The 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will welcome a groundbreaking new competitor: Amadi Byron Hendrickson, the first sailor from St. Kitts and Nevis ever to compete at the regional multi-sport event. This milestone marks not only a personal achievement for Hendrickson but also a historic leap forward for sailing development across the small Caribbean federation.
Hendrickson’s sailing career began just six years ago, in 2020, when he first stepped into a boat with the Nevis Aquatic and Sailing Centre, starting out in the RS Feva class before working his way up to the competitive ILCA 7 division, where he will compete at the Games. Through consistent hard work and relentless perseverance, he rapidly developed his skills to become one of St. Kitts and Nevis’ top competitive sailors. His rise from new enthusiast to national representative stands as a testament to the steady growth of sailing as a competitive sport within the federation’s borders.
Beyond his competitive achievements, Hendrickson has emerged as a leading ambassador for sailing in St. Kitts and Nevis. His upbeat outlook, contagious passion for the sport, and commitment to lifting up new participants have made him a beloved role model for the country’s emerging young sailors. He currently serves as an instructor for the Nevis Aquatic and Sailing Centre’s Learn to Sail and Adult Sailing Programs, paying forward the support he received by introducing a new generation of enthusiasts to the sport that transformed his own journey.
Throughout the 2026 CAC Games, Hendrickson will be accompanied and coached by Nicholas Dupré, president of the St. Kitts and Nevis Sailing Association (SKNSA). In an official statement, the SKNSA expressed its deep gratitude to the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee for enabling Hendrickson to compete on one of the region’s most high-profile international sporting stages.
This year’s CAC Games carry extra historic weight of their own: 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the region’s longest-running multi-sport event. More than 6,000 athletes from 37 nations across Central America and the Caribbean will compete across 40 different sports through the duration of the Games, which run from July 29 to August 8. Sailing events will be hosted at Punta Salinas on the Dominican Republic’s southern coast. As the nation’s first sailing competitor at a major elite multi-sport Games, Hendrickson carries the pride of St. Kitts and Nevis’ entire sailing community as he heads to the starting line.