Bring on the competition, the intrigue, the success stories and the desperation. Years of preparation will be put to the test during two weeks of sporting excellence as the world’s nations gather in France for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Let’s open the games wide open – “Open Games” – is an apt motto, as 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 events in 32 sports.
As the Jamaicans would say, “we like, but we tallawah” (small but mighty). And although small, the Caribbean has earned respect and reputation in the Games, especially in track and field.
The Caribbean made its mark at the 2020 Tokyo Games, securing 34 medals – of which 18 came from athletics. And while the region has had success outside of athletics, it is sure to provide the bulk of our medals in Paris.
Countless Caribbean athletes are going for medals in Paris and are primed for success, but here are a few with particularly strong chances to win medals in Paris.
Cuba
Mijaín López Núñez (wrestling)
The indomitable veteran
Paris will be the fifth Olympics for López Núñez. And this year, he can achieve a stunning record as the first man to win five gold medals in a row. However, he is fighting against the one adversary that no one can defeat: time. At nearly 42, age, fatigue and the weight of expectation are all against him. However, anything is possible with this Cuban legend.
Saint Lucia
Julien Alfred (100 m for women)
Is the wait over?
This will be St. Lucia’s eighth Olympic Games, but the “Helena of the West Indies” has never experienced Olympic success. The long wait could be over in Paris, as Julien Alfred (22) has emerged as a true sprint star. She is no longer just a prospect but a real challenger – winning gold at the world indoor champs and silver at the Commonwealth Games. She is eager to prove that she is ready in Paris.
Dominican Republic
Marileidy Paulino (400 m for women)
Barefoot champion
Marileidy Paulino (27) could have easily had a successful handball career but, as fate would have it, a switch to track and field would test her luck. She has already established a successful career: she is the first woman from the Dominican Republic to win an individual gold medal, is the world champion in the 400 meters and has a pair of silver medals from Tokyo. It’s unbelievable to think that she started running barefoot, but this modest star is hungry to add more success to Paris.
Barbados
Sada Williams (Women’s 400m)
The heiress of the “long sprint”.
Sada Williams became the first Barbadian woman to medal at the World Championships, and could very well be the first Barbadian woman to medal at the Olympics. The 26-year-old has established herself as a contender in the 400m (long sprint), adding to her Commonwealth Games bronze medals from the last two world championships.
Jamaica
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah (track)
The last hurray
They are all household names and, between them, have won 19 Olympic medals and 32 World Championship medals. But all things must come to an end and Paris will surely be the last time this dominant and iconic trio will compete together, as Fraser-Pryce (37) has confirmed it will be her final Olympic appearance . Her younger compatriots (Jackson is 30 and Thompson-Herrah 32) likely have more history on their minds as a new generation is ready to make their mark. But the entire region will be cheering for these Jamaican sprint queens, hoping their final act together will end with a podium finish.
Trinidad and Tobago
Nicholas Paul (cyclist)
The way of redemption
It would be unfair to put the weight of an entire nation on one nation’s shoulders, but Nicholas Paul (25) is used to the pressure. He is not the islands’ only Olympic hope, but certainly the most likely. And T&T is hungry for a medal after going without one at the 2021 Tokyo Games – breaking a streak where the islands had won at least one medal in every Olympics since Barcelona (1992). Blessed with incredible speed, the 200m fly world record holder will be hoping to translate his successes at Pan American, Commonwealth and World Championship level into Olympic glory.
Bahamas
Steven Gardiner (Men’s 400m)
The Cinderella Man
When Steven Gardiner (28) struck 400m gold in Tokyo, it confirmed he was among the elite in his discipline, especially after winning silver and gold at previous world championships. Plagued by injuries since his Olympic success, he has now recovered and is aiming to bounce back with a second gold medal in Paris.
Grenada
Call Me James (Men’s 400m)
The spice man
Can you imagine having a stadium named after you by the age of 25? It was a fitting tribute to the country’s first and only Olympic gold medalist. But at the same age, James was diagnosed with Graves’ disease (an autoimmune disorder). It’s been a huge challenge, but it hasn’t stopped him from achieving athletic success. Still in his prime at 31, the “spice man” is a safe bet to continue his streak of winning a medal in every Olympic Games he has participated in.
Dominica
Thea LaFond (triple jump)
Dancing Ballerina
When you marry grace with athleticism, the result is something special. The Dominican ballerina-turned-triple jumper (30) has been turning heads – especially after striking silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games. As the first Dominican athlete to medal, she confirmed her status ahead of Paris with gold at the most recent World Indoor Championships.
Puerto Rico
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (100m hurdles)
200% is
Despite being born and raised in South Carolina, Camacho-Quinn (27) decided to represent her mother’s country. In Tokyo, she won gold in the 100m hurdles – becoming the second Puerto Rican to win a gold medal and the first of Afro-Latin descent. She has since proven to be a mainstay on the podium with silver and bronze medals at previous world championships and will be keen to defend her title in Paris.
The Olympic dream
Here are more among the thousands of Caribbean medal contenders to keep an eye on.
Dylan Carter • Trinidad & Tobago • swimming
Julio Cesar De La Cruz • Cuba • boxing
Devynne Charlton • Bahamas • 100m hurdles
Lazaro Martinez • Cuba • triple jump
Shaune Miller-Uibo • Bahamas • 200/400m
Hansel parchment • Jamaica • 110m hurdles
Leyanis Perez • Cuba • triple jump
Anderson Peters • Grenade • spear
Wayne Pinnock • Jamaica • Long jump
Jeremy Richards • Trinidad & Tobago • 200/400m
Shenica Rakit • Jamaica • Long jump
