The 2026 SVG Gallagher National Swim Championships, held between August 27 and 30, brought together competitive swimmers from across St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) alongside visiting athletes from neighboring Caribbean nations including Barbados, Grenada and St. Kitts. Among the competing clubs, Black Sands Swim Squad (BSSS) delivered a historic performance, with 32 of its members competing across age-group divisions, securing a stunning total of 108 medals.
The championship marked a key milestone for BSSS, as the squad introduced seven first-time competitors making their national championship debuts in club colors: Kandre Deshong, Dre Byam, Damarie Carrington, Darius Humphrey, Freya Providence-York, Grayson Richardson, and siblings Keri and Erin Dickson. Every BSSS swimmer turned in notable results, with many recording personal best times and marked improvements over their previous performances. While Janai George, Azalea Cox and Seth Byron claimed third place overall in their respective age groups, Anthony George and Rayshana Boyce-Edwards secured second place overall finishes.
Young star Sarai Williams emerged as a standout in the Girls 8 & Under division, taking home all nine gold medals contested in the category. Her dominant performance earned her both the Overall Age-Group Champion Trophy and the Sprint Challenge Trophy, and she smashed two long-standing national records in the 7-8 age bracket. Williams lowered the 25-meter backstroke record from Eltonique Leonard’s 19.80 seconds to a new mark of 19.49 seconds, and cut 0.72 seconds off Zariel Nelson’s previous 50-meter breaststroke record of 45.97 seconds, setting a new time of 45.25.
Following Williams’ lead, Ira Hadley continued her rapid rise as one of BSSS’s most promising young talents in the Girls 9–10 division, claiming nine golds, one silver and one bronze to take home the Overall Age-Group Champion Trophy. In the Boys 9–10 category, Methuselah McLean matched that success, winning seven gold and five silver medals to claim his own overall age-group title.
In the Boys 13–14 division, Kione Deshong turned in an performance that drew international praise, winning nine gold and three silver medals to secure the overall championship, while breaking four SVG national records. Deshong lowered the 100m breaststroke record from Bryson George’s 1:08.03 to 1:06.81, cut 2.51 seconds off Alex Joachim’s 200m breaststroke record to set a new mark of 2:30.63, shaved 0.3 seconds off Eltonte Leonard’s 100m butterfly record to hit 1:01.39, and brought the 200m Individual Medley record down from Joachim’s 2:19.53 to 2:16.89.
BSSS Head Coach Kyle Dougan highlighted the global significance of Deshong’s 100m breaststroke result, noting that when compared against international age-group rankings, the time places Deshong among the fastest 14-year-old swimmers in the world in that event. “For a young swimmer from SVG to produce a performance at that level is something we should all be extremely proud of. It demonstrates the potential that exists within our young swimmers and shows that athletes from the Caribbean can compete on an international level,” Dougan said.
Former BSSS swimmer Tyler Robinson, who currently trains in Jamaica, returned to SVG to compete for a spot on the national team, and left his own mark on the championship by breaking three national records in the Boys 15–16 division. Robinson lowered the 100m breaststroke record from Shane Cadogan’s 1:05.78 to 1:05.08, cut more than two seconds off Alex Joachim’s 200m breaststroke record to set a new mark of 2:28.00, and shaved 0.19 seconds off Matthew Ballah’s 100m Individual Medley record to hit 1:00.84.
In closing, BSSS extended its gratitude to the SVG Swimming Federation for its ongoing support of the event and local swimming development, and congratulated all competing teams, particularly overall points champion Blue Marlins for their win. The BSSS squad is led by Assistant Coaches Kathleen Bute and Joann Matthews, with Team Managers Desmond Cox and Vanessa Hadley supporting the team.
Looking ahead, BSSS is partnering with Tropical Shipping to host its first-ever Developmental Meet on September 26 at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre. The event is open to all current and aspiring competitive swimmers across SVG, and the club has encouraged all interested athletes to register to participate.