CARTAGENA, Colombia—The British Virgin Islands on Sunday wrapped up its most successful Central American and Caribbean Games since it began participating in 1982, with four finalists in athletics, one gold medal and a series of firsts. Three sports debuted, one returned and women competed for the first time in 24 years.

There were a record four finalist in track and field, by all four athletes who had previously won medals at different levels of CAC Championships. Taheisa Harrigan, silver medalist at the 2005 championships, won the women’s 100 meter gold in her games debut, narrowly missing the games record of 11.14 seconds by .01, with the second fastest time ever of 11.15. She also recorded the third best time in the history of the games, 11.19 in the semifinals.

Dion Crabbe—who won the territory’s fist CAC Games medal, 100 meters gold in 2002—has a 1999 bronze medal in the CAC Championships and a medal in the Youth Championships—finished sixth in the 100 meters in 10.48 seconds, following a season’s best 10.36 semifinal effort. He also advanced to his second successive 200 meter semifinal, where he produced a season’s best 21.02 seconds effort.

Veteran Keita Cline—a CAC Jr. Championships silver and bronze medalist and 2001 CAC Sr. Championships 200 meter bronze medalist—was 10th in the Long Jump with a leap of 7.08 meters.

Eric Matthias, who was twice golden in the CAC Jr. Championships in the Discus Throw in 2000 and 2002, was eight in his pet event with a throw of 47.87 meters.

For the first time, the BVI had a record five sports participating—athletics, cycling, squash, tennis and sailing—with 15 athletes—another record. Cycling, squash and tennis debuted in the games—while sailing returned for the first time since 1993.

The territory which entered the games in August 1982 in Havana, Cuba, had its first four women representatives at the games—Tahesia Harrigan, Karene King, Jackel King and Steina Fleming. Harrigan debuted by striking 100 meter gold and the first woman’s medal. That feat helped the BVI to become the first country outside of Cuba in the history of the games, to have a 100 meter female champion after its male won the same event in the previous games.

“I’m thankful because again we were able to produce, even though it was just one medal, it was a very important medal,” athletics coach Dag Samuel said. “It shows that we are moving in the right direction and of course, it will take us some time to have an impact in all the areas. But, we are improving and I hope we continue to improve over the years and by the next CAC Games, not only one medalist, we’ll have about three or four medalists in various events.”

With women in the games for the first time, Samuels said while he hates to say it, for the next four or five years, women will be making a greater impact than the men. It’s not really by design he said but currently, women are the better competitors. “Not that we are disregarding the guys but a lot of focus will be on the females,” he said. “There will be guys like Eric Matthias, Ralston Henry, Alistion Potter and those who will hope fully come around to boost the team.”