The 2026 edition of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Games has drawn to a close at the St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, capping off a week of elite regional collegiate athletic competition defined by fierce on-court rivalries and powerful cross-border unity. Defending champions Mona Campus cemented its status as the dominant force in UWI athletics by retaining the overall tournament title, while the Five Islands Campus turned heads with an extraordinary fourth-place finish in its first ever Games appearance.
Under the tournament theme “Reunited, Reignited, Ready,” the competition brought together hundreds of student-athletes from all of UWI’s geographically scattered campuses, uniting Caribbean communities through shared sporting passion. In their breakthrough debut, the Antigua and Barbuda-based Five Islands Campus amassed three bronze medals and 44 total points, finishing ahead of the UWI Global Campus to announce itself as a legitimate emerging competitor in the regional tournament. The new program claimed bronze in three high-profile team events: men’s basketball, men’s football, and women’s volleyball.
Mona Campus, the Jamaican flagship campus of the UWI system, delivered a dominant performance across multiple disciplines to defend its title. The campus claimed gold in seven events – including women’s football, women’s basketball, and men’s volleyball, alongside dominant wins in cricket, table tennis, tennis, and track and field – adding five silver and two bronze medals to finish atop the final standings with 136 total points.
Host campus St. Augustine claimed second place overall with a total of 114 points, earned from four gold, four silver, and five bronze medals. The Trinidadian squad took home top honors in swimming, men’s basketball, men’s football, and hockey. Barbados’ Cave Hill Campus rounded out the top three with 108 points, notching three gold (in women’s netball, women’s hockey, and women’s volleyball), five silver, and four bronze medals. The UWI Global Campus, which fielded its largest contingent in the history of the tournament, finished fifth with 22 points; the campus earned one individual accolade, as Imani Edwards Taylor took home Most Valuable Player honors for table tennis.
The official closing ceremony, held at the campus’ Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC), celebrated both individual athletic excellence and the enduring power of Caribbean regional integration. Attendees watched highlight reels of the week’s most iconic moments, joined a celebratory processional, and gathered for the official medal and award presentation before closing remarks from key institutional and government leaders.
In her address to competing student-athletes, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the St. Augustine Campus, emphasized the core values that sport fosters beyond competition. Urging participants to carry the lessons of honor, courage, fairness, reliability, and discipline into all areas of their lives, she noted that lasting athletic success is only earned through merit, consistent hard work, and intentional discipline. She framed the UWI Games as a critical demonstration of regional unity, saying, “We come from different territories, campuses and cultures, we are part of one extraordinary region,” and encouraged students to nurture cross-Caribbean connections long after the tournament concluded. She also extended gratitude to the volunteers, organizers, sponsors, and participating campuses whose collective work made the successful return of the tournament possible.
Speaking on behalf of UWI Vice-Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, Mona Campus Principal Professor Densil Williams praised the St. Augustine community for delivering what he called “Caribbean hospitality at its best.” Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Senator Emeritus Professor Prakash Persad, also addressed the gathering, drawing on his own experience as a school cricketer and martial arts practitioner to emphasize that the tournament’s value extends far beyond medal counts. “It is about growth, connection, and the pursuit of excellence. It is about building character, accepting losses as well as victories,” Persad said. “It is not only useful to produce graduates who are good academically but graduates who are physically strong, mentally resilient, emotionally balanced and socially aware.” He also called for the addition of martial arts to future tournament programs and encouraged students to prioritize sport as a core pillar of personal development.
The ceremony concluded with the official handover of hosting duties to Cave Hill Campus, which will organize the 2028 UWI Games. Deputy Campus Principal Professor Winston Moore accepted the ceremonial baton from St. Augustine Deputy Principal Professor Derek Chadee, formally marking the start of preparations for the next iteration of the regional competition. Closing celebrations continued with vibrant cultural performances, live music, and an open-air reception, bringing an end to a tournament that showcased top-tier Caribbean collegiate athletics, fostered cross-island camaraderie, and introduced a promising new competitor to the UWI sporting landscape.