Barbados came agonisingly close to dethroning squash powerhouse Guyana on their home turf in a nail-biting finish to the 2024 ENET Senior Caribbean Championships. The weeklong contest at the Georgetown Club and National Racquet Centre saw Guyana clinch their fourth consecutive Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) senior title by the slimmest of margins.
Guyana emerged victorious with 64 points, narrowly edging out the Barbados team who amassed 60 points. The Cayman Islands rounded out the top three with 54 points.
Barbados, hungry to reclaim the CASA senior trophy they last held in 2017, showcased their renewed strength by dominating several key events. The team’s stellar performance included capturing the men’s and women’s open titles, as well as the mixed doubles crown earlier in the week.
The Barbadian squad continued their medal haul with a string of golden performances in the latter stages of the competition. Andrea Goodridge emerged as a standout, fighting through a gruelling three-match gauntlet in the women’s 40+ category. Her victory over Lori-Ann Foley of the Cayman Islands (15-13, 2-11, 11-4, 11-7) epitomised the grit and determination of the Barbadian team.
Robert Cameron proved unstoppable in the men’s 40+ division, sweeping aside all challengers including a hard-fought victory over Guyana’s Regan Pollard (11-7, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5).
The men’s veteran team competition saw Barbados shine brightest, losing just nine games out of 43 played. The unbeaten trio of Cameron, Mark Gilkes, and Michael Best dominated their opponents, including a 6-0 thrashing of the host nation Guyana.
Despite falling short of the overall title, Barbados demonstrated remarkable depth and consistency. The 18-member team secured medals in all 16 event categories, amassing an impressive total of 17 medals: seven gold, five silver, and five bronze.
The Barbados Squash Association summed up the team’s performance, stating, “The team has once again demonstrated their prowess on the international stage.”
(TF)
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