The T&T duo of Jonathan Thomas and Priyanka Dhanie just missed out on adding to this country’s medal haul when the 23rd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games concluded in Barranquilla, Colombia, yesterday.
Competing in the Compound Team Mixed bronze medal match, Thomas and Dhanie were defeated by Mexicans Linda Ochoa and Antonio Hildago, 155-138 to end in the fourth position.
By missing out on another medal, T&T ended with his second- best medal tally ever at the CAC Games with 30, comprised of nine gold medals, which equalled its best tally ever, eight silver and 13 bronze.
Included in the record gold medal haul is three gold medals for USA-based swimmer Dylan Carter, three for cyclists Nicholas Paul, two of which were individual, a first ever in women’s cycling for Teneil Campbell, a third straight for veteran shot-putter Cleopatra Borel, and a second forOlympic gold and bronze javelin thrower, Keshorn Walcott.
Four years ago at the 22nd CAC Games, in Veracruz, Mexico, T&T ended in the tenth spot with 11 medals, two gold, one silver and eight bronze from 197 athletes.
The medal tally was the smallest return for this country since 1990 in Mexico when T&T managed 13 medals, five silver and eight bronze.
Back in 2010 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico T&T captured its biggest ever medal haul, 34 (nine gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze) for the eighth spot on the medal table while in Colombia (2006) T&T won 21 medals (one gold, nine silver and 11 bronze).
In 2002 in San Salvador, El Salvador, T&T bagged 17 medals (five gold, one silver and 11 bronze); 1998 in Venezuela, T&T won 14 medals (one gold, eight silver and five bronze) and five years prior in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the T&T contingent picked up 26 medals, three gold, seven silver and 16 bronze.
T&T has won a total 239 medals in the history of the CAC Games, 50 gold, 83 silver and 106 bronze to be the second-ranked English-speaking Caribbean country behind Jamaica’s 367 medal haul - 113 gold, 121 silver and 133 bronze