On a momentous Monday in Santo Domingo, Barbados etched its name into Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games history, securing an unprecedented one-two sweep of the podium in the women’s singles squash competition. Top-seeded Margot Prow claimed the nation’s first gold medal of the tournament, while her compatriot Meagan Best walked away with a silver medal, marking the first time two Barbadian athletes have faced off for squash gold at the regional games.
Prow booked her spot in the historic final after a tense three-set semifinal clash against Colombia’s Laura Tovar, pulling out a hard-fought 13-11, 11-9, 11-9 win. With the victory, Prow became just the second Barbadian ever to reach a CAC Games women’s singles squash final, following in the footsteps of Karen Meakins, who achieved the same milestone back in 2010. On the opposite side of the bracket, Best delivered a gritty four-set performance to overcome Colombia’s Lucia Bautista, finalizing the all-Barbados final with an 11-8, 1-11, 11-4, 11-9 win.
When the two domestic rivals took to the court for the gold medal match, Prow maintained her tournament momentum to claim the top prize, wrapping up a straight-set victory 11-9, 11-8, 11-8. In an interview with Barbados TODAY from the team’s base in the Dominican Republic, Chef de Mission Dr. Adrian Lorde called the dual-medal performance a transformative, unforgettable moment for the entire Barbados delegation.
“This is the first gold medal we have secured at these games, and while our squash athletes have long performed strongly at this regional level, we have never before reached the stage of having two Barbadians competing for a gold medal,” Lorde explained. “Both players fought exceptionally hard all the way to the final, and the gold medal match itself was hotly competitive. Neither held back, they went head-to-head fairly, and the better player on the night came out on top.”
Lorde emphasized that hearing the Barbadian national anthem play to honor Prow’s gold medal win was a particularly emotional milestone for the small nation’s delegation. “We don’t always get the chance to hear our national anthem played at major international competitions like this, so this was a truly proud moment for every single one of us,” he added.
Heading into the remaining days of competition, the CAC Games medal tally for Barbados currently stands at one gold and five silver medals, and Lorde says the team is optimistic about adding more hardware to the count. A number of key disciplines are still set to get underway, including mixed doubles squash, track and field, boxing, and netball.
The one-two finish carries extra significance for the Barbadian squash community, which has long faced structural barriers related to limited access to high-quality training facilities at home. Lorde expressed hope that this landmark success will earn the sport greater national recognition and support moving forward. He also noted that while the delegation has navigated some minor health challenges during the tournament, overall team morale remains high as athletes prepare for their upcoming events.