Points gained from a loss to Puerto Rico in the 18-and-Under Boys’ Water Polo final, the last event of the 2019 Central American & Caribbean Confederation (CCCAN) Championships, propelled hosts Barbados into second position overall.
The competition which ran at the Aquatic Centre in Wildey for just over a week and a half brought together 28 continental and Caribbean to contest contesting nations.
Barbados amassed 686 points to place the island behind Mexico with 1690.50. Trinidad and Tobago placed third with 641 points while Panama occupied fourth with 630.
The scoresheet and placement for CARICOM members and associated nations shows Jamaica in fifth position with 623 points; Cayman Islands, 17th on 76 points; Grenada, 22nd on 39 points; St. Lucia, 23rd on 37 points; Antigua and Barbuda, 24th with 34.50 points; and St. Kitts & Nevis, 27th with 17 points.
Barbados head coach, Ryan Forde, a former national swimmer himself was pleased with the island’s second place achievement among stiff competition.
“The intensity and the application were there. They have a lot of promise, both the older group and the younger group [but] it is just dealing with the technical and the fitness side. Playing here only is a challenge because you only get as good as the best man on your team, so you don’t ever get better. We need a schools water polo programme.”
