Hurdler Rasheem Brown reflected on a “thrilling” men’s 110m hurdles final after claiming a silver medal in the event at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games on 5 July.
“This achievement ranks among the top accomplishments of my career so far,” Brown said of his performance, which earned Cayman its first medal of any colour in El Salvador. “It validates all the hard work, sacrifices and support that went into my training.”
Brown, 23, bolted out of the blocks with the quickest reaction time in the field before stopping the clock at 13.64 seconds, mere fractions of a second behind the gold medal-winning Shane Brathwaite of Barbados. The finish was so close, in fact, that the stopwatch recorded identical times for both men.
Until the official results were announced, Brown says he wasn’t initially sure where he had placed. He described the moment of realisation that he had secured a spot on the podium as “surreal”.
“I am incredibly proud to have brought this honour to Cayman,” Brown added.
A senior at the University of Tennessee, Brown recently finished up his collegiate track career with a bronze medal in the same event at the 2023 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, followed by a final appearance at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June.
With plans to continue his athletic career and aim for future international success, Brown hopes to contribute to the development of track and field in the Cayman Islands while exploring professional opportunities following his graduation.
“The future holds great potential, and I am ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come my way,” he said.
Shalysa Wray also represented the Cayman Islands on the track at the CAC Games. A 2021 Olympian and junior at Kansas State University, Wray placed sixth in her semi-final heat of the women’s 400m on 4 July, in a time of 55.68 seconds, finishing 12th overall.
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