Darters compete at Caribbean Cup

There were some laudable individual performances from members of Team Barbados at the 2024 Caribbean Darts Cup Competition, being held at the Montego Bay Convention Center in Jamaica.

In the opening game of the competition on Saturday, Barbados drew 6-6 against Bahamas, suffered a 9-3 defeat to Florida, drew 6-6 with Guyana, and defeated host Jamaica 7-5. On Sunday, Barbados lost to Trinidad & Tobago 9-3, and overcame the Turks & Caicos Islands 9-4.

The senior national darts team has achieved a record two wins, two losses, and two draws so far in the Caribbean Cup.

Barbados’ youth team had much better fortune when they held Trinidad & Tobago to a 3-3 draw. They also won three straight matches, against Jamaica (5-1), Bahamas (5-1), and Turks & Caicos Islands (5-1). Unfortunately, the youth team was unable to stop Florida, losing 5-1.

Athelstone Forde emerged as the highest-ranked Barbadian in eighth place overall with eight points. Forde booked his place in the quarterfinals of the men’s singles.

The lady’s open doubles team of Wendy Barrow-Smith and Telma Alleyne lost to Melisa Smart and Shondell Hyles 3-2 in a hard-fought quarter-final battle.

The other Barbadian doubles pair, Eloise Martin and Shelly Taylor, were successful in reaching the semifinals, but lost to Cherry Bomb and Paula Murphy 3-0.

Martin, one of the strongest female players on the Barbados team, reached the semifinal of the individual competition. She went down to the eventual winner Karen Ramcharan of Trinidad & Tobago.

National junior players Kienna Greene and Zakiya Walcott performed splendidly. Walcott played Elizabeth Cartwright of the Bahamas in the semifinal round but lost.

Greene was fortunate to reach the final against Cartwright but was unable to register the win, losing 2-0 against the competitive Bahamian.

Aside from the Caribbean Cup, the Montego Bay Convention Center is also hosting the Championship Darts Latin American Caribbean (CDLC) Tour Qualifiers and there were some notable performances from Barbados.

Barbados’ Most Outstanding Player, Roger Edwards took on Ian Moss, and Kelly Phillips played Shane Sawyer of the Bahamas in the men’s quarterfinals.  The result from that match was unavailable up to press time.

(AS)