Gavin Manders and Benjamin Jones brought home a combined 11 medals from the Jamaica International Pickleball Open in Kingston.

The Bermudian duo partnered to defend their title in the men’s open doubles. Manders clinched the men’s 40+ doubles, men’s singles 40+, mixed doubles 40+ and finished third in the mixed doubles open, while also reaching the men's prize pool doubles quarter-finals.

Jones was the champion in the men’s open singles, men’s open doubles and men’s prize pool doubles. He settled for second in the mixed open doubles and mixed prize doubles, with bronze in the men’s prize singles.

“Every time I step on court I’m still hunting, trying to win and still adding to my legacy,” Manders told The Royal Gazette.

“That part of me hasn’t changed but at this stage of my journey some of the biggest wins aren’t always my own.”

Jones was delighted to get on the podium in all his events after going against advice to enter six divisions.

“I’m proud of how I competed in Jamaica,” the 23-year-old said.

“I was warned against competing in six events in three days, I was told that it would be too much.

“It was definitely the most challenging weekend of pickleball on my body but I love to compete and I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to get as many high level matches against the incoming pros, Jamaican locals and other Caribbean players.

“Out of my six events, I earned a spot on the podium in all of them, which is something I wasn’t honestly expecting. I had support from fellow Bermudians and the determination of my doubles partners to thank for carrying me through.

“It has always been a pleasure to play at Pickle & Chill ever since my first tournament there last year. I cannot wait until the Caribbean Championships bring me back to Kingston next year.”

Manders was pleased to see Jones, Patricia Mills and Lily Hallett enjoy success at the tournament.

“Watching Benjamin Jones do what he did was probably the proudest part of the tournament for me,” he said.

“ I’ve coached Benji for over a decade and our relationship has evolved to where I’ve been his coach, mentor and now partner on the court.

“I know the work, the journey and the adversity behind it. To watch him blossom into the player and competitor he is becoming and then leave Jamaica with three golds, two silver and a bronze hits differently.

“He’s becoming a problem in this region and I think we’re only scratching the surface of what he can become.

“Patricia Mills deserves her flowers too. She fought through real adversity during this tournament and just kept going, finishing with three silver and two fourth-place finishes. She showed exactly why she deserves to be respected as one of the top female players in the Caribbean.

“When things got difficult, she dug in, battled and continued to represent Bermuda at the highest level. That tells you a lot about the competitor she is.

“Lily Hallett was our other podium finisher, coming away with a silver medal and a fourth-place finish across the women’s doubles divisions.

“Another strong showing and another example of our players stepping into regional competition and proving they belong.”

It was a fourth appearance for Manders at Pickle & Chill, Jamaica’s top pickleball club, the venue for the 2027 Caribbean Pickleball Championships.

“Jamaica has really taken me in over the years and that means a lot to me,” the 40-year-old said.

“The relationships I’ve built and the amount of people who came out to support me and the Bermuda players throughout the tournament is something you can’t put a price on.

“You feel that energy when you walk into the facility and you definitely feel it when you step on court.”

“I’ve always wanted to use my passion, my skill and the way I compete to inspire people around me — not just in Bermuda but across the Caribbean.

“To feel that love coming back from Jamaica while having this group of Bermudians competing alongside me was powerful.”

Manders, the Pickleball Association of Bermuda national director, commended the biggest contingent from the island to enter the event.

“The conditions were brutal,” he added.

“We were dealing with temperatures that felt well over 100 degrees on court, extremely dry conditions, Saharan dust in the air and a crazy amount of matches. At times it became less about pickleball and more about who was willing to dig deeper.

“That’s why I was proud of our entire Bermuda contingent — Wenda Roberts, Lavern Stowe, Naphisa Smith, Patricia Mills, Rachel Sawden, Lily Hallett, Duane Symonds, Jamie Stowe, Benjamin Jones, Mical Russell and myself.

“Different levels, different journeys and different goals, but everybody put themselves in the arena. That’s how we grow — getting outside Bermuda, becoming uncomfortable, competing against different styles and finding out what we’re made of.”

Seeing his son play also proved to be memorable for the former Davis Cup player.

“On a personal level, watching my eight-year-old son Kai play his first international adult tournament was also incredibly special,” Manders added.

“To watch the beginning of his journey while I’m still enjoying mine is something I’ll remember for a long time.

“More than anything, this trip reminded me of the great work we’re doing back home — as an association and as a pickleball community as a whole.

“When you travel with a group like this, see Bermudians competing across different levels, see our top players producing results and see the next generation starting their own journey, you realise how far we’ve come.

“Bermuda showed again why we are a regional leader in pickleball. For me, that’s what legacy is becoming.

“It’s not just what you win. It’s who you help rise, who you inspire, the relationships you build and what you leave behind for the next generation.”