Cayman Islands at the 2008 Summer Olympics

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Cayman Islands at the
2008 Summer Olympics
Flag bearer
Ronald Forbes
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (

The Cayman Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The delegation included fifteen people; of the delegation, four athletes participated under the Caymanian flag. In the track and field events was Ronald Forbes, who also served as the Cayman Islands' flag-bearer during the Opening Ceremony and reached quarterfinals in the 110m hurdles, and Cydonie Mothersille, who reached finals and ranked eighth in the 200m dash. Brothers Shaune and Brett Fraser, both swimmers, participated in the 100 and 200m freestyle and in the 200m backstroke, respectively. The Cayman Islands' appearance at the Beijing Olympics marked its ninth appearance since its debut at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. The Cayman Islands, up to and including Beijing, have yet to medal.

Background

The Cayman Islands first participated in the Olympics when they sent two male athletes to compete in the Montreál

1976 Summer Olympic Games. Between then and Beijing, the Cayman Islands participated in eight Olympic Games, including every summer Olympic competition excluding the Moscow 1980 Summer Olympics.[1] The number of Caymanian athletes participating in Olympic events peaked at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona with ten athletes, but has since fallen. In the Beijing Olympics, the Cayman Islands sent four athletes—three men and a woman—to participate in two distinct sports.[1] Two athletes progressed to post-preliminary rounds (Ronald Forbes[2] and Cydonie Mothersille) in their events, and Mothersille, ranked eighth in the final round of her event.[3] However, as of and including its participation in Beijing, the Cayman Islands had yet to medal. Ronald Forbes carried the Caymanian flag at ceremonies.[1]

The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee financed the participation of Brett Fraser in swim meets to prepare for the Beijing Olympics. Runner Cydonie Mothersill and swimmer Shaune Fraser were recipients of the Beijing Olympic Scholarship, which was awarded by the International Olympic Committee and paid for their training expenses.[4] The Caymanian Olympic delegation received donations from the Cayman Islands Post Office, Atlantic Star, Ltd, and its director, Fahad Al Rashid, in addition to sponsorships that the athletes garnered. In addition to the athletes, the delegation to Beijing included eleven people. Among the rest of the delegation was CIOC president Donald McLean, athletics coach Kendrick Williams, swimming coaches Dominic Ross and Mark Block, and past president Jerris Miller.[5]

In addition to the actual Olympic delegation, the Cayman Islands sent two 17-year-old athletes—Courtney Stafford, a squash player, and Joseph Jackson, a sailor—to attend the Olympic Youth Camp in Beijing and witness the opening ceremony, torch relay, and various Olympic events.[6]

Athletics

Men

Former

David Oliver. He again ranked fifth out of eight with a time of 13.72 seconds. Overall, Forbes ranked 26th out of 32 athletes, and did not progress to semifinals.[2]

The Beijing National Stadium, where athletic events during the 2008 Olympics took place.
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Ronald Forbes 110 m hurdles 13.59 5 Q 13.72 5 Did not advance
Women

Jamaica-born former

Debbie Ferguson.[3] Mothersill ranked fourth of eight, earning a time of 22.83 seconds. She fell behind Ferguson by 0.06 seconds, and placed ahead of fifth place heat finalist Ionela Târlea of Romania by 0.29 seconds. Cydonie Mothersill tied Muna Lee in Round 2 for ninth place out of 32 athletes.[3] Mothersill qualified for semifinals on 20 August, and was placed in Heat 2. Mothersill ranked fourth out of eight, this time running the event in 22.61 seconds and falling behind Jamaican Sherone Simpson and American Marshevet Hooker by 0.11 seconds, but beating Hurtis-Houari by 0.1 seconds. Mothersill ranked ninth in the event out of sixteen. During the final races, Mothersill ran the event in 22.68 seconds, and ranked eighth overall.[3]

Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Cydonie Mothersille 200 m 22.76 3 Q 22.83 4 Q 22.61 SB[10] 4 Q 22.68 8
Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Swimming

Then-University of Florida student Brett Fraser was the youngest participant in the Caymanian delegation during the Beijing Olympics, at age 18. He swam for the Cayman Islands alongside his brother, Shaune Fraser, although Brett Fraser specifically qualified for the Men's 200 meter backstroke event. Brett Fraser's participation in the Beijing Olympics marked the first time he participated in any Olympic Games.[11] During the Olympics themselves, Fraser was placed in Heat 1 during the 13 August preliminary round, where he challenged two other athletes: Oleg Rabota of Kazakhstan, and Sergey Pankov of Uzbekistan. Fraser completed his event with a time of 2:01.17, placing him 0.78 seconds ahead of second-place heat finalist Rabota, and almost two seconds ahead of third-place heat finalist Pankov. Fraser lead his heat, but ranked 29th place out of 42 athletes overall, falling approximately five seconds behind round leader Ryan Lochte of the United States, who later medaled gold in the event. Brett Fraser did not progress to the next round.[12]

The "Water Cube", where swimming events took place during the 2008 Olympics

Former

Paulius Viktoravicius (tied for 2nd place, 49.27 seconds). Overall, Fraser tied Yuriy Yegoshin for 36th place out of 64 athletes. He did not advance to semifinals.[15] Lastly, in the 100 meters butterfly, Shaune Fraser participated in Heat 2 of the 14 August preliminary rounds. He competed against, among others, Malaysia's Daniel Bego and Suriname's Gordon Touw Ngie Tjouw. Fraser ranked first in the heat out of seven athletes with a time of 54.08 seconds. Bego, the second-place heat finalist, was 0.3 seconds behind him. Overall, Fraser ranked 51st out of 66 athletes, and did not progress to the semifinal round.[16]

Men
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Brett Fraser 200 m backstroke 2:01.17 29 Did not advance
Shaune Fraser 100 m freestyle 49.56 36 Did not advance
200 m freestyle 1:48.60 26 Did not advance
100 m butterfly 53.08 51 Did not advance

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cayman Islands". Sports-reference.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Track and Field – Men's 110m Hurdles Results". Beijing 2008. ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Track and Field – Women's 200m Results". Beijing 2008. ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  4. ^ "CIOC Olympic Preparation". Cayman Islands Olympic Committee. 13 May 2008. Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Countdown to Beijing 2008". Cayman Islands Olympic Committee. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Cayman Islands Sends Two to Beijing 2008 Olympic Youth Camp". Cayman Islands Olympic Committee. 16 April 2008. Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Robert Forbes". Sports-reference.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  8. ^ "Cayman Olympians honoured on stamps". International Stamp News. 14 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Cydonie Mothersill". Sports-reference.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  10. International Association of Athletics Federations
    . 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  11. ^ "Brett Fraser". Sports-reference.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  12. ^ "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Swimming – Men's 200m Backstroke Results". ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  13. ^ "Shaune Fraser". Sports-reference.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  14. ^ "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Swimming – Men's 200m Freestyle Results". Beijing 2008. ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  15. ^ "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Results". Beijing 2008. ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  16. ^ "2008 Summer Olympics Results – Swimming – Men's 100m Butterfly Results". Beijing 2008. ESPN. 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2012.