The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a hiatus for the past decade from the sport, discus national record holder Serena Brown returned in a flurry, adding another medal for Team Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Brown, just shy of her national record of 201 feet or 61.26 metres, captured a silver medal in her specialty at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium with her heave of 194-4 (59.23m) on her sixth and final attempt.

The 27-year-old former collegian at Texas A&M University and the University of Florida opened up with 188-4 (57.42m) and threw her only other legal mark of 190-4 (58.01m) on her fourth with fouls on her second, third and fifth attempts.

"It's so surreal to be back at this point. I definitely have some rust on me in terms of operating at a different level at these meets," said Brown, who first competed on a national team about 10 years ago.

"You are not making friends, so you have to strategise to get into other people's heads when you have six throws to work with.

“So it's a combination of just being surreal to just be back in this moment and also just being earnest to say I have so much more to grow."

Cuba's Silinda Morales won the gold with 205-3 (62.58m) on her third attempt, while her team-mate Melany Matheus came through with the bronze on her sixth attempt with 180-10 (55.12m).

"The competition was good. I definitely feel like I could have handled it a little better, but I'm learning how to compete at this level again and that takes time."

She joined Brenden Vanderpool in winning the bronze in the men's pole vault, the sailing duo of Mary Nash and Patrick Tomlinson in getting the bronze in the 2 Person Mixed Dinghy and wrestler Shannon Hanna in securing a silver in the men's 65 kg class.

The four medals placed The Bahamas in 22nd place in the medal standings, which was dominated by Mexico with 167 gold, 125 silver and 115 bronze for a total of 407.

Brown, who has been away from the sport for the 5-6 years after she overcame an injury and her disillusion to get back to where she once was, said she's realised that there's so much more to give and so much more to chase after. “I'm not super pleased with my performance,

“But I'm honestly just grateful to finish the season healthy and now I can look forward to next year being able to lock in with a coach for an entire season and just for a few months."

Brown was the last Bahamian competing at the meet that also included competitors in swimming, archery, golf, boxing, sailing, equestrian, wrestling, judo and e-sports.

As she closed out her season in which she only competed in about 4-5 meets for the year, Brown said her goal is to prepare for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, China, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California.