Puerto Rico wins decathlon gold as Bahamas hurdler narrowly misses medal at 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

Puerto Rico secured a gold medal in the decathlon when Yariel Soto amassed 7,884 points, adding to a haul that included silver medals for Víctor Ortiz in the 5,000 m and Grace Claxton in the 400‑m hurdles, and a bronze in the mixed 4 × 100 m relay that set a new national record. The island’s athletes also advanced in boxing, table tennis, sailing and skateboarding, leaving Puerto Rico fifth in the overall medal table with 19 golds, 26 silvers and 31 bronzes.

For the Bahamas, sprinter Denisha Cartwright finished fourth in the women’s 100‑m hurdles, missing the bronze by nine thousandths of a second to Puerto Rico’s Paola Vázquez after a photo‑finish. Other Bahamian athletes posted respectable results, with Tarajh Hudson fifth in the men’s discus and Ian Kerr sixth in the men’s 200 m semifinals, keeping the team in contention in athletics, sailing and equestrian as the Games continue.