Barbados’ cycling and heritage preservation communities are united in grief this week after the passing of legendary former national cycling champion Colin “Top Cat” Alleyne, who died peacefully last Saturday morning following a brief struggle with cancer. He was 72 years old.
A longtime resident of Fairfield, Black Rock, Alleyne leaves behind a dual legacy that spans both competitive sport and cultural heritage preservation. During his decorated cycling career in the 1970s and 1980s, Alleyne earned widespread acclaim for putting Barbadian cycling on the global map, representing the small island nation at regional competitions across the Caribbean and as far as continental Europe. In honor of his extraordinary contributions to sports in Barbados, he was awarded the Barbados Service Medal (BSM), a distinction recognizing outstanding service to the country.
Beyond the race track, Alleyne built a second respected career as one of Barbados’ most renowned master coral stone masons and heritage craftsmen. A man of deep faith, he continued to serve his country long after he retired from competitive cycling, sharing his craft with new generations through work with the Commonwealth Heritage Forum and the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, where he taught traditional heritage stone masonry techniques to aspiring tradespeople.
Among his most notable restoration projects was the 2023 rehabilitation of the historic old railway bridge connecting Bulkeley and Carmichael in the parish of St. George. Funded by the Peter Moore Barbados Trust, the restored structure now bears Alleyne’s name in permanent recognition of his work. Most recently, in 2025, he completed the full restoration of the far larger Blackman’s Egg and Molasses Bridge in St. Joseph, a landmark originally constructed in the 1680s that holds significant historical value for the island. He also completed hundreds of custom commissioned pieces for commercial clients, hotels and private villas across Barbados, including hand-polished coral stone furniture that can still be seen across the island today.
Speaking on behalf of Alleyne’s family, his niece Sonia A. Alleyne remembered her uncle as a constant source of inspiration and encouragement for young cyclists just starting their competitive careers, many of whom he mentored over decades. “Alleyne was a loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and a role model to many. He will be deeply missed. At 72, the master craftsman has downed his tools, the champion will cycle no more, but Top Cat’s legacy of excellence will live on,” she said.