Barbados’ 2023 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games journey got underway in the Dominican Republic on Thursday, with badminton marking the island nation’s first competitive action of the multi-sport event. The opening matchup against Venezuela ended in a 4-1 defeat for the Barbadian national side, though it produced one bright highlight for the delegation: veteran men’s singles player Kennie King secured his country’s only win of the tie, battling past Venezuela’s Ricardo Torres in three hard-fought sets 21-18, 11-21, 21-5.
In the women’s singles draw, Barbados’ Monyata Riviera fell in straight sets to Venezuela’s Mariangel Garcia, 14-21, 19-21. King and his men’s doubles partner Shae Martin could not overcome their Venezuelan opponents, dropping the match 15-21, 15-21. Riviera and Sabrina Scott, competing in women’s doubles, also lost in straight sets 14-21, 18-21. The final contest, mixed doubles, saw Venezuela claim another victory as Martin and Scott fell 10-21, 19-21 to the Venezuelan pairing.
Beyond the badminton court, the Barbadian delegation of more than 140 athletes, with a total support and competitor contingent of roughly 200 people, has been settling into the CAC Games environment across multiple host cities. Chef de Mission Dr. Adrian Lorde, speaking exclusively to Barbados TODAY from his base in Santo Domingo, reported that the team’s morale remains strong despite the opening result and logistical adjustments required for the tournament.
“Batches of competitors are still arriving, but I’ve been really impressed with the team’s spirit and resilience,” Lorde said. “Conditions here are quite hot, and we’ve had some variation in accommodation, but the group has settled in far better than expected.” Many early-arriving athletes have already begun on-ground training for their upcoming events, Lorde confirmed. The men’s hockey squad has already held a public warm-up scrimmage against the host Dominican Republic team, while shooters have reported to their venues, and swimmers and tennis players arrived in country Wednesday night. A formal team welcome ceremony for the Barbadian delegation is scheduled for Wednesday evening in the main CAC Games Village.
The 2024 CAC Games, which will run through July 24 to August 8, are expected to welcome roughly 6,000 athletes from across the region to compete in a full slate of sporting events. Lorde noted that Barbadian representatives have quickly built camaraderie with competitors from other participating nations, with athletes swapping national pins and connecting in shared training and accommodation spaces.
Unlike most delegations concentrated in the main Games Village, Barbados’ team is spread across multiple host cities to align with event venues: the rowing team is based in a separate municipality, golfers are competing out of Punta Cana, and other groups are stationed in Santiago. Lorde acknowledged that event organizers have faced early logistical growing pains, commonly referred to as teething problems, as they prepare for the full duration of the games. “The organizing committee is doing everything possible to address these early issues, and we’re all ready to compete,” he said. “We have no complaints at all about the quality of the competitive facilities, which are top notch. While the Games Village is still being finalized and isn’t quite at the level we would have hoped for this early in the event, the food has been excellent. All things considered, things are looking really good for our team moving forward.”