Belize became the epicenter of Caribbean cycling this weekend as it hosted the prestigious Caribbean Elite Road Cycling Championship for the first time. The event, organized under the Caribbean Cycling Union, attracted top male and female cyclists from over a dozen countries, all vying for glory in the under-23 and elite categories. The championship kicked off with the individual time trials on Saturday, followed by the highly anticipated road races on Sunday.
In the women’s elite time trial, Trinidad and Tobago’s Teniel Campbell emerged victorious with a remarkable time of 28 minutes and 39 seconds, securing the gold medal. She was joined on the podium by Jamaica’s Liori Shape (silver) and Bermuda’s Gabriella Arnold (bronze). In the under-23 women’s category, Cuba’s Lianni Mesa Silviera claimed gold, while Bahamas’ Kami Roach and Sieanna Mackey took silver and bronze, respectively.
The men’s elite time trial saw Bermuda’s Nicholas Narraway dominate with a time of 39 minutes and 25 seconds, earning the gold medal. His teammate Conor White secured silver, and Puerto Rico’s Christopher Fontan took bronze. Belizean fans erupted in celebration as Derrick Chavarria clinched gold in the men’s under-23 time trial, finishing seven minutes ahead of his closest competitor.
The road races on Sunday were equally thrilling. In the women’s elite race, Teniel Campbell once again showcased her prowess, breaking away from the lead group to secure her second gold medal of the championship. The men’s elite race was a nail-biter, with Dominican Republic’s Alexander Germoso edging out Belize’s Oscar Quiroz and Guadeloupe’s Benjamin Leny in a sprint finish. Germoso, Quiroz, and Leny all clocked the same time of 3 hours, 49 minutes, and 58 seconds.
Derrick Chavarria continued his stellar performance, finishing fourth overall in the men’s elite race and securing his second gold in the under-23 category. The event concluded with Belizeans celebrating their athletes’ achievements and the successful hosting of this major regional sporting event.