The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

It was another gold medal performance from Joanna Evans, this time in her speciality in the women’s 800 metre freestyle at the 23rd Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Having already turned in by far the greatest individual performance ever by a Bahamian athlete at the games, Evans just missed out on her fifth medal when she had to settle for fourth place in the A final of the women’s 200m individual medley race. But after a short break in between, she got it with her triumph in the 16-lap race to celebrate her 21st birthday by adding to the pair of gold and silver medals she already achieved.

In the 200m IM, she clocked two minutes and 17.45 seconds to miss getting on the podium where Mexico’s Monika Gonzalez Hermosillo claimed the gold over compatriot Esther Gonzalez Medina. Kristen Elena Romano of Puerto Rico got the bronze. In that same race, Albury Higgs came in right behind Evans in fifth place in 2:19.30.

However, with just a break in between for the B and A final of the men’s 50m backstroke, Evans was back in the pool and this time she was not to be denied.

Her time of 8:44.53 in the women’s A final of the 800m placed her back in a familiar spot this week on top of the medal dais as the Bahamas’ national anthem was played for the third time at the games.

Allyson Macias Alba of Mexico trailed for the silver in 8:45.92 and Costa Rica’s Helena Moreno Hernandez had to settle for the bronze in 8:48.11.

In what was her last event in the meet, Evans led from start to finish as she did in her previous two victories in the 400m free on Friday and the 200m free on Saturday. The only difference was that she fell short of establishing another games record. Venezuela’s Andreina Pinto’s time of 8:39.49 that she set on November 15, 2014 in Veracruz, Mexico, is still standing.

Albeit not an A final where the medals were determined, N’Nhyn Fernander followed right after Evans and placed his name on top of the B final of the men’s 100m butterfly with his victory in 54.58. The A final saw Luis Carlos Martinez Mendez take the gold in a games record time of 42.20. The eighth place finisher was Marcos Lavado of Venezuela in 54.46.