Prominent hockey administrator Monica Cumberbatch took home the top honour this week when the Barbados Olympic Association’s Gender Equality Commission hosted the 2026 Esther Maynard Icon awards ceremony.
Cumberbatch, who was also a 2025 finalist, was victorious from a field of two other finalists, Annette Beckett and Roxanne Forte.
Her lifelong dedication to sports began during her school days at Queen’s College and blossomed into a distinguished career as an administrator and technical official, who was instrumental in consolidating the men’s and women’s hockey associations into the Barbados Hockey Federation.
Cumberbatch’s hard work and determination saw her awarded the Pan American Hockey Federation Order of Merit and inducted into the Barbados Hockey Hall of Fame.
In accepting the award from Esther Maynard herself, Cumberbatch spoke with humility, expressing her deep honour. She graciously recognised the collective power of the finalists, stating, “I wish I could share this; cut this into three”.
The evening also celebrated the other two finalists, recognising their multi-disciplinary commitment to Barbadian sports.
Beckett was praised for decades of leadership, including a long tenure as president of the Barbados Netball Association and influence on darts and boxing, while Forte was honoured for a 50-year career, marked by achievements such as being the first woman elected to the Barbados Volleyball Association Board and the first female manager of a Caribbean Premier League franchise.
Special acknowledgement was also given to nominees Kathleen Beckles from the Barbados Aquatic Sports Association and Allison Elliot from the Equestrian Association for their stellar work in their respective disciplines.
Earlier, in her opening remarks at the ceremony held on Tuesday at the Barbados Olympic Centre, Nisha Craigwell, the newly appointed Chairperson of the Gender Equality Commission, commended all three nominees for their dedication and sacrifices.
She noted their achievements have not only advanced their respective sports, but also inspired communities locally and regionally, creating pathways for future growth and leadership.
Craigwell’s comments came as she advocated for decisive, continuous action to dismantle the inequalities still plaguing sports, highlighting the stark disparities in media coverage, sponsorship opportunities, and pay for women in sport. Drawing a sharp contrast between the NBA and the WNBA, she declared that “success is not gender specific,” while demanding greater investment in nurturing athletes into future leaders.
She also noted clear signs of global momentum toward gender equity, highlighting the gender parity achieved at the 2024 Summer Olympics and the massive viewership of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Esther Maynard Icon Award is supported by the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity programme.
Past recipients include Esther Maynard (2020), Kathy Harper Hall (2021), Sonia O’Neal (2022), June Rudder (2023), Andrea Nichols (2024), and Diana Clarke (2025). (PR)
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