In a stunning reversal of fortunes, Hummingbird House clinched the overall title at the Camille Henry Memorial School Track and Field Championship, held January 23rd at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Demonstrating remarkable resilience after a last-place finish in the previous year, the team amassed 396 points—a massive 150-point improvement—to dethrone the defending champions, Flamingo House. The final standings saw Zenaida secure second place with 374 points, followed by Flamingo in third with 354, and Eagle House finishing fourth with 320 points.
The championship was further illuminated by the extraordinary performances of several young athletes. Daveril Albert secured the Victror Ludorum title in the Under-13 boys’ category for the second consecutive year, defending his titles in both the 80m (10.6 seconds) and 150m (19.9 seconds) events. In a seamless transition to a higher division, Kadia Joseph, the reigning Under-11 champion, dominated the Under-13 girls’ category by sweeping the 80m (11.1s), 150m (20.6s), and 300m (48.6s) races. Last year’s winner in this division, Alexia Giddings of Eagle House, also delivered a strong performance, earning two gold medals and a bronze.
Other standout competitors included Jaiden Hunte, who emerged as the top Under-11 boy with wins in the 80m (11.4s) and 150m (22.1s). Maddison Lee was a revelation in the Under-11 girls’ category, dominating the 150m (24.9s) and 300m (59.4s) events. Among the youngest competitors, Kheyon Aroudel (Under-9 boys’ 150m, 24.4s) and Emery Minville (Under-9 girls’ 60m, 10.6s and 150m, 28.1s) claimed victories.
Principal Moarvelle Modeste Lubin attributed the heightened excitement and participation to the inspirational success of World Indoor Champion and Olympic gold medallist Julien Alfred, a Saint Lucian hero. She noted that Alfred’s achievements have fundamentally shifted perceptions about sports on the island. ‘Persons before didn’t see the need for sports… But Julien Alfred proved us wrong,’ Modeste-Lubin stated, highlighting that students now see a tangible path to global achievement. This new ethos has galvanized the entire school community, with parents and teachers volunteering their time on weekends and after school to prepare the athletes. The school’s top competitors will now set their sights on the upcoming District 2 and Inter-District Track and Field Championships, all while balancing preparations for their third-term exit exams.