Fresh off a stunning gold medal run at the recently concluded CAC Games in the Dominican Republic, Barbados’ elite women’s squash team has etched its name into the history books, locking in a qualifying spot for the 2027 Pan American Games after a standout fifth-place finish at the 27th Pan-American Senior Squash Championships in Asuncion, Paraguay. The team capped off their impressive tournament campaign with a decisive 2-0 win over Ecuador on the final Saturday, a result that pushed them into the top 11 of the overall standings — easily meeting the minimum qualifying threshold for the next iteration of the continental games. The opening tie of the clash against Ecuador fell to Meagan Best, the CAC Games women’s singles silver medalist, who fought through a four-set battle against Maria Buenano to claim a 11-4, 11-5, 9-11, 11-1 victory. Remarkably, Best wrapped up the entire team event without dropping a single match, a testament to her unrelenting form throughout the championships. Next up was Margot Prow, the CAC Games women’s singles gold medalist, who faced off against Ecuador’s top-ranked player Maria Moya. After dropping the opening set in a lopsided 5-11 result, Prow dug in deep and reeled off three consecutive set wins to seal the overall tie victory for Barbados, with a final scoreline of 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8. With Barbados holding an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the tie, the scheduled third match between Eboni Atherley and her Ecuadorian opponent was canceled before it began. This qualification adds to a growing legacy of success for Barbados’ women’s squash program: at the 2023 Pan American Games hosted in Santiago, Chile, the same women’s squad brought home two bronze medals for the nation, marking one of the country’s strongest squash performances at a major continental event to date. It was not just the women who ended the championships on a high note, either. Barbados’ men’s team capped off their run by defeating Guyana 2-1 to claim the plate final title, finishing 13th overall in a field of top regional squads. The men’s tie got off to a strong start for Barbados, with second-ranked Darien Benn delivering a convincing straight-set win over Alex Arjoon. Benn controlled the entirety of the match, wrapping up a 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 victory that put Barbados ahead early. The momentum shifted in the second match, however, when Khamal Cumberbatch, Barbados’ top player and three-time reigning Caribbean champion, suffered a surprising upset at the hands of Guyana’s Daniel Ince. Ince claimed a four-set win 11-7, 7-11, 2-11, 7-11, pulling the tie level at one match apiece and setting up a decisive final encounter. In the deciding match, veteran Barbadian player Shawn Simpson leveraged decades of on-court experience to outlast his much younger Guyanese opponent Nicholas Verwey, securing a five-set win 5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3. Notably, Simpson made his senior national team debut back in 2001 — years before his 20-year-old opponent was even born. Following the conclusion of the tournament, Don Benn, team manager for the Barbadian squad, shared his enthusiasm for the results achieved by both teams. He praised the dedication and effort of all eight competing athletes, while also crediting head coach Wael El Batran for his strategic guidance and positive impact on the squad’s performance. Benn also highlighted a key milestone from the event: both the men’s and women’s teams finished the team competition with overall winning records, a reflection of the depth of talent and preparation across the entire Barbadian delegation.