Barbadians came out in their numbers to celebrate excellence last evening as the 2026 CARIFTA Games athletes returned to see the colours, rhythms, joyous smiles and flowers.
The first segment of the team returned after 3 p.m. and they were greeted by members of Dancin’ Africa and De Pomposetters Tuk Band as the all too familiar sound of the drums filled the air. The athletes made their way to family members who embraced them, and then some of the athletes were invited to dance with Dancin’ Africa and they obliged.
The music died down and soon Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and Community Empowerment, Joy-Ann Adamson, congratulated the athletes on their 17-medal haul (six gold, three silver and eight bronze) and told them the celebrations were not yet over.
“You did extremely well, and I’m sure everybody, all the Barbadians, will be out there to support you. In the celebration, we’re going to have a motorcade for you on Saturday, and you’ll be driving through Bridgetown, and we’ll be ending with some interaction.
“We’re calling on Barbadians to come out to support you, to applaud you on the streets and also to come to the Gymnasium, probably about 12 o’clock, one o’clock, to meet with you and to be able to celebrate with you.”
Some of the medallists returned in the early group, and the MIDWEEK NATION spoke with a few of them about their performance.
“It feels great, but I knew it was coming. I knew all I had to do was go and execute the plan my coach and I set out and get the gold. All I had to do was go out there and be mentally prepared for anything, everything that could happen,” said gold medallist Kamaal Armstrong.
Armstrong also said he was grateful to see all the people coming to support the team.
One of the supporters who showed up was his mother, Shanelle Bishop, and she was extremely proud of her son’s performance.
“He worked hard for it – tireless mornings, up at 4:30, five o’clock, training and he was devoted. So, it was expected.”
“Just waiting [on the day he was competing], because we had a little family function, and everybody from six o’clock was on any type of channel we could have or phone to see if we could get a glimpse of Kamaal. I saw clips after but I was still shocked at first. I’m still coming to grips with the fact that, yes, he has the gold, but I’m so proud of him.”
Tyrell Clarke did not do as well as he would have liked in the Under-17 Boys’ long jump but stepped up to the plate in the Under-17 Boys’ 4 x400 metres relay to help the team capture the bronze medal.
Clarke also shared about the feeling in the crowd after one of Barbados’ more successful days on the track in recent memory.
“Everybody was happy. I really couldn’t understand what was happening because I was in shock, honestly. That was really shocking. I knew Shamari [Greenidge-Lewis] had it in him, and we were expecting the medal in there, and we got the gold. So, we were happy.”
The second flight from Grenada had the last major set of athletes, and there were a few additions to the welcome party – one moko jumbie and Bim Cheer. As the gathered masses stood at the arrivals hall in anticipation of welcoming the athletes, the parents who attended the Games and team coaches first made their way out and were greeted with loud cheers.
Minister of Sports and Community Empowerment Charles Griffith arrived, and soon the signal was given, and the musical beats started once more. The cheering team of well-wishers
formed a guard of honour, and the athletes came out with looks of surprise but that was soon erased as friends and family members embraced them.
The minister shared his plaudits with the athletes, and some of them came together for a huddle and a loud cheer. After that, athletes were swarmed for photos. Members of the Alexandra School, including principal David McCarthy, came to support double gold medallist Ashlyn Simmons. Also in attendance was fellow principal Major Andrew Skeete, who was in Grenada as a father in support of his children, Danya and Darren Skeete.
“My tears are still flowing, unbelievable. If anybody deserved a medal, it was Danya, and if you track her progress from when she first entered back in 2023 . . . . She missed her first CARIFTA, watched it on television and said, ‘I needed to do it.”
“In her first CARIFTA, she pulled up on the line and did not make the semi-final, and then stepped on the line in the 4×400 [Under-17 Girls’ relay] and was denied a medal. Her first-year Under-20, she set a personal best, and this year is the crown in the jewel, a silver.” (SW)
