The “Other” Olympic Medallists from The Caribbean by Reynold O’Neal
4 min read
The first Olympic athlete from the Caribbean to win an Olympic medal while representing his own country was the Haitian long jumper Silvio Cator, who won a silver at the 1928 Games. However, the British sprinter Harry Edward ,who was born in British Guiana (now Guyana) had mounted the victory stand twice in 1920,winning bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 metre dashes. He would be followed eight years later by another Guyanese sprinter, Jack London, who won a silver medal in the 100 metres and a bronze in the 4×100 metre relay for Great Britain. The list of athletes from the Caribbean who have won Olympic medals while representing other countries includes:
Athletics
Men-100m
Harry Edward (GBR/GUY)-Bronze 1920
Jack London (GBR/GUY)- Silver 1928
McDonald Bailey (GBR/TRI) –Bronze 1952
Ben Johnson (CAN/’JAM)- Bronze 1984
Linford Christie (GBR/JAM)- Silver 1988*
Linford Christie (GBR/JAM)-Gold 1992
Donovan Bailey (CAN/JAM)-Gold 1996
Men-200m
Harry Edward (GBR/GUY)-Bronze 1920
Men-800m
Phil Edwards (CAN/GUY)-Bronze 1932
Phil Edwards (CAN/GUY)-Bronze 1936
Men-1500m
Phil Edwards (CAN/GUY)-Bronze 1932
110m Hurdles (Men)
Mark McKoy (CAN/GUY)- Gold 1992
Orlando Ortega ( ESP/CUB)- Silver 201
Dimitri Bascou (FRA/MRT)- Bronze 2016
400m Hurdles
Kerron Clement (USA/TTO) Gold 2016
Yasmani Copello (TUR/CUB)- Bronze 2016
High Jump (Men)
Germaine Mason (GBR/JAM) –Silver 2008
Triple Jump (Men)
Keith Connor (GBR/AIA)- Bronze 1984
4 x 100m (Men)
Jack London (GBR/ GUY)- Bronze 1928
Roger Bambuck (FRA/GDL)- Bronze 1968
Hermann Panzo (FRA/MRT)-Bronze 1980
Ben Johnson (CAN/JAM) – Bronze 1984 Tony
Sharpe (CAN/JAM)- Bronze 1984
Desai Williams (CAN/SKN)-Bronze 1984
Max Moriniere (FRA/MRT)- Bronze 1988
Robert Esmie (CAN/JAM)-Gold 1996
Glenroy Gilbert (CAN/TRI)-Gold 1996
Bruny Surin (CAN/HAI) – Gold 1996
Men 4 x 400m Relay
Phil Edwards (CAN/GUY) – Bronze 1932
Roger Velasquez (FRA/GDL)-Bronze 1972
Women-200m
Marie-Jose Perec (FRA/GDL)- Gold 1996
Women 400m
Marie-Jose Perec (FRA/GDL)-Gold 1992
Marie-Jose Perec (FRA/GDL)-Gold 1996
Sanya Richards (USA/JAM)- Bronze 2008
Sanya Richards (USA/JAM)-Gold 2012
100m Hurdles (Women)
Patricia Girard (FRA/GDL)- Bronze 1996
400m Hurdles (Women)
Sandra Farmer-Patrick (USA/JAM)- Silver 1992
Women-Javelin Throw
Tessa Sanderson (GBR/JAM)- Gold 1984
4 x 100m Relay (Women)
Beverly Goddard (GBR/BAR)-Bronze 1980
Marita Payne (CAN/BAR)- Silver 1984
Angella Taylor (CAN/JAM)- Silver 1984
Beverly (Goddard) Callender (GBR/BAR)- Bronze 1984
Christine Arron (FRA/GDL) Bronze 2000*
Sandra Citte (FRA/GDL) –Bronze 2000 (ran heats but not final)
Christine Arron (FRA/GDL) –Bronze 2004
4 x 400m Relay (Women)
Joslyn Hoyte-Smith (GBR/BAR) –Bronze 1980
Charmaine Crooks (CAN/JAM)- Silver 1984
Jillian Richardson (CAN/TRI)- Silver 1984
Molly Killingbeck (CAN/JAM)-Silver 1984
Marita Payne (CAN/BAR)- Silver 1984
Sanya Richards (USA/JAM)-Gold 2004
Sanya Richards (USA/JAM)-Gold 2008
Sanya Richards (USA/JAM)- Gold 2012
*Ben Johnson won the event in 1988. Later disqualified for doping violation. Christie was upgraded from bronze to silver medal status.
*Upgraded from fourth place after disqualification of the third-place USA team retroactively owing to a doping infraction.
Boxing Medallists
Jose ”Chegui” Torres (USA/PUR)-Junior Middleweight-Silver 1956
Basketball (Men)
Patrick Ewing (USA/JAM)- Gold 1984
Patrick Ewing (USA/JAM)-Gold 1992
Fencing (Men)
Fabrice Jeannet (FRA/MRT)-Individual Epee –Silver 2008
Fabrice Jeannet (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee- Gold 2004
Jerome Jeannet (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee- Gold-2004
Fabrice Jeannet (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee- Gold- 2008
Jerome Jeannet (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee-Gold- 2008
Jean-Michel Lucenay (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee- Gold- 2008
Ulrich Robeiri (FRA/GNE)-Team Epee- Gold- 2008
Jean-Michel Lucenay (FRA/MRT)-Team Epee- Gold-2016
Daniel Jerent (FRA/GDL)- Team Epee-Gold-2016
Yannick Borel (FRA/ GDL)-Team Epee- Gold-2016
Fencing (Women)
Laura Flessel (FRA/GDL)-Individual Epee-Gold- 1996
Laura Flessel (FRA/GDL)-Individual Epee-Bronze-2000
Laura Flessel-Colovic (FRA/GDL)-Individual Epee- Silver-2004
Maureen Nisima (FRA/MRT)- Individual Epee- Bronze-2004
Laura Flessel (FRA/GDL)-Team Epee- Gold- 1996
Sarah Daninthe (FRA/GDL)-Team Epee-Bronze-2004
Laura Flessel-Colovic (FRA/GDL)-Team Epee-Bronze-2004*
Maureen Nisima (FRA/MRT)- Team Epee-Bronze-2004
Judo (MEN)
Teddy Riner (FRA/GDL)- 100 kg Class-Bronze-2008
Teddy Riner (FRA/GDL)-100 kg class-Gold-2012
Teddy Riner (FRA/GDL)-100kg class-Gold -2016
Swimming (Women)
Enith Brigitha (NED/AHO)-200m Freestyle- Bronze-1976
Enith Brigitha (NED/AHO)-100m Freestyle-Bronze- 1976
Malia Metella (FRA/GNE)- 50m Freestyle-Silver-2004
Tennis (Women)
Gigi Fernandez (USA/PUR)-Women’s Doubles- 1992
Gigi Fernandez (USA/PUR)- Women’s Doubles-1996
Weightlifting (Men)
Louis Martin (GBR/JAM)- Middle Heavyweight- Bronze-1960
Louis Martin (GBR/JAM)-Middle Heavyweight- Silver- 2004
*Laura Flessel has won more Olympic medals than any other fencer in history.
Notes:
Guadeloupe=GDL
Martinique=MRT
French Guiana (Cayenne)=GNE
Anguilla=AIA
Netherlands Antilles=AHO
Puerto Rico=PUR
Jesse Vassallo (USA/PUR) finished 4th in the 200m Individual Medley in swimming at the 1984 Games but subsequently set world records in that event and in the 400 metre Individual Medley.
Coralie Balmy (FRA/MRT) finished fourth in the 400m Freestyle swimming event at the 2008 Games. She later set a world record in the 200m Freestyle.
