Cayman Island’s Olympian Ronald Forbes, 35, hung up the spikes on his professional track and field career this past Friday (8 January).
“I received an official email from Ronald yesterday (8 January), stating that he is retiring,” Cayman Islands Athletic Association (CIAA) President Lance Barnes told Cay 03 Sports.
“This letter is my official notification to the CIAA of my retirement from the sports of athletics, January 8th, 2021,” the letter stated.
“The reason for my decision is simple. I have achieved all that I wish to accomplish competitively in the sport and my passion to continue any competitive efforts in the sports has now shifted to pursuing other ambitions.”
The Caymanian 110m hurdler competed in tens of major competitions across “thirty-two countries”, including five World Championships and three Olympic Games. He is the current Cayman Islands National record holder and clocks a personal best at 13.36 seconds.
“I am excited about my retirement and the numerous possibilities of the future and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the CIAA for all the support over the past 12 years of my professional career,” the letter added.
Forbes last major gold came at the 2015 Island Games, where he won in 13.62 seconds. In 2017, he was awarded the Cayman Islands title of National Sports Hero ” Emerging Pioneer.” That same year, Forbes was honoured by having a Football Stadium in his home district of North Side renamed after him (The Ronald J Forbes Playing Field).
Barnes said he hopes Forbes will continue to give back to the Cayman Islands, as he has done in previous years.
“He is a true ambassador and we are hoping that sometime in the future we will be able to use some of his services,” said Barnes. “On behalf of the CIAA, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Forbes currently resides in Florida, where he is an Assistant Track And Field Coach at Florida International University.
In a post on his Facebook page; Forbes reflected on his career that stretched over two decades. He acknowledged that every athlete eventually makes it to the finish line but he is appreciative of his run nonetheless.
“When you’re an athlete, you sometimes envision a grandiose “swan song” type of finale to your career but in reality, that is not always the case. Athletes have a tendency to want to compete in their sport forever but we know that is not the reality of sport. We take that competitive spirit and then compete at everything else as we move on to some other ambition.“
Cay 3 Sports 