Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda has hailed the performances of Jamaican athletes at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, describing their efforts as “gold, silver, and bronze moments of glory.”

Jamaica competed with a record pool of over 250 athletes across 36 sporting disciplines in both competitions. At the Commonwealth Games, the island claimed 19 medals — 10 gold, four silver, and five bronze — finishing eighth on the table, with 18 of those medals coming in athletics and one silver in netball. At the CAC Games, Jamaica ended with 11 medals — one gold, four silver, and five bronze — placing 16th overall, with medals spread across athletics, artistic gymnastics, rugby, squash, netball, and badminton.

Among the standout moments, the Sunshine Girls defeated world number one-ranked Australia in the netball semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games, while Navasky Anderson became the first Jamaican man to win the Commonwealth 800m title.

Jamaica also turned heads in non-traditional disciplines at the CAC Games. Jahzara Swaby claimed double bronze in women’s artistic gymnastics, taking the podium in the vault and all-around events. Tahlia Richardson won bronze in women’s badminton singles, Julian Morrison and Tahjia Lumley took bronze in men’s squash doubles, and the Lady Crocs — Jamaica’s women’s rugby sevens team — claimed their first-ever CAC Games medal, a bronze led by captain and flag bearer Naomi Dodd.

Samuda reaffirmed the JOA’s commitment to its athletes, stressing that placing them at the centre of development planning remains key to Jamaica’s continued success on the regional and international stage.

SOURCE: Jamaica Star