Now that the 2024 Paris Olympics have officially come to a close, the Caribbean nations represented can boast of a strong showing. While there were some unexpected disappointments, there were also several athletes who performed far beyond expectations. Here’s a breakdown of the medal count:
Jamaica:
- Gold: Rojé Stona secured Jamaica’s sole gold medal in the men’s discus throw, the island’s first gold in this sport, setting an Olympic record with a throw of 70.0 meters.
- Silver: Kishane Thompson earned silver in the men’s 100m, narrowly missing out on gold in a photo finish with the USA’s Noah Lyles. Wayne Pinnock claimed silver in the men’s long jump, while Shanieka Ricketts took silver in the women’s triple jump, finishing behind Dominica’s Thea LaFond.
- Bronze: Rasheed Broadbell won bronze in the men’s 110m hurdles, and Rajindra Campbell added another bronze for Jamaica in the men’s shot put.
Cuba:
- Gold: Cuba finished with two gold medals, one from Erislandy Alvarez Borges in men’s 63.5kg boxing and the other from Mijain Lopez Nunez in men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 130kg.
- Silver: The island also scored a silver medal in women’s wrestling from Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the women’s freestyle 50kg.
- Bronze: Cuba’s bronze medals came primarily from wrestling, with Luis Alberto Orta Sánchez (men’s Greco-Roman 67kg), Gabriel Alejandro Rosillo Kindelán (men’s Greco-Roman 97kg), and Milaimy De La Caridad Marín Potrillé (women’s freestyle 76kg) all winning in their respective categories. Additional bronze medals were secured by Arlen López Cardona (men’s boxing 80kg), Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys (women’s canoe single 200m), and Rafael Alba (men’s Taekwondo +80kg).
Saint Lucia:
- Gold: Julien Alfred made history by winning Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal: gold in the women’s 100m, clocking a time of 10.72 seconds.
- Silver: Alfred also won silver in the women’s 200m.
Dominican Republic
- Gold: Marileidy Paulino took home the gold in the women’s 400m
- Bronze: The Dominican Republic had a successful time in boxing with Yunior Alcantara Reyes securing the bronze medal in the men’s 51kg and Cristian Javier Pinales taking home the bronze in the men’s 80kg.
Dominica:
- Gold: Thea LaFond brought home Dominica’s first-ever Olympic medal, a gold in the women’s triple jump.
Grenada:
- Bronze: The Spice Island earned two bronze medals: Anderson Peters in the men’s javelin throw and Lindon Victor in the men’s decathlon.
Puerto Rico:
- Bronze: Puerto Rico also secured two bronze medals: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in the women’s 100m hurdles and Sebastián C. Rivera in men’s freestyle wrestling (65kg).
If you can’t get enough of the Summer Olympics, tune in to the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8! Here are some Caribbean athletes expected to compete:
Jamaica:
There are talks that Alphanso Cunningham, a veteran Paralympian, will be competing in fencing this year after his previous success in field games.
Trinidad and Tobago:
Akeem Stewart, a seasoned athlete who has previously won gold and silver at the Paralympics, is a medal hopeful in the F43/44 discus and javelin throw.
Barbados:
Antwahn Boyce is expected to represent Barbados in the Men’s 50 m Freestyle S9. Boyce is known for his strong finishes in international competitions.
Cuba:
Cuba’s Omara Durand is expected to be a dominant force in the women’s 100m, 200m and 400m T13. Durand is one of the most successful Paralympians in history, winning eight Paralympic gold medals
