HE HASN’T BEEN at his best all season.That didn’t stop Ryan Brathwaite from being the best in Puerto Rico.The reigning world champion added another prestigious title to his already growing list of accolades when he captured gold last night in the 110 metres hurdles at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez.Barbados’ third gold at these championships – and seventh medal overall – came in a slow 13.39 seconds, well shy of Brathwaite’s personal best at last year’s World Championship – 13.14 seconds.But that’s been this season’s story for the out-of-form 22-year-old, who has battled minor injuries and a failed experiment in his training regime and technique.At least this time his “bad” was good enough.Jamaican Eric Keddo (13.52) took the silver, and Hector Cotto (13.71) of Puerto Rico, the bronze, while Bajan Shane Brathwaite (14.04) finished further down the field in sixth after hitting a couple hurdles.National double-sprint champ Shakera Reece didn’t make it through to the 100 metre final, coming fourth in the first of four heats and tenth overall in a similarly slow 11.58 seconds.Up to Press time, javelin thrower Justin Cummins was still competing in the men’s final, but was back in eighth with 63.66 metres after five throws with just one attempt remaining.Brathwaite’s gold medal run was the highlight of another slow day for the men and women in ultramarine and gold, with no other Bajan reaching the medal rounds.Boxer Bradley Redman came closest, having dropped his quarter-final bout in the 54kg with Colombian Oscar Negrete 14-2 on points.However, Adrian Biscette (81kg), Omar Ward and Damian Sealy were still scheduled to compete later last night in their respective quarter-final fights.Christian Lyte and Barry Forde finished just outside the medals when they came fourth and fifth respectively, in the keirin, losing out to gold medallist Leonardo Narvaez of Colombia, Hersony Canelon (Venezuela), and Jose Sochon (Guatemala).In beach volleyball, Anthazia Mason and Mona Crawford slumped to their third loss in as many contests when they went under 19-21, 16-21 to the Kittitian pair of Brenda Allen and Shanicia Dyer.And their male counterparts on the court didn’t fare any better, going down in straight sets 16-25, 19-25, 28-30 despite stretching Mexico to extra points in the third stanza.Barbados also suffered their second successive loss to rivals Trinidad and Tobago in as many contests on the hockey field, going down 1-2.
