Tonique Williams Darling wins the 400m gold (© Getty Images)
As we vividly saw on television during the Athens Olympics athletes from the Central American and Caribbean region did extremely well.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics did a study at the close of competition that revealed that although the Bahamas finished fifty-second in the medal tally, on a population basis but placed first with one gold medal per 317,000 persons. The United States, which topped the gold medal tally, placed 34th when population was considered with one gold medal for 8 million four hundred and eighty seven thousand persons.
In the Caribbean and Central America Cuba, with nine gold medals, placed fifth on the population index chart, while Jamaica with two gold medals placed seventh.
It should be clear to everyone that the Central American and Caribbean region is one of the best in the world in Track and Field. Jamaica has exported sprinters to the United States, Canada, and Great Britain for years.
The region won fourteen medals, six gold, three silver, and five bronze. Medals were won by Cuba, Jamaica, The Dominican Republic, Mexico, and The Bahamas.
With regards to finalists, in addition to the nations mentioned above, athletes from Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago made the top eight.
Gold Medallists
Probably the most impressive performance of the regional athletes was done by Cuban javelin ace Osleidys Menendez who won her specialty, missing her own world record by a mere centimetre, 71.53m to 71.54m. Menendez was the 2001 World Champion.
Veronica Campbell of Jamaica may have been considered the star of the region, winning the 200m, anchoring the Jamaican gold medal 400m relay, and placing third in the 100m. This 2000 100m and 200m World Junior Champion certainly came into her own in Athens.
The Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez continued his winning ways in the 400m hurdles. He had not lost a final since 2001. The Bahamas’ own Tonique Williams-Darling, after winning bronze in the World Indoors in Budapest, also stretched her400m winning streak in capturing the first individual Olympic Track and Field gold medal for the Bahamas.
Cuba’s Yumeleidi Cumba was awarded gold in the shot putt held in ancient Olympia, when the winner was disqualified after a drug positive.
Silver Medallists
Mexico’s Ana Guevara was the odds-on favourite for the 400m gold at the beginning of the season. Guevara had been unbeaten since 2001 and had won the 2003 World Championships in this event. Guevara struggled with an injury early in the season and had to settle for the silver to Tonique Williams-Darling in Athens.
Ypsi Moreno, the 2001 and 2003 World Champion in the Hammer from Cuba came up silver this time.
Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane was the surprise silver medal winner in the 400m hurdles. McFarlane had decided to make the switch from the flat 400m several years before. At the Paris World Championships he finished fourth.
Bronze Medallists
Anier Garcia from Cuba was the defending Olympic Champion in the 110m Hurdles. He had suffered from injury from 2003 but worked his way back to a bronze medal in Athens.
Bahamian Debbie Ferguson was the silver medallist in the 200m behind Marion Jones in the Edmonton World Championships. Her 2003 season was not inspiring but she came back strong in Athens winning her first individual Olympic medal, placing third in the 200m.
The Cubans traditionally fare well in the technical events. Four of their five medals came from field events. Yunaika Crawford won the bronze in the Hammer for Cuba.
Jamaica’s women’s 4x400m relay team finished third to the United States and Russia.
A Tradition of Success
The Central American and Caribbean region have had a strong tradition of success in Track and Field in the Olympics and World Championships. At the 1976 Montreal Olympics the region won the 100m with Hasley Crawford from Trinidad and Tobago. Donald Quarrie from Jamaica won the 200m, and Cuban Alberto Juantorena doubled in the 400m and 800m. This feat had never been done before and might never be done again. For the 800m Juantorena established a new World Record!
A New Beginning
The Organizing Committee of Bahamas 2005, the XX Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships is making every effort to have all of the region’s world class athletes participate in the Bahamas next June. Since 1989 this biennial event has been relegated to developmental status with many of the region’s star athletes preferring to remain in Europe and not participate in the Championships. The committee, which is chaired by Dr. Bernard Nottage, former president of the Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation, is providing attractive Performance Incentives plus Prize Money for the winner of each event in an effort to ensure full participation.
Athletes will vie for regional supremacy through head to head competition in a country that is known for hosting great international events. Fans can look forward to some terrific match-ups by our region’s athletes in our own backyard. More importantly they can look forward to Bahamian athletes taking on the best the region has to offer in an event that will also offer the best, cultural, and entertainment value for the athletes as well as spectators.
