Despite the uncertainty brought about by Hurricane Tammy’s presence recently, the highly anticipated Barbados National Triathlon went ahead as planned, to the relief of the athletes and organizers.

The 33rd installment of the event continues to draw a diverse and competitive field with over 90 participants, including 31 from abroad solidifying its reputation as one of the best triathlon events in the Caribbean.

The multi-race event showcased four races, the Olympic Distance, Sprint Distance, Super Sprint, and the Sprint Relay. The Olympic distance race which is considered to be the standard triathlon distance consisted of a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride, and a 10-kilometer run.

The sprint distance & relay races which are shorter included a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a 5-kilometer run. The shortest event, the Super Sprint, comprised a 400-meter swim, 10-kilometer bike ride, and 2.5-kilometer run.

The Olympic distance was the first race of the meet, with a 6:00 am start time to allow participants to take advantage of the early morning hours and favourable weather conditions for the swim, bike, and run segments of the race. In the male race, Barbadian athlete Oein Josiah won gold in an overall time of 2 hours 21 minutes and 31 seconds.

Benjamin Russell-Smith of Great Britain (one of two foreign athletes in the race) took third place in 2:28:39 hours. In the female category of the Olympic distance, five athletes from four different categories suited up. British Athlete Lindsay Russell-Smith crossed the finished line with a 4-minute lead over defending Champion Amy Cox of Barbados in an overall time of 2 hours 39 minutes and 47 seconds.

Cox finished in 2:43:10 hours ahead of third-place finisher Catherine Fox (Barbados) in 3:04:57 hours.

Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) dominated the podium in both genders with one gold, two silvers, and two bronze medals. For the Male Sprint race, James Castagne-Hay and Noah Teixeria both representing TTO, captured gold and silver in 01:11:42 and 01:12:33 hours respectively, ahead of Richard Young of Barbados who placed third in 01:19:13 hours.

Barbadian Isis Gaskin won gold in the Female Sprint in a time of 01:13:04 hours. Trinidad & Tobago secured the next four positions with Angela Bayne (01:21:00), Alana Lee Wo (01:24:17), Jenae-Marie Price (01:29:30), and Celine Lee (01:35:17) taking the second to fourth places, respectively. It was an impressive performance by the athletes from both countries.

McIntyre’s fellow Barbadian rival Cain Banfield was unfortunately unable to finish the race. In the Female Super Sprint, Barbados captured the top five spots on the leaderboard. Much like her brother, Laila McIntyre took home gold ahead of Isabella Mayers and Alexis Lashley. McIntyre completed the race in a time of 38:29 minutes, Mayers in 38:45 minutes for second place, and Lashley in 40:19 minutes for third.

The Relay race which involves multiple participants sharing different segments of the race, saw a field of 5 Barbadian teams. Roger and Storm Team, Lodge Brothers, Triple Threat, First Tri-ers, and Team SAS, were ranked 1 to 5 respectively at the conclusion of the race in the times of 01:11:10, 01:11:25, 01:14:36, 01:21:57 and 02:07:48 hours.

After the completion of the events, President of BFIT Darren Treasure stated “It’s great to know that this event continues to be a significant sporting occasion in Barbados. Triathlons are exciting competitions that test athletes’ endurance and versatility in swimming, cycling, and running, and it’s an excellent opportunity for participants to showcase their skills and for the community to come together to support them. We are happy to know we have successfully executed another National Triathlon.”

BFIT is the governing federation for triathlon and triathletes in Barbados. BFIT sanctions and organizes multi-sport events, which include Triathlon, Duathlon, and Aquathlon.

For more information on future events and the sport of triathlon visit https://triathlonbarbados.com/ and/or contact triathlonbarbados@gmail.com. Join our Facebook Page: Barbados Triathlon and follow us on Instagram: 246bfit to keep informed on local and overseas races as well as new developments surrounding the sport.