Cayman gets PBs in pool, 4th in high jump

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 24 July 2017

Photo courtesy CIASA

The Cayman Islands wrapped up participation at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas without any medals but all swimmers set personal bests in at least one event, and high jumper Lemar Reid came within three centimetres of a medal.

A total of nine athletes represented Cayman at the Games: Alexander Smith and Chambria Dalhouse in boxing; Sarah Jackson, John Bodden and Jonathan Key in swimming; and the track and field quartet of Aijah Lewis (high jump), Claudina Morgan (400m), Rasheem Brown (110m hurdles) and Lemar Reid (high jump).

Track and Field

L-R: Lemar Reid, Rasheem Brown, Aijah Lewis, Claudina Morgan. (Photo courtesy Mollyann Moore)

Cayman’s closest bid for a medal came in the boys’ high jump. Lemar Reid, 15, had his highest clearance of 1.98m. That was fourth best at the competition and just a shade behind bronze medal winner, Shaun Miller of the Bahamas (2.01m). Australia’s Sean Szalek (2.11m) won gold and Canada’s Samual Hall (2.09m) won silver.

Cayman’s other high jumper at the Games, Aijah Lewis finished seventh in the girls’ event. The 17-year-old’s best clearance was 1.65m, just shy of the 1.66m that earned her a bronze at the NatWest Island Games in June.

Rasheem Brown, 17, showed fine form coming in after setting a personal best in the 110m hurdles a week earlier at the IAAF U18 World Championships. He wasn’t fast enough in the Bahamas, where he battled illness. His 14.00 second-performance was only good enough for sixth in the final. His new PB of 13.61 established during the semi-finals at the World U18s would have secured a top of the podium spot at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Also on the track, Claudina Morgan competed in the girls’ 400m. Morgan, 16, finished eighth in her heat with 1:00.51 and failed to advance to the finals.

Swimming

L-R: John Bodden, Sarah Jackson, Jonathan Key
(photo courtesy CIASA)

Each of Cayman’s swimmers at the Commonwealth Youth Games return home having set a personal best in the pool.

Sarah Jackson’s PB came in the 50m butterfly on Wednesday, 19 July, when she touched the wall in 30.41 seconds. She was sixth in her heat and did not advance to the finals. She also competed in the 50m backstroke (32.96), 50m breaststroke (35.87), 100m breaststroke (1:22.72), and 50m freestyle (28.86). She did not advance to any finals.

Jonathan Key’s PB came in his final race, the 50m freestyle. In that event, he finished in 25.96 seconds on Saturday, 22 July. He also swam the following races: 200m freestyle (2:02.12), 100m freestyle (55.51), 400m freestyle (4:18.57).

The third member of the swimming trio, John Bodden, also got his personal best in the 200m butterfly on the final day of competition. In that event, he swam 2:10.57. He also contested the 50m butterfly (27.61), 1500m freestyle (16:55.82), 400m freestyle (4:12.94), and 100m butterfly (1:02.21). Bodden won his heat in the 400m freestyle but he was not fast enough in that event or the others to make any of the finals.

Boxing

Chambria Dalhouse | Alexander Smith (file photos)

The Cayman Islands two boxers lost their opening fights to more experienced competitors.

First up was Alexander Smith. The 17-year-old fought in the 56kg division and was stopped in the third round by Phomolo Lengola of Lesotho on Wednesday, 19 July. The African fighter had the upper hand throughout and completed his damage with a heavy body shot.

Chambria Dalhouse, 17, was granted a bye in the first round of the girls 51kg division and met Scotland’s Megan Gordon in the quarterfinals on 20 July. The three-time Scottish Open junior champion won comfortably on the scorecards in an action-packed fight.

The Commonwealth Youth Games were held in the Bahamas from 18-23 July, 2017.