Guyana’s bid to host the 2026 CARIFTA Games will be determined this month, as the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) prepares to submit its proposal to the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Congress.
AAG General Secretary James Cole is expected to officially present the bid during the NACAC Congress, which takes place during this year’s CARIFTA Games from April 19 and 20. The 2025 edition of the region’s premier junior athletics competition is being staged at the Haseley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana had previously secured the rights to host the 50th edition of the Games in 2022. However, following an inspection visit by NACAC officials to the National Track and Field Facility at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, the hosting rights were relinquished.
The venue was deemed not to meet international standards, with issues including the condition of the track surface. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the golden anniversary edition was eventually held in Grenada in 2023.
The AAG now believes that Guyana is fully prepared to host the event in 2026, citing full government support, improvements in infrastructure and readiness to welcome the region’s top young athletes.
The CARIFTA Games were established in 1972 by the Caribbean Free Trade Association as to promote regional unity through sport. Since then, the Games feature athletes in two age categories – under-17 and under-20 – representing countries affiliated with CARIFTA.
The competition includes a wide range of track and field events, such as sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumping, throwing, and relay events. The Games have served as a springboard for many Caribbean stars, including Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, and Kirani James.
