Cayman with nine medals after three days

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 27 June 2017

Shalysa Wray proudly displays her silver medal (women's 400m).

Athletes representing the Cayman Islands have won nine medals through three days of competition at the NatWest Island Games in Gotland, with podium finishes coming in track and field, swimming and shooting.

A total of four medals were earned on Tuesday, 27 June, adding to the five won the previous day.

In track and field at the Gutavallen stadium in Visby, Shalysa Wray won silver in the women’s 400m, finishing in 56.33 seconds. She was denied the top spot after Catherine Reid of Isle of Man ran a superb race and dominated with a 54.76 finish to win gold at back-to-back Island Games.

This was Wray’s first medal representing the Cayman Islands and the 18-year-old was overjoyed at the accomplishment.

“It feels so good knowing that I could get a medal for my country for the first time. I’m really proud of myself and glad that I can bring home something,” she told CaymanSportsBuzz.com.

A few minutes later, another silver came Cayman’s way thanks to a solid performance from Tahj Lewis in the men’s 800m.

Falling into the middle of the pack during the first lap, the former Clifton Hunter High School student eased toward the front and was third with 400m to go. At about 250 metres from the finish, he made his move but Seumas McKay of Shetland Islands was too strong. Lewis crossed second in 1:54.51 behind McKay’s 1:53.32.

The result showed steady progression in the event at the Island Games for Lewis. He did not win a medal in Bermuda in 2013 and won bronze two years later in Jersey.

Eddie Weber snapped as he got himself together after his race.

At the nearby Solbergabadet indoor swimming facility, Eddie Weber picked up his second medal of the games. Weber finished third in the men’s 400m individual medley with a time of 4:37.14, finishing behind swimmers from Faroe Islands and Shetland Islands. He added to the bronze he won on Monday in the 1500m freestyle.

Team Cayman’s other medal came at the Hejdeby shooting range just outside the main city of Visby. Christopher Jackson finished one point behind the leaders in the Automatic Ball Trap competition.

2015 gold medallist Juan Manuel Bagur Bosch of Menorca was second, as Gibraltar’s James Sawyer took the top podium spot this time around. Jackson’s bronze is the first medal outside of track and field and swimming for the Cayman Islands at this year’s games. Several team sports have yet to reach the medal round.

Monday’s medals came from track and field: Jamal Walton – 200m (gold), Daneliz Thomas – javelin (silver), Jeavhon Jackson 400m hurdles (bronze); Swimming: Lauren Hew – 200m freestyle (silver), Eddie Weber – 1500m freestyle (bronze).

Cayman is currently 12th in the medal table. Isle of Man has the most of the 23 participating islands through three days of competition with 50 medals.