2025 was a year of milestones for sports in Cayman, ranging from first-time achievements to massive medal wins as well as the transition of a legendary Cayman athlete.
This year will also be remembered as a period of historic achievements for Cayman sports, marked by local athletes consistently shattering records and breaking down barriers.
Jordan Crooks ends on a high note
In March, Olympic finalist and two-time world champion Jordan Crooks, swam to three more national titles, two best times and another world record at the 2025 NCAA men’s swimming and diving championships, marking the end of his notable collegiate career.
A few weeks later, Crooks, Cayman’s most decorated athlete in history, took to his social media announcing his decision to step away from the sport for now.
Crooks still remains involved in the sport, sharing his passion and expertise through a series of specialised clinics overseas.
Davontè Howell’s stellar season
Davontè Howell completed a stellar 2025 season, dominating the 100-metre sprint. His accomplishments spanned from securing gold at the Barbados Grand Prix and the Ed Murphey Classic to twice breaking the Junior Pan American Games record en route to claiming the gold medal.
Howell capped the year by competing at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and earning a nomination for Best Junior Male Athlete at the 2025 Panam Sports Awards.
Justin Hastings: Cayman’s rising golf star
The 2025 season marked a monumental period of transition and historic achievement for Caymanian golfer Justin Hastings. He began the year in spectacular fashion by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship in January, which earned him highly coveted exemptions into three major championships: The Masters, the US Open, and The Open Championship.
As an amateur, Hastings went on to make history by becoming the first Caymanian to make the cut at the US Open, where he finished as the low amateur.
Following his final major appearance at The Open, Hastings turned professional in July 2025. He quickly demonstrated his ability on the professional circuit with strong back-to-back showings in PGA Tour events, including a tied-22nd finish at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November, shortly after signing a three-year professional sponsorship deal.
Athletes rack up medals at CARIFTA
Cayman’s athletes showcased their talent by competing across the full spectrum of CARIFTA competitions, from athletics and aquatics to gymnastics. In April, Cayman’s track-and-field and swimming teams brought home more than 30 medals collectively.
In athletics, Gabriella Linton was the first to medal for Cayman, securing gold in the girls under-17 shot put. Linton’s winning throw, achieved on her third attempt, was a personal best of 14.07 metres.
Kaliah Haye took the second gold, in the girls U17 discus, throwing 44.91m, making her the youngest ever to earn a gold medal in CARIFTA field events.
After leaping 5.40m on her first attempt in the girls under-17 long jump, Delora Johnson earned a bronze medal.
In swimming, the accumulation of 34 medals placed Cayman fourth in the Caribbean in both the medal table and overall points standings after the pool proceedings were completed. Among the country’s top performers were multi-gold-medal winners Dominic Hilton, Lennox Turnham-Wheatley, Sierrah Broadbelt and Lev Fahy.
Several months later, the country achieved a historic milestone by making its debut appearance in both the water polo segment of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships and the CARIFTA Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
In water polo, Cayman’s under-16 girls won silver, while the under-19 girls’ and under-19 boys’ teams each secured bronze.
Closing out the CARIFTA year was gymnastics where a seven-member team comprised entirely of female gymnasts returned home with nine medals.
Vanjae Ramgeet crowned personal watercraft world champion
A life-long dream became a reality for Vanjae Ramgeet as he conquered the world stage in the International Jet Sports Boating Association World Finals by becoming the 2025 IJSBA Pro Runabout Stock World Champion.
Facing limited preparation time leading up to the race, Ramgeet relied on a combination of factors to ride to the overall victory: his previous training and experience, his determined mindset during the race, the quality of his riding equipment, and the support of “the right people” surrounding him.
Jaiden Gilbert becomes UCLA Cheerleader
Inspired after attending her first college football game at the University of California, Los Angeles, Jaiden Gilbert successfully pursued a goal that made history by becoming the first Caymanian ever to join the university’s cheerleading squad.
Gilbert, a former national team gymnast, carried the skills from her sport directly into her new position as a cheerleader for the UCLA Bruins.
Island Games major medal haul
The 32-delegate Cayman contingent returned home from the Orkney 2025 International Island Games with a grand total of 37 medals.
This medal standing placed Cayman in fifth position overall among 23 competing nations in the biennial games.
The medal breakdown included 16 gold, seven silver, and 14 bronze collected across various sports – gymnastics, sailing, squash and swimming.
The leading medallist from the group was gymnast Karthik Adapa who earned a total of 11 medals, making him Cayman’s most decorated athlete at this year’s event.
Kyffin Simpson races to podium placement
Since his debut at the Indianapolis 500 in 2024, racer Kyffin Simpson has faced a fair share of highs and lows during his 2025 racing season; however, his perseverance led him to his first-ever NTT IndyCar Series podium finish at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto in July.
Simpson went on to close off the 2025 IndyCar Series at the end of August with a strong fourth place finish in Tennessee.
Bodybuilders flex to the top
Earlier in the year, bodybuilder Damenian Maxwell completed a successful return to the sport, posing his way to victory during the FMG international competition in Gold Coast, Australia.
This win earned Maxwell – who credited his return to his wife who competed at the FMG Dallas Show in 2024 – pro status.
To end the year, a seven-athlete delegation fresh off their success at the local Muscle Mayhem qualifier on 8 Nov., competed at the Drug Free Athletes Coalition World Finals, with every athlete securing a top-three finish in their respective class, including two World Champion titles for Aquila Whittaker and Nico Campbell.
Caymanian athletes undertake coach roles
Various longstanding Caymanian athletes have taken on the local role of coach across various sports.
In football, Zachary Scott has gone from player to national team representative and now coach with Academy Sports Club.
Roy ‘Huta’ Ebanks has handed the reins of Future Sports Club to Colby Seymour and Kameron D’Hue, who will now serve the football club in dual player-coach roles.
Julian Jervis, one of Cayman’s top squash players, was welcomed by the Cayman Islands National Squash Association as a new assistant junior coach.
Making a huge splash in the Cayman swimming scene was John Bodden, a former swimmer, who was appointed the new head coach of Stingray Swim Club.
From boxing Hall of Fame to professional/amateur wins
Starting off the year strong, Caymanian boxer Charles ‘Killa’ Whittaker was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Whittaker’s inclusion into the 2025 class served as a testament to his achievements over his decades-long career that began in 1993.
Adding to the boxing highlights this year was fighter Christopher Hurlston who made his professional debut in March. Since his debut, Hurlston has punched his way to four professional wins.
On the female side, amateur boxer Briana Kerr made a triumphant international debut in Sint Maarten on 30 Aug., dominating with a first round-knockout victory.
Kerr ended the year strong on home turf in November at the Clash of 3 Fight Night where she secured the event’s only technical knockout with a first-round stoppage.
Cayman athletes sign with international teams
Driven by their love and passion for their sport, many Cayman athletes secured contracts with international teams, expanding their careers across the globe, from Croatia to the US and the Philippines.
Earlier this year, Caymanian national footballer Trey Ebanks signed with OSC Bremerhaven – a German semi-professional fifth-tier team in the Bremen-Liga.
Football striker Gunnar Studenhofft made his Major League Soccer NEXT Pro debut for Huntsville City FC in Alabama. His start with his new team showed strong after his efforts helped secure a 4-1 season-opening victory over Chicago Fire II.
Goalkeeper Lachlin Lambert, 19, who made his debut for the Cayman Islands senior national football team at 17 years old in 2023, signed with the Croatian professional club NK Dugopolje.
At just 12 years old, footballer and former 345 FC member Lawrence Maharaj, signed with Leicester City FC academy.
Joining the international football signings was Maleek Powell who officially signed a six-month professional contract with Valenzuela PB-Mendiola FC in the Philippines Football League. This milestone makes him the first footballer from Cayman to secure a professional deal in the Philippines.
After two seasons with Cardiff City Women, semi-professional footballer Molly Kehoe, signed with West Bromwich Albion FC Women.
Basketballers Peter Edwards and Leean Anderson also travelled far to pursue their dreams. Both made history by becoming the first Caymanians to play professional basketball in Lithuania after signing with the Lithuanian Basketball Academy.
