The 2026 Junior Caribbean Cycling Championship, hosted by the Cycling Federation of Belize, drew talented young riders from across the Caribbean region for two days of intense, high-stakes competition from August 24, wrapping a tournament that saw Belize emerge as the standout national team with multiple impressive gold medal wins.
The opening day of the championship centered on the Individual Time Trial, where competitors across four divisions – male juvenile, female juvenile, male junior and female junior – battled to clock the fastest course times. Belize’s young standout Ahmaad “War Tank” Cherrington claimed the first gold of the tournament in the male juvenile category, finishing the course in 20 minutes and 41 seconds. Barbados’ Alexis Lashley took top honors in the female juvenile division with a time of 23 minutes 30 seconds, while Ryan Thompson of the Cayman Islands earned gold in the male junior category with a 26-minute-3-second finish. Trinidad and Tobago’s Ella-Marie Young rounded out day one’s gold medalists with a winning time of 26 minutes 35 seconds in the female junior division.
Day two shifted to the open road race, held along Belize City’s Phillip Goldson Highway. While temporary road closures created minor disruptions for local motorists, organizers had issued public advisories early in the week to minimize inconvenience, and most commuters adjusted their routes accordingly. On the course, the competition delivered dramatic moments and standout displays of athleticism and teamwork.
Cherrington, the day one gold medalist, delivered a dominant performance even after an early setback: he suffered a flat tire early in the race, a mishap that left him convinced his shot at a second medal was over. But his Belizean teammates dropped back from the lead pack to help him rejoin the front group, setting up a final push that saw Cherrington cross the finish line first after one hour and 56 minutes of racing, claiming his second gold of the championship.
“ I have been dreaming to win this race from last year in Barbados and we came out here with a plan, because Bermuda was the strongest team in this sport,” Cherrington shared after his win. “When I got a flat earlier in this race, I was kind of disappointed. I was like, my race is probably over right here. My teammates dropped back for me, got me back across the lead group and from there it was just Caribbean countries against Caribbean countries, and it turns out, Belize was the best.”
Lashley, Cherrington’s fellow day one gold medalist from Barbados, also notched a second win on day two, finishing the female juvenile road race in two hours and eight minutes. Like Cherrington, she overcame mid-race challenges to secure victory, pushing through fatigue and unexpected stops to hold her solo lead.
“It was really hard, but my plan, I executed it perfectly. I just wanted to get away and I knew it was going to be hard to solo the whole thing, and it started to feel really long and about half way I said to myself, I don’t know if I can do this,” Lashley recalled. “But I just said to myself, I have it. All the time I was just speaking to myself and it was really hot, but I did it. Obviously, I had a little complication and I had to stop. I thought I was done and I was not. And I had to keep going and that was tough as well, but I am just really happy.”
Belize continued its winning streak in the male junior road race, where Devyn Major claimed first place, with teammate Keith Enright finishing just behind to take silver. Ryan Thompson of the Cayman Islands earned bronze, while Belize’s Jamaal Tablada finished fourth. All four top riders crossed the finish line with the identical time of two hours and 50 minutes, a testament to how tight the competition remained through the final stretch. Major credited his team and coach for the win, highlighting how coordinated team strategy allowed Belize to claim the top two spots.
“First of all I need to thank team Belize, the four guys, Keith, Tablada, Josh and Stephan. I have to thank those guys. Me personally, I don’t think it would have played out how it played out if those guys did not stick to the plan and just listen in the race for the instruction,” Major said. “Secondly, I want to thank my coach, Perry Williams. He has me in the condition I am in and it’s only up from here.”
Ella-Marie Young of Trinidad and Tobago closed out the championship by matching the other day one gold medalists, earning her second win in the female junior road race. This broadcast segment of Sports Monday, sponsored by Belize’s National Sports Council, marked the end of coverage for the 2026 Junior Caribbean Cycling Championship, highlighting the emerging talent of young Caribbean cyclists and the successful hosting of the regional event by Belize.