Ronald Forbes

{{Short description|Caymanian hurdler}} {{For|the Scottish artist|Ronald Forbes (artist)}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox sportsperson | image = Ronald Forbes.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Ronald Joseph Forbes | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|4|5}} | birth_place = George Town, Cayman Islands | height = 1.92 m | weight = 93 kg | website = | country = {{flagcountry|CAY}} | sport = Athletics | event = 110-metre hurdles | turnedpro = | coach = Joey Scott (United States) | worlds = 2008 World Indoor Qualifier, 2009 World Outdoor Qualifier, 2010 World Indoor Qualifier, 2011 World Outdoor Semi-finalist, 2012 World Indoor Qualifier, 2015 World Outdoor Qualifier, 2016 World Indoor Qualifier. | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio Olympics | paralympics = | highestranking = 15 | pb = 13.36 s 110 metre hurdles | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Athletics}} {{MedalCountry | {{CAY}} }} {{MedalCompetition|CAC Junior Championships (U20)}} {{MedalBronze |2004 Coatzacoalcos | 400 m hurdles}} {{MedalCompetition|CARIFTA Games Junior (U20)}} {{MedalSilver |2004 Hamilton | 400 m hurdles}} {{MedalCompetition|Natwest Island Games }} {{MedalGold |2015 Jersey | 110 m hurdles}} | show-medals = | updated = 21 December 2014 }}

'''Ronald Joseph Forbes''' (born 5 April 1985) is a track athlete from the Cayman Islands.<ref name=fiu_01>{{Cite web |date=16 January 2007 |title=Bio – Ronald Forbes |url=http://tkt.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&ATCLID=748201 |website=tkt.xosn.com |publisher=FIU Panthers |access-date=21 December 2014 |archive-date=31 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031153807/http://tkt.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&ATCLID=748201 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=glasgow_01>{{Cite web |title=Ronald Forbes – Biography |url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/athletics/1027673/r_forbes.html |website=g2014results.thecgf.com |publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=20 December 2014}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref><ref name=veracruz_01>{{Cite web |title=Biografía – General – Forbes Ronald |url=http://info.veracruz2014.mx/info/esp/zb/espzb_atletismo_biografia_general_n40431_forbes_ronald.htm |website=info.veracruz2014.mx |publisher=ODECABE |access-date=21 December 2014}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref>

Forbes is an All American 110 meter hurdler and 60 meter hurdler who competed collegiality for Florida International University from 2005 to 2008 . Forbes went on to pursue a professional track and field career competing in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. Forbes has competed in the 2011 and 2015 Athletics World Championships. Indoors, Forbes has qualified and competed 2010 and 2012 World Indoor Athletics Championships. Forbes has competed in the 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 Commonwealth Games. During the opening ceremonies for the 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics he was the flag-bearer for the Cayman Islands.

He took up athletics when he was 14 as a discus thrower and shot putter, because he hoped it would give him the opportunity for travel and a scholarship.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Glasgow 2014 - Ronald Forbes Profile |url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/cycling_road/1027673/ronald_forbes.html |website=g2014results.thecgf.com |access-date=14 October 2015}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref> He eventually earned a scholarship in 2004 to Bacone College in Muskogee Oklahoma where he became the Red River Athletic Conference champion in the 400 meter hurdles and after a year, transferred to Florida International University. During his time at Florida International University, he was a two time All American, finishing 3rd in the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships and 8th in the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He is currently the Cayman Islands National Record Holder and the Florida International University Record Holder in the 55, 60 and 110 meter hurdles. In 2017 he was awarded the honor of having the Football Stadium in his home district of North side renamed to ''The Ronald J Forbes Playing Field'';<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.footballgroundmap.com/ground/ronald-forbes-football-field/north-side |title=Ronald Forbes Football Field (North Side), home to North Side, Academy SC, Bodden Town, Cayman Athletic, Elite, George Town, Savannah Tigers, Scholars International, Sunset FC - Football Ground Map |website=www.footballgroundmap.com}}</ref> in the same year he has been recognized as a National Sports hero in the Cayman Islands.<ref name=":0" />

==Personal bests==

===Outdoor=== *200 m: '''21.65 s''' (wind: +0.3 m/s) – Coral Gables, United States, 12 April 2008 *110 m hurdles: '''13.36 s''' (wind: +0.4 m/s) – Clermont, United States, 30 April 2016 *400 m hurdles: '''52.79 s''' – New Orleans, United States, 15 May 2005

===Indoor=== *60 m hurdles: '''7.58 s''' – Fayetteville, United States, 14 March 2008 *200 m: '''22.33 s''' – Gainesville, United States, 26 January 2008

==Achievements== Forbes is the Cayman Islands and Florida International University 110 metres hurdles (outdoor), 60 metres hurdles (indoor) and 55 metres hurdles (indoor) record holder.

{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing the {{CAY}} |- |rowspan=3|2000 |CARIFTA Games (U17) |St. George's, Grenada |5th |100 m hurdles (91.4 cm) |13.64 (+1.8 m/s) |- |rowspan=2|Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U17) |rowspan=2|San Juan, Puerto Rico |7th |100 m hurdles (91.4 cm) |14.17 '''w''' (+4.0 m/s) |- |6th |400 m hurdles (84.0 cm) |1:03.86 |- |rowspan=3|2001 |rowspan=2|CARIFTA Games (U17) |rowspan=2|Bridgetown, Barbados |5th |100 m hurdles (91.4 cm) |13.73 (-2.3 m/s) |- |5th (h) |400 m hurdles |59.74 |- |Central American and Caribbean Championships |Guatemala City, Guatemala |7th |4 × 100 m relay |40.99 '''A''' |- |rowspan=4|2002 |rowspan=2|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=2|Nassau, Bahamas |5th |400 m hurdles |54.61 |- |5th |4 × 400 m relay |3:26.78 |- |Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U20) |Bridgetown, Barbados |6th (h) |400 m hurdles |55.51 |- |Central American and Caribbean Games |San Salvador, El Salvador |7th |400 m hurdles |55.01 |- |rowspan=4|2003 |rowspan=3|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=3|Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |5th |400 m hurdles |54.39 |- |6th |4 × 100 m relay |42.07 |- |6th |4 × 400 m relay |3:28.35 |- |Island Games |Saint Peter Port, Guernsey |4th |400 m hurdles |53.98 |- |rowspan=5|2004 |rowspan=3|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=3|Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |bgcolor=silver|2nd |400 m hurdles |53.63 |- |4th |4 × 100 m relay |42.95 |- |5th |4 × 400 m relay |3:31.89 |- |rowspan=2|Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U20) |rowspan=2|Coatzacoalcos, Mexico |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |400 m hurdles |53.80 |- |5th |4 × 100 m relay |42.71 |- |rowspan=2|2005 |rowspan=2|Central American and Caribbean Championships |rowspan=2|Nassau, Bahamas |11th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.49 (-0.7 m/s) |- | — |400 m hurdles |DNF |- |rowspan=4|2006 |rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games |rowspan=2|Melbourne, Australia |16th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.35 (NWI) |- |12th (h) |4 × 100 m relay |40.76 |- |NACAC Under-23 Championships |Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |6th |110 m hurdles |14.44 (+1.1 m/s) |- |Central American and Caribbean Games |Cartagena, Colombia |10th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.42 '''w''' (+2.1 m/s) |- |rowspan=2|2008 |Central American and Caribbean Championships |Cali, Colombia |5th |110 m hurdles |13.71 '''w''' '''A''' (+2.3 m/s) |- |Olympic Games |Beijing, China |26th (qf) |110 m hurdles |13.72 (+0.1 m/s) |- |rowspan=4|2010 |World Indoor Championships |Doha, Qatar |20th (sf) |60m hurdles |7.91 |- |Central American and Caribbean Games |Mayagüez, Puerto Rico |7th |110 m hurdles |14.34 (-0.1 m/s) |- |rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games |rowspan=2|Delhi, India |6th |110 m hurdles |13.84 (+0.1 m/s) |- | — |4 × 100 m relay |DQ |- |rowspan=2|2011 |Central American and Caribbean Championships |Mayagüez, Puerto Rico |9th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.18 (-3.9 m/s) |- |World Championships |Daegu, South Korea |11th (sf) |110 m hurdles |13.67 (-1.6 m/s) |- |rowspan=2|2012 |World Indoor Championships |Istanbul, Turkey |21st (h) |60m hurdles |7.95 |- |Olympic Games |London, United Kingdom |8th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.21 (+0.8 m/s) |- |rowspan=2|2014 |Commonwealth Games |Glasgow, United Kingdom |5th (h) |110 m hurdles |13.89 (-0.2 m/s) |- |Central American and Caribbean Games |Xalapa, Mexico |5th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.51 '''A''' (-1.6 m/s) |- |rowspan=3|2015 |NACAC Championships |San José, Costa Rica |6th (sf) |110 m hurdles |13.77 (+1.2 m/s) |- |Island Games |St Clement, Jersey |bgcolor=gold|1st |110 m hurdles |13.62 (+2.3 m/s) |- |World Championships |Beijing, China |30th (h) |110 m hurdles |13.78 |- |2016 |Olympic Games |Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |35th (h) |110 m hurdles |14.67 |- |2018 |Commonwealth Games |Gold Coast, Australia |11th (h) |110 m hurdles |13.88 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{World Athletics}} * {{TFRRS}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{Olympics.com|ronald-forbes}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717054022/http://www.fiusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=49114&SPID=4771&DB_OEM_ID=11700&ATCLID=748201 Ronald Forbes' profile at Florida International University Athletics] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20200418005435/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fo/ronald-forbes-1.html Sports reference biography] * {{Cite web |url=https://miamiherald.typepad.com/fiusports/2008/06/the-forbes-stan.html |title=The Forbes Standard | FIU Panthers Prowl |website=miamiherald.typepad.com}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/athlete=178067 |title=Ronald FORBES |publisher=World Athletics}} * {{cite AV media |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/WCIjpDkp-7Q |archive-date=2021-12-11 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIjpDkp-7Q |title=Making the Impossible Possible | Ronald Forbes | TEDxUCCI |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} * {{Cite web |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/08/11/forbes-going-for-olympic-glory-after-miracle-comeback/ |title=Forbes going for Olympic glory after miracle comeback |website=caymancompass.com |date=12 August 2016}} * {{Cite web |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/08/18/caymans-forbes-reflects-on-olympic-hurdles-run/ |title=Cayman's Forbes reflects on Olympic hurdles run |website=caymancompass.com |date=18 August 2016}} * {{Cite web |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2017/12/10/play-field-renamed-for-ronald-j-forbes/ |title=Play field renamed for Ronald J. Forbes |website=caymancompass.com |date=10 December 2017}}

{{s-start}} {{s-sports|oly}} {{succession box | before = Cydonie Mothersill | title = Flagbearer for {{CAY}} | years = Beijing 2008 | after = Dow Travers }} {{s-sports|oly}} {{succession box | before = Dow Travers | title = Flagbearer for {{CAY}} | years = Rio 2016 | after = Jillian Crooks Brett Fraser }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Ronald}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Caymanian men hurdlers Category:Olympic athletes for the Cayman Islands Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for the Cayman Islands Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games Category:Pan American Games competitors for the Cayman Islands Category:Florida International University alumni Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the Cayman Islands Category:FIU Panthers men's track and field athletes Category:21st-century British sportsmen Category:Competitors at the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games