Jamaican cyclist Llori Sharpe made history this weekend, powering to gold in the Elite Women’s Road Race at the 2024 Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships, marking the first time a Jamaican woman has claimed the Caribbean Champion title at the elite level in road racing.

The two-day championship event was held in Georgetown, Guyana, and saw the Jamaican contingent, led by Coach Carlton Simmonds, deliver mixed results across several competitive races. The team comprised four riders: Sharpe, Andrew Ramsay, Obrian Madourie, and Damaine Douglas.

Day one saw Sharpe and Madourie in action in the Individual Time Trial, covering 18km and 36km, respectively. Sharpe narrowly missed out on a podium finish, coming in fourth and missing bronze by just 30 seconds. Madourie finished seventh in his category, putting in a commendable effort.

However, it was on day two that Sharpe cemented her place in the history books. Competing in the Elite Women’s Road Race, she bided her time before surging ahead in the final kilometre of the 67km course, distancing herself from the pack to secure the gold medal. Bermuda's Gabriella Arnold claimed silver, while Berenice Paul of Guadeloupe rounded out the podium with a bronze.

This victory marked a remarkable improvement over Sharpe's silver-medal finish at the 2023 championships in Guadeloupe and set a new standard for Jamaican women in Caribbean road cycling.

While Sharpe shone on day two, other members of the Jamaican team faced challenges. Douglas, competing as an under-23 rider in the grueling 155km event, was dealt a setback after a flat tyre forced him to fall behind the main peloton, finishing in 12th place. Ramsay finished 24th in the Elite Men’s event, and unfortunately, Madourie did not complete the race.

Cory Williams of Belize won the men’s elite title, with Jesus Cespedes from the Dominican Republic and Guyana's John Briton securing second and third, respectively.

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