The 52nd CARIFTA Games came to a thrilling conclusion in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday night, and it ended the way much of the competition unfolded — with dominant displays from two of the meet’s standout performers: Eagan Neely of The Bahamas and Shanoya Douglas of Jamaica. Both athletes anchored their respective 4x400m relay teams to gold, sealing their fourth gold medals of the championships in unforgettable fashion.
Neely, who had earlier claimed victories in the U17 Boys 200m, 400m, and the 4x100m relay, completed a sensational meet by storming home on the final leg of the U17 Boys 4x400m, guiding The Bahamas to a championship record of 3:12.72, smashing the previous mark of 3:14.52 set by Jamaica in 2012. Jamaica pushed the Bahamians all the way and also went under the previous record with 3:13.28 to take silver, while Barbados clocked 3:15.95 to secure bronze.
On the women’s side, Douglas, who had already won the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m, capped her incredible campaign with a powerful anchor leg to deliver gold for Jamaica’s U20 Girls team in 3:37.75. The Jamaicans fended off a strong challenge from Barbados, who took silver in 3:39.36, while The Bahamas held on for bronze in 3:41.36.
The final event of the championships — the U20 Boys 4x400m — brought the stadium to its feet. Needing a strong finish to cap off an impressive meet for The Bahamas, the team of Zion Davis, Aiden Kelly, Emmanuel Adams, and Zion Miller delivered, stopping the clock at 3:06.18 to claim gold ahead of Jamaica (3:07.44) and Trinidad and Tobago (3:08.11).
Earlier in the evening, Jamaica’s U17 Girls relay team of Shameika McLean, Kevongaye Fowler, Alikay Reynolds, and Tracey-Ann Evans claimed gold in 3:39.39, comfortably ahead of The Bahamas (3:45.27) and Trinidad and Tobago (3:47.25), ensuring another relay sweep in the age group for the Jamaican contingent.
There was more gold for Jamaica in the field as Kamari Kennedy shattered the CARIFTA Games record in the U17 Boys Discus with a mammoth throw of 60.87m, well beyond the previous mark of 53.32m set in 2019. His teammate Brandon Lawrence earned silver with a throw of 49.00m, while Kaiden Kemp of The Bahamas took bronze with 47.71m.
In the Girls’ Heptathlon Open, the host nation had reason to celebrate as Tenique Vincent of Trinidad and Tobago claimed gold with a total of 5,053 points, thanks to strong performances across all seven events, including a 14.48 run in the 100m hurdles and a 12.60m effort in the shot put. Clementine Carias of Guadeloupe finished second with 4,701 points, and Aaliyah Evans of The Bahamas claimed bronze with 4,625 points.
The U20 Boys 5000m also brought historic success for Aruba, as Wyndel Beyde led a 1-2 finish for the country, winning in 15:58.94 just ahead of teammate Christiaan Jansen, who clocked 15:59.99. Luke McIntyre of Barbados claimed bronze in 16:06.00.
As the championships came to a close under the lights at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Jamaica once again emerged as overall champions, topping the medal table with 30 gold, 27 silver, and 21 bronze medals, for a total of 78. The Bahamas finished second with a strong haul of 16 gold, 13 silver, and 8 bronze, tallying 37 medals overall, while Trinidad and Tobago, buoyed by late relay medals and Vincent’s heptathlon triumph, finished third with 9 gold, 6 silver, and 10 bronze for 25 medals.
Grenada ended the meet with 13 medals (2 gold), followed by Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Cayman Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all of whom earned two gold medals each. Barbados, though with just one gold, amassed 14 total medals, showing consistency across multiple events. Aruba, lifted by their 5000m double, secured three medals, while Guyana, Dominica, and several other nations also registered on the medal table, reflecting the growing depth and competitiveness across the region.
In the end, the 2025 CARIFTA Games will be remembered for its record-breaking performances, thrilling finishes, and the emergence of future stars like Eagan Neely and Shanoya Douglas — names that now stand among the finest to have ever graced this celebrated regional stage.