BARBADOS’ Head Coach Bryan Holder has expressed pride in his young team’s performance at the 52nd CARIFTA Games in Trinidad and Tobago, noting the athletes’ growth, improved performances, and the valuable experience gained over the three-day championship.
Barbados finished the meet with 14 medals — one gold, five silver, and eight bronze — with the lone gold medal coming from Jayden Green, who delivered a superb performance to win the U20 Boys 200m in 20.93 seconds. Green also starred in the sprint relays, playing a pivotal role in both the 4x100m and 4x400m, earning high praise from Holder.

“The performance was quite outstanding for a junior boy,” Holder said. “And to see how he took up the stick in the 4x400m and brought us right back into contention — that was exceptional. Even in the 4x100m, I thought he took the Concorde down the backstretch — he literally flew.”
While Barbados fell short of the expected medal count, Holder emphasised that his focus remains on development and performance, not just the podium.
“This is a pretty young team,” he explained. “A lot of the members are eligible to return next year, and that bodes well for the future. We brought some of the U17 athletes here to gain experience. Yes, some relay teams didn’t go as planned, but now they’ve had a taste of what this level is like.”

Holder, who is known for championing athlete progression over medal hauls, added that the level of competition at this year’s Games had risen significantly.
“The value of a medal in 2025 is not the same as last year or the year before. Performances that would’ve earned a podium finish in 2024 didn’t make the cut this time. For example, our U20 boys ran 3:08 in the 4x400m and placed fourth — that’s heartbreaking, but it shows the standard we’re now competing against.”

Looking ahead, Holder believes Barbados must evolve in how it supports and retains talent, particularly those athletes who move overseas for scholarships.
“We need to explore how we can strengthen our pool with second-generation Barbadians abroad. Too often, our athletes leave and don’t come back. Other countries are tapping into their diaspora — we should be doing the same.”
Despite not reaching the medal heights of past years, Holder considers the team’s showing a success, particularly with the number of national records broken and promising performances from emerging athletes.

“I’m really happy with this team,” he said. “This group needs continued motivation and support, and I hope Barbadians understand that behind every medal is a massive effort. The foundation is being built, and we’ve got the right blocks in place for something even better in 2026.”