Guyana prepares to host Senior Caribbean Squash Championships

Guyana is stepping up to host the 2025 Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Championships, taking over the prestigious Senior event from November 23-29 after it was relocated from Jamaica due to Hurricane Melissa.

In a press release, the Guyana Squash Association confirmed that preparations are moving ahead rapidly to ensure a successful hosting of the regional tournament, which will feature over 130 of the best players from nine Caribbean territories.

The Championships will be staged at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue.

In a gesture of regional unity and sportsmanship, the GSA released the official tournament logo this week.

The design symbolically features an interplay between birds of the two primary host nations: Jamaica’s national bird, the doctor bird or swallowtail hummingbird (Trochilus Polytmus), and the Crimson Topaz (Topaza Pelta) of Guyana.

The logo, complete with a squash ball at its centre, signifies the cultural heritage and sporting camaraderie between the two countries, despite the last-minute venue change.

The decision to shift the tournament to Guyana was made due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica, which affected the national association’s organising capacity and the availability of modern facilities.

Guyana’s ability to host was bolstered by its recent investment in the National Racquet Centre, which saw the construction of a new Doubles Squash Court commissioned by President Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali in February 2025.

This hosting is seen as a meaningful utilisation of the Government’s investment in the sport.

Team Guyana is expected to enter the tournament as heavy favourites, looking to defend the courts and retain their status as regional champions—a title they have held consecutively for the past four years.

The national team also recently earned the coveted National Sport Team of the Year accolade at the 2024 National Sports Awards.

The team features a collection of experienced players, including current National Women’s Squash Champion and Sportswoman of the Year runner-up, Ashley Khalil.

Over 120 athletes will compete in both singles and team segments across the male and female divisions.

Participating teams will be drawn from Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic, and the British Virgin Islands.