Bracker brings home bronze from Bahamas

(CNS): The Cayman team came home from the XIII CAC Age Group Championship, held in Nassau, Bahamas, on 18 and 19 June, with a combined score of 17,770 and placed 12 out of 20 countries. Amelia Gillespie from Cayman Brac was the lone medalists from the Cayman Islands, placing 3rd in the 13-14 age group girls High Jump with a leap of 1.51m. Other notable performances came from Leandro Powell in the 11-12 age group Boys High jump as his 1.40m effort tied him with 3 other competitors for 3rd place, unfortunately on the count back he was awarded 5th place. Justin Nalty also managed a 6th place finish in the 13-14 age group boys high jump with a leap of 1.60m.

Overall, Barbados taking the top spot over host Bahamas and Jamaica, Coach Tyrone Yen reports.

"Congratulations to Ameilia Gillispie of Brac Athletic Club on her outstanding performance," said Brac Sports Instructor Mitchum Sanford. "Congratulations to her coach Flynn Bush and the rest of the Cayman team delegation. This was Ameilia’s first representation of the Cayman Islands at an International Meet. The best is yet to come from this outstanding athlete in coming years."

In terms of team scores, Cayman’s representative Kiara McLaughlin and Jada Wright had a combined score of 3,287 pts in the 11-12 age group girls, where Aruba with 5,081 points was first, followed by Bermuda with 5,065 and the Netherlands Antilles with 4,822. In the boys’ equivalent Jeavhon Jackson and Leandro Powell amassed a total of 4,612 pts, as Barbados took top honors in that division with 6,319 points followed by Puerto Rico with 5,712 points and Jamaica with 5,703 points.

Amelia Gillespie and Shenelle Stewart, representing Cayman in the 13-14 age group girls, had a combined score of 6,196 points. Top honors went to Dominica with a combined score of 8,101points followed by Barbados with 7,868 and Jamaica with 7,792. Our loan representative in the boys 13-14 division, Justin Nalty, scored 3,890 points in his 7 events to finish in 19th place overall out of 27 athletes.

Head Coach Tyrone Yen said, “The members of the team produced gusty performances, giving their all in 6 to 7 events over a 2-day period, with quite a few also achieving personal best performances”.

Travelling with the team was Manager Sana Tugman, Head Coach Tyrone Yen and Assistant Coach Anthony Chin. The team returned to the island on Saturday 20 June.