With a 74-46 win over Guernsey in the women’s basketball semifinals on 12 July, Cayman’s team advanced to the final for a showdown against Menorca, the defending Island Games champions.
Head coach Wendy Manzanares praised her team’s collective effort in bouncing back from their loss against Menorca , saying Cayman “played an aggressive game and left everything on the floor” against Guernsey.
Manzanares added that from the squad’s previous match-up against the top team from the 2019 Island Games, Cayman’s players have an understanding of the Menorcan style of play and know the adjustments they must make if they hope to capture this year’s title.
The women’s gold-medal match is scheduled for 14 July at 10am Cayman time, with a live video link available here.
Golds from Rabess, Sellars and Jackson
Kyra Rabess made it two gold medals in as many days with her victory in the women’s 400m freestyle, clocking not only another Cayman Islands record but a new Island Games record time of 4:15.78.
Knocking over a second off the previous Games record (set in 2011) and four seconds off her own previous personal best and national record, Rabess finished almost five seconds clear of the second-placed swimmer.
Cayman’s second gold medal of the day came in the very next race, where Will Sellars grabbed top spot in the men’s 200m backstroke to continue his streak of earning a medal per day so far in his Island Games debut.
Trailing Guernsey’s Thomas Hollingsworth at the 150m mark, Sellars shot into the lead with a blistering final 50m, touching in 2:03.92 to capture his first Island Games gold medal and set a new personal best by almost four seconds.
“I was told not to take it out too fast and we stuck to that plan,” Sellars said. “Seeing my competitor, Tom, on the turn onto the last 50 [metres] really helped me push to finish the race strong and win the gold.”
There was also a first Island Games gold medal for Alison Jackson, who emerged as champion in the women’s 50m freestyle with a new personal best and pool record of 26.07.
Jackson, who placed fourth in this event in Gibraltar four years ago, improved her personal best time in both prelims and finals to finish just 0.04 seconds shy of the six-year-old Island Games record as she secured her second individual and fourth total medal in Guernsey.
Then, it was relay time once again. With Jackson on their final leg following strong swims from Rabess, Veronika Fankina and Sarah Jackson, Cayman charged to a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
The fourth medal of the day from the nation’s swimming contingent meant that with a day of competition still remaining, Cayman’s 10 medals in the pool have surpassed the total of nine that were won at the last Island Games four years ago.
“10 medals in total after the third day [in the pool] demonstrates once again that Caymanian swimming is definitely visible at all the international competitions in which CIASA takes part,” said Jacky Pellerin, technical director for the Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association.
Graham leaps to long jump bronze; men’s basketball marches on
Closing out the fourth day of competition for Cayman’s athletes, Ashantae Graham leapt 5.36m in the final of the women’s long jump event to claim a bronze medal.
“The word of the Games was ‘believe’ as I fouled my first two jumps,” Graham said, adding that her belief in her abilities helped her to qualify for the final round and go on to win bronze.
Graham’s medal – Cayman’s first in the track-and-field events in Guernsey – brings the nation’s medal tally to 11 (four gold, two silver, five bronze) so far.
Meanwhile, on the basketball courts on Wednesday morning, Cayman’s men’s team made it two straight wins in the group stage of their tournament with a 70-49 win against the host nation – a victory which co-captain Kwei General-Vanderpuije said was vital in keeping a third straight gold medal in his team’s sights.
The Cayman team next face the Isle of Man on 13 July knowing only a win will do; however, due to the tournament’s structure where teams progress to either the bronze or gold medal match based on their group stage ranking, General-Vanderpuije added that Cayman also need a favour from the side they just beat in order to qualify for the gold medal match.
Even if Cayman triumphs in its final group stage match, the team will only finish top of the group and advance to the main final for a chance to make history if Guernsey gets the better of No.1-ranked Menorca later that day.
Continue to follow all of Cayman’s results across nine sports – athletics, badminton, basketball, cycling, golf, sailing, swimming, table tennis and tennis – via the official Island Games website.
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