Sports Director's Statement On Team TCI Performance At The 2026 CARIFTA Games

Statement from the Director of Sports, Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission

The Turks and Caicos Islands has much to be proud of following the performances of our athletes at the 2026 CARIFTA Games.

Jarrett Forbes, Director of Sports | Photo Courtesy: TCI Sports Commission

Across both Track & Field and Swimming, our athletes demonstrated not only talent, but discipline, resilience, and belief on the regional stage. These performances were highlighted by outstanding podium finishes, including a gold medal by David Hall in the Boys Under-20 High Jump, a silver medal by Herwens Guerrier in the Under-17 High Jump, and a bronze medal by Luc Durliat in the 200m Butterfly.

These achievements are significant. Equally important, however, are the personal bests, national records, and the number of athletes who stepped forward and competed with confidence. Together, they reflect a deeper level of growth within our sporting environment.

Importantly, this progress is not isolated to CARIFTA. In recent months, we have also seen success across other disciplines, including our national rugby team securing a silver medal at the RAN Sevens Championships, and our national football team earning a silver medal at the Concacaf Under-15 Championships. This tells us something important, progress is taking shape across the system.

For a country of our size, competing against larger nations with deeper systems and resources, to produce multiple podium performances at this level is a remarkable accomplishment. It speaks to the quality of talent within the Turks and Caicos Islands and the commitment of those who continue to support its development.

But moments like this do more than inspire pride, they challenge us.

They remind us that talent exists across our islands, and that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no athlete with potential is left without opportunity. Success at this level is not accidental. It requires structure, support, access to coaching, consistent competition, and an environment that allows athletes to grow over time.

As reflected in our CARIFTA celebration theme, “Defy Gravity Together,” this moment represents more than performance, it represents possibility.

Gravity represents the challenges we face: the limitations, the pressures, and the obstacles that can hold us back. But what our athletes have shown us is that those limitations are not final. They can be overcome, but only if we do it together.

As a country, we are a diverse and unified people, rooted in shared identity, shared pride, and shared potential. Whether by heritage or by commitment, we all have a role to play in building something greater than ourselves.

Now is the time to build on this moment and convert this energy into sustained momentum.

Sport development requires an ecosystem approach, where government, federations, coaches, schools, clubs, parents, sponsors, and the wider community all play a role in strengthening the pathway for our athletes. The progress we are seeing today is the result of that collective effort, and it is clear that the foundation is beginning to take shape.

But there is more work to be done.

We now have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to deepen that effort. We invite partners, stakeholders, and members of the public to play their part in supporting the continued development of sport in the Turks and Caicos Islands, whether through participation, partnership, or investment in initiatives such as the School Sports (TCISS) or the Athlete Development Fund (ADF).

The performances at CARIFTA 2026 have shown us what is possible. If we build on this with intention, what we are seeing today will not be occasional success, it will become lasting pathways of excellence for our youth.