The women's doubles team of Kerrie Cartwright and Larikah Russell are the next medalists for The Bahamas at the 22nd Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Veracruz, Mexico.
The duo took down the Dominican Republic's team of Glenny Cepeda and Karla Portalatin at The Palms Racquet Club of Veracruz in three tough sets on Tuesday, 6-7, 6-4 and 10-6. With the win, the team of Cartwright and Russell moved into the semi-finals and assured themselves of at least a bronze medal. For Russell, it's her second consecutive medal at the CAC Games. She won the women's doubles title with Nikkita Fountain at the 2010 games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
As for their quarter-final match yesterday, it was pretty even between the two teams. Cartwright and Russell won 81 total points and had 13 total winners compared to 76 total points for Cepeda and Portalatin to go along with 17 winners. One of the deciding factors came in the number of unforced
errors. Cartwright and Russell had just 51 unforced errors compared to 66 for Cepeda and Portalatin.
Cartwright and Russell will now move on and play the Venezuelan team of Andrea Gamiz and Adriana Perez in their semi-final match. That match is scheduled for 10 a.m. today.
Also in tennis action yesterday, the Bahamian men's doubles team of Marvin Rolle and Phillip Major took down Shakir Elvin and Kyle Joseph, from Antigua & Barbuda, in their opening round match. Rolle and Major won in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-1, and are scheduled to play the Mexican team of Santiago Gonzalez and Cesar Ramirez in their quarter-final match today.
In athletics, Adrian Griffith ran in the men's 100 meters (m) final and finished eighth overall, in a modest 10.48 seconds. In a tight race, Cruz Rolando Palacios won the gold medal in 10.27 seconds, Bajan youngster Levi Cadogan ran a similar time but had to settle for second, and Cuban Yaniel Carrero ran a personal best time of 10.28 seconds for third.
In the only other final in athletics involving a Bahamian athlete yesterday, Delron Inniss had to settle for eighth in the men's shot putt with a best throw of 14.40m (47' 3"). Mexico had a 1-2 finish in that event with Mario Cota taking the gold medal with a personal best throw of 19.30m (63' 8-3/4") and his teammate Stephen Saenz winning the silver medal with a throw of 19.27m (63' 2-3/4"). Raymond Brown, of Jamaica, was a distant third with a best throw of 18.30m (60' 0-1/2").
In the women's 100m hurdles, Petra McDonald finished fifth in her semi-final heat in 13.98 seconds to move on to today's final. She will run out of lane one in the final, which is set for 1:55 p.m. today.
In the men's 400m, Wesley Neymour finished fifth in his semi-final heat in 47.25 seconds, and failed to move on to today's final.
Five Bahamian women saw action in bowling yesterday. Xynea Johnson was 43rd overall with a total pinfall of 1,017 through six games and an average of 169.5, Marina McClain was 46th with a total pinfall of 965 through six games and an average of 160.8, Jonice Lockhart was 50th through six games with a total pinfall of 941 through six games and an average of 156.8, Driskell Rolle was right behind her, tied for 51st with a total pinfall of 933 through six games and an average of 155.5, and finally, Camille Rolle finished 56th with a total pinfall of 876 through six games and an average of 146.
The gold medal went to Kamilah Dammers, of Aruba, with a total pinfall of 1,516 and an average of 252.7, the silver medal went to Miriam Zetter, of Mexico, with a total pinfall of 1,434 and an average of 239, and the bronze medal went to Aura Mireya Guerra, of the Dominican Republic, with a total pinfall of 1,410 and an average of 235.
Finally, in action for The Bahamas yesterday, the men's volleyball team fell in their Preliminary Pool 'B' match to Cuba in three sets, 25-20, 25-16 and 25-15. They will play Puerto Rico in their second match today at 3 p.m. All of the volleyball matches are being played at the Arena Cordoba.
Due to inclement weather on the waters yesterday, the rowing and sailing events were postponed.
Today, the athletics, bowling and tennis events will continue for The Bahamas, and Carl Hield will try to box himself into the gold medal match in the 69 kilogram (kg.) division.
The Bahamas enters Wednesday's competitions in eighth place in the medal standings with six total medals - four gold and two silver. Hield and the women's tennis doubles team of Kerrie Cartwright and Larikah Russell have secured at least bronze medals.

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