Belize Earns Its First-Ever Historic Medal

at the Central American Games

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, October 21, 2025.– Belize wrote a golden chapter in its sporting history by capturing its first-ever medal at the Central American Games, defeating Guatemala 3-1 (25-13, 25-19, 14-25, 25-21) in the women’s volleyball bronze medal match of the 12th Central American Games Guatemala 2025.

Belize closed its outstanding campaign with a 4-1 record to claim third place, while Guatemala finished fourth with a 2-3 record. The two teams had already met in pool play, where Belize also prevailed, but in five sets.

In the first set, Belize quickly took control with a 13-8 lead, extending it to 20-12 behind a strong offensive led by Herdie Castillo, capitalizing on Guatemala’s errors. Nelissa Ramírez and Shantell Arnold were dominant at the net, while Ivana Sopegno stood out for Guatemala.

In the second set, the score remained even at 9-9 before Belize built a comfortable 15-10 lead thanks to smart plays from Gareth Bruce and Ramírez, along with Kevanna Sebastian’s efficiency. Despite a late push from Guatemala with attacks by María García and an ace from Aury Álvarez, Belize held firm to take a 2-0 lead.

Guatemala came out strong in the third set, opening with a 5-0 run led by María Andrea Santacruz and Álvarez. The hosts maintained their lead with consistent offense and forced a fourth set with a powerful attack by Álvarez that Karen Quan couldn’t control.

The fourth set was a fierce battle. Tied at 14, Belize gained momentum with back-to-back kills from Bruce and Ramírez and took advantage of Guatemalan attack errors to move ahead 18-14. Holding a 20-16 lead, Belize kept its rhythm despite Guatemala’s efforts, and finally, Gareth Bruce sealed the historic victory with a powerful spike.

ALBUM BIZ vs GUA

Belize benefited from 34 Guatemalan errors compared to 19 of their own, led in blocks (10-6) and service points (4-2), while Guatemala was stronger in attacks (51-41).

Top scorers for Belize were Gareth Bruce with 14 points, and Herdie Castillo and Nelissa Ramírez with 11 each. For Guatemala, María Andrea Santacruz led with 18 points, followed by Aury Álvarez with 13 and Ivana Sopegno with 10.

Bennett Lawrence, coach of Belize, said after the historic achievement: “Our team made the country proud. It’s the first time ever, and it couldn’t get better than this – well, maybe second or first – but we feel amazing.”

Belize’s leading scorer, Gareth Bruce, shared her excitement: “We’re super excited and proud of the fight we showed today. Back home, we’ve been improving a lot, and this is a big step forward for our team. We’re thrilled to win a medal for our country, even though our original goal was just to reach the semifinals.”