Jamaica etched its name into dragon boat history over the weekend, seizing a bronze medal in the 200-metre Mixed Major Final at the fourth Bahamas Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, staged at Goodman’s Bay in Nassau. The result marked not only a podium finish but also two new national records for a team that had only taken up the sport two months prior.
Breaking Barriers with Record Times
The mixed squad delivered early notice of their potential. After clocking 1:04.79 for third place in round one, they stormed back in round two with a 1:11.3 victory, securing an aggregate time strong enough to qualify for both the Mixed Major Final and the Minor Final. Despite this dual qualification, strategy and manpower constraints forced Captain Jason McKay to conserve his paddlers, pulling them from the Minor Final to focus on the premier race.
Open Squad Steals Spotlight
Not to be outdone, Jamaica’s open division made its own history by posting a national record time of 1:03.95 during qualification—the fastest second-round time of all 27 teams. This included outperforming eventual champions Buoys and Gulls, who won their heat with a slower 1:04.82. That blazing time propelled Jamaica into the 200-metre Major Open final alongside the seasoned crews of Buoys and Gulls and Nauti Crew.
Pride in Performance
For McKay, the feat was nothing short of remarkable. “Most of this crew only touched a dragon boat for the first time in June,” he said, reflecting on Jamaica’s first local festival just two months earlier. “To not only race but to defeat defending champions and established North American teams—it’s beyond words.”
He noted that with a larger squad, Jamaica would have contested every Major Division A final and entered the showpiece events with fresher legs. Even so, he praised his 17-member crew’s resilience and hinted at greater ambitions ahead. “We’ll get them next year in Jamaica on home turf,” he declared.
Looking Ahead
The team has already set its sights on 2026, with plans for a stronger roster both at home and in Nassau. As Jamaica celebrates this breakthrough performance, the message is clear: a nation famed for sprinting has now proven it can paddle with the world’s best.
