By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AFTER The Bahamas placed third overall with six medals at the CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships, event organisers are impressed with the country’s first hosting of the event.

The fifth edition of the championships saw more than 200 athletes from 10 Caribbean countries compete from August 26-27.

The event culminated with Barbados repeating as champions, amassing 178 points. Bermuda placed second with 126 points. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago along with Aruba totalled 66 points and 58 points for fourth and fifth respectively.

Lori Roach, secretary general of the Bahamas Triathlon Association (BTA), was excited to see the level of competition on display this past weekend at Goodman’s Bay.

“The level of competition has just grown so much over the last couple of years so to have the championships here in The Bahamas was great, especially for our newer athletes who got to see this high level of competition in the Caribbean which was such a great experience for everyone involved,” Roach said.

With The Bahamas improving to third overall, which was a step up from their fifth place finish last year in Bermuda, the athletes were supported by a number of spectators. In addition to securing six medals at the CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships, Lauchlan Menzies also earned the home team’s first gold medal ever.

“We had a lot of spectators supporting the athletes, when I see things like that it excites me because that helps us to build the sport. The more people that see us out there brings more awareness to the triathlon community,” she said.

Although Roach was glad that the event was now in the history books, she added that the championships went exceptionally well across the board.

“It went exceptionally well, I think everyone enjoyed it. They definitely enjoyed The Bahamas, I have heard nothing but compliments from everybody. They thought it was a beautiful site and the weather was beautiful and calm,” the secretary general said.

The host team definitely benefited from the familiarity of competing on home soil. Despite finishing fifth in the last two competitions, Team Bahamas claimed one gold medal, three silver and two bronze medals to total 88 points this past weekend.

Menzies earned an historic gold medal in the 11-12 male triathlon. Meanwhile, his older brother Malcolm Menzies claimed silver for the second consecutive year in the 13-15 male triathlon.

Ralph Wood Jr joined Menzies as a silver medallist as he claimed two medals in the 21-and under division of the triathlon and aquathlon.

The remaining medals were won by Erin Pritchard and Grace Farrington who both placed third in their respective events.

Pritchard earned her podium spot in the 16-19 girls division of the triathlon and Farrington got bronze in the same division of the aquathlon.

The 2024 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships will take place in Grenada.