listed among the athletes set to compete. Austin, who established the national mark earlier this year, will be one of the main names to watch, while Arinze Chance is also expected to be in the hunt for top honours.
Senior athletes will compete for cash incentives, with $40,000 going to first place, $30,000 to second and $20,000 to third. In the junior categories, athletes will compete for trophies and other prizes provided by sponsors and business partners.
The AAG has secured support from several companies for this year’s championships, including Banks DIH, Guyana Beverages Inc., Courts Guyana Inc., DHL, Dyna’s Embroidery and Church’s Chicken. The association is also working to finalise support from a few additional sponsors before the meet begins.
The official opening ceremony is set for Saturday, when Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, is expected to be in attendance.
Coaches and club representatives were also engaged on Monday afternoon during the technical meeting, where competition matters were addressed ahead of Friday’s start. Officials assigned to the championships recently completed refresher training, and the AAG expects the meet to be handled at a high standard.
Admission for the championships is $1,000 for the three days. Athletes and children under 10 will be admitted free, while food and drinks will be available at the venue. The AAG is encouraging the public to attend and support the athletes throughout the weekend.
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