Mr. Speaker, I rise to update this Honourable House, and the people of Bermuda, on an outstanding summer of achievement by our national athletes on the international stage. Over the course of a few short weeks, Team Bermuda competed at two of the most significant multi-sport events on the global calendar: the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Mr. Speaker, our athletes returned home with seven (7) medals across the two Games, spanning swimming, sailing, triathlon and athletics. This is a result that speaks to the depth of talent on our island and to the dedication of the athletes, coaches, families and officials who make these achievements possible.
Mr. Speaker, I will begin with the Central American and Caribbean Games, which carried special significance this year. The 2026 CAC Games marked the 25th edition of the event and the centennial of its founding in 1926, making it the oldest regional multi-sport games in the world. Bermuda rose to the occasion by sending its largest team ever to a multi-sport event: a delegation of 104, including 78 athletes competing across 17 sporting disciplines, led by Chef de Mission Jon Beard. At the Opening Ceremony, our team was proudly led into the stadium by flag bearers Lamar Richardson and Jennifer Chisnall.
Mr. Speaker, Team Bermuda captured six medals at these Games, one gold, one silver and four bronze:
- Adriana Penruddocke, won gold in the women's One-Person Dinghy sailing competition, finishing the ten-race series with 14 net points to top a strong international field.
- Jack Harvey, enjoyed a remarkable two-medal campaign in the pool, winning silver in the men's 100 metres backstroke and bronze in the men's 50 metres backstroke.
- Sakari Famous, claimed bronze in the women's high jump, clearing 1.89 metres to set a new Bermuda national record in the process.
- Sebastian Kempe, took bronze in the men's One-Person Dinghy, completing an excellent showing for Bermuda in sailing.
- Tyler Smith, earned bronze in the men's triathlon, crossing the line in 1 hour, 46 minutes and 21 seconds.
Mr. Speaker, I now turn to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which marked Bermuda's 20th appearance at the Games since our debut in 1930. Our team of 13 athletes, led by Chef de Mission Donna Raynor, competed across athletics, swimming and track cycling. This year's team broke new ground for our island: for the first time in our history, Team Bermuda was represented in both Para Athletics and Track Cycling.
Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that this historic team also delivered a historic result. Jessica Lewis made history by winning bronze in the women's T54 400 metres, finishing third in a time of 59.31 seconds. In doing so, the four-time Paralympian became Bermuda's first ever Commonwealth Games para-athletics medallist, a landmark moment for our nation and an inspiration to athletes of every ability.
Mr. Speaker, this Government believes that excellence of this calibre deserves to be formally recognised. Through the Department of Sport and Recreation's Outstanding Athletic Performance Incentive Programme, Bermuda awards cash incentives to athletes who achieve a medal performance at one of the five recognised festivals of sport: the Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, the CAC Games, and the World Championships. Incentives are paid for every qualifying medal on a tiered scale that reflects the standing of each competition.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise this Honourable House that, in recognition of their performances this summer, six of our athletes received incentive awards totaling twenty-three thousand, five hundred dollars ($23,500) across seven qualifying medals, presented at a ceremony held in their honour last week:
Mr. Speaker, it was a privilege to present these awards to our medalists in person last week. The ceremony was a fitting tribute, a tangible expression of this Government's commitment to standing behind our athletes, not only in celebration, but in real support for the excellence they have shown.
Mr. Speaker, while medals rightly capture the headlines, I want this House to recognise every member of both delegations. Their commitment carried our flag with distinction. I extend particular congratulations to our swimmers, including the two sets of siblings, Elijah and Elan Daley and Jack and Emma Harvey, whose qualification and performances reflect the growing strength of their sport.
Mr. Speaker, I want this Honourable House to know that this Government’s support began long before the first medal was won. This year, the Government provided the Bermuda Olympic Association with a special grant of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to assist our teams with the cost of travelling to these two Games. In addition, many of the athletes who competed in Santo Domingo and Glasgow directly received Elite Athlete funding totaling one hundred and forty- seven thousand, five hundred dollars ($147,500) to support their training and preparation in the lead-up to the Games. This is what meaningful investment in our athletes looks like, backing them at every stage of the journey, from the training pool and the track at home to the podium abroad.
Mr. Speaker, achievements of this kind do not happen by accident. They are the product of years of training, sacrifice and support. On behalf of the Government, I thank the Bermuda Olympic Association, our Chefs de Mission, and the coaches, managers, physiotherapists and officials who supported our athletes throughout. I also thank the families and communities whose quiet sacrifices stand behind every athlete who wears the Bermuda colours.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Sport and Recreation remains firmly committed to supporting our athletes at every level, from grassroots and youth programmes through to the elite international stage.
Our investment in sport is about more than competition and medals. Sport strengthens our communities, inspires our young people, creates opportunities, and provides a platform for Bermudians to excel and make our island proud.
That is why we continue to invest in our athletes, our sporting organisations, and the systems that support their development. Because, as I have said in this Honourable House before, Sport Matters!
It matters to our athletes. It matters to our young people. It matters to our communities. And, Mr. Speaker, it matters to Bermuda.
Mr. Speaker, I ask this Honourable House to join me in congratulating each and every member of Team Bermuda on a summer of achievement we can all celebrate.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
