Four athletes are set to represent the Cayman Islands and compete in three sports at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France. The team comprises swimmers Jordan Crooks and Jillian Crooks, sprinter Davonte Howell and sailor Charlotte Webster.
“We are so proud of our athletes and look forward to watching them represent the Cayman Islands on a global stage,” Cayman Islands Olympic Committee interim President Lori Powell said. “They have dedicated countless hours training, traveling and making the sacrifices necessary to reach the pinnacle of sport. On behalf of the CIOC and the Cayman Islands, congratulations.”
Paris 2024 takes place 26 July – 11 August. Paris is the main host city with events held at 16 other cities throughout France and one in Tahiti.
Jordan Crooks will make his Olympic debut in the men’s 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events. He qualified for both by making the Olympics ‘A’ standard at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, in Japan. That same year he won an NCAA championship in the 50-yard freestyle while competing for the University of Tennessee. In 2022, Jordan Crooks won gold in the 50 free at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m). He becomes the eighth athlete to represent the Cayman Islands in swimming at the Olympics.
Jordan’s sister, Jillian Crooks, will be making her second Olympic appearance after swimming at the 2020 Games, in Tokyo, where she competed in the women’s 100 freestyle. Jillian Crooks, who will join her brother and swim at the University of Tennessee, will once again swim the women’s 100 free in Paris. Her career-best mark in the event is 55.18 seconds, from the Commonwealth Youth Games in August 2023. That time would’ve ranked 29th during the last games.
Jordan and Jillian Crooks become the fifth set of siblings to represent Cayman at the same Olympic Games, joining Craig Merren and Marilyn Phillips (1984), Craig and Perri Merren (1988), Brett and Shaune Fraser (2008 and 2012) and Geoffrey and Lara Butler (2016).
Howell will be making his Olympic debut, becoming the eighth athlete to represent Cayman in track and field at the Olympics. He’s set to run in the men’s 100-meter dash, where he ran a career-best 10.10 seconds this season. Collegiately, Howell was a freshman as the University of Tennessee this season, where he helped the Volunteers’ 4x100-meter relay team make the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Webster will also be making her Olympic debut in France, where she will compete in the women’s Dinghy event as the 14th athlete to represent the Cayman Islands in sailing at the Olympics. Webster qualified for the Olympics by way of her performance at the 2023 Pan American Games. She’s ranked No. 187 in the World Sailing ILCA6 – Olympic Rankings as of July 2024. She reached a career-best ranking of No. 118 in the world in 2022.
The rest of the Cayman Islands delegation includes Powell, Chef de Mission Shakeina Bush, Swimming Coach Nicholas Kredich, Cayman Islands Swimming Technical Director Jacky Pellerin, Athletics Coach Tyrone Yen, Sailing Coach Raph Harvey, Team Medic Dr. Carl Andrew Brown, Team Physio Dr. Kristina Bramwell and Press Attaché Kevin Morales.
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