The 2025 OECS Swimming Championships saw Saint Lucia narrowly miss the team title, edged out once again by Grenada. However, the spotlight firmly belonged to four Saint Lucian swimmers who claimed high point trophies in their respective divisions. Among them, Sapphire Parks emerged as a standout performer, competing for the fourth time and making her debut in the Under-13 category. Parks, a Form 1 student at St Joseph’s Convent and an alumna of The Montessori Centre, dominated the competition at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre in St Vincent and the Grenadines on November 9. She secured an impressive haul of ten gold medals and one silver, amassing 97 points. Belle Adams of SVG, with Saint Lucian heritage, trailed in second place, 33 points behind. Parks’ stellar performance included setting two new OECS records in the 50m and 100m backstroke, shaving more than a second off the previous best time in the latter. With ten OECS records to her name, including seven in the 9–10 division, Parks is poised for even greater dominance in the coming years. Her progression is no surprise, given her earlier achievements at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, where she was the youngest member of Team Saint Lucia. At Trinidad and Tobago’s National Aquatics Centre in Couva, she clinched four gold medals and eight overall, earning the high point trophy for her division. Parks’ journey from finishing second in the Under-9 class in 2022 to becoming a three-time OECS champion and first-time CARIFTA champion is a testament to her dedication and talent. Beyond swimming, Parks is a well-rounded individual, excelling in academics and track athletics. She placed third in District 1 and fifth overall in Saint Lucia for her CPEA exams. Her ambition extends to representing Saint Lucia at the Olympics, following in the footsteps of notable athletes like Julien Alfred, Danielle Beaubrun, and Mikaili Charlemagne. Parks, a member of the Sea Jays Legends Swim Club, aims to further her swimming career overseas, with her mother exploring prep school options to elevate her training and competition. For this young star, the future is brimming with potential and promise.