The 2026 edition of Saint Lucia’s Inter-Secondary Schools Table Tennis Championships has notched an unprecedented milestone for the local table tennis ecosystem, with Wednesday’s quarterfinal round at Beausejour Gymnasium marking the largest competitive gathering the sport has ever seen on the Caribbean island, featuring 16 simultaneous match tables to accommodate the record turnout of youth athletes. As the antepenultimate stage of the competition wrapped up, semifinal rosters are now fully finalized for all three doubles categories, setting the stage for high-stakes knockout clashes in the coming week.
Jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth Development, Sports and Digital Transformation and the Saint Lucia National Table Tennis Association, the upcoming semifinal and final showdowns will return to the Beausejour Gymnasium venue next Thursday, November 19, to crown the year’s top secondary school doubles table tennis teams.
Heading into the final four rounds, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) has emerged as the undisputed tournament frontrunner, securing semifinal berths across boys’ doubles, girls’ doubles, and mixed doubles divisions. Two other top local secondary school programs, the Saint Lucia Sports Academy (SLSA) and Castries Comprehensive Secondary School (CCSS), remain firmly in title contention with active representation in two doubles categories apiece.
In the boys’ doubles bracket, SALCC leads the semifinal lineup after navigating a competitive round of 16 and quarterfinals. Their first hurdle to a championship spot will be a head-to-head matchup against Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School, while the other semifinal tie will pit CCSS against Ciceron Secondary School for a place in the gold medal match.
The girls’ doubles semifinal field sees SALCC facing off against Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School (SCSS) in the opening tie, while the remaining semifinal clash will feature Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School (VFCSS) going head-to-head against SLSA for a finals spot.
For the mixed doubles division, SALCC will test their mettle against a combined representative pairing from St. Mary’s College and St. Joseph’s Convent in one semifinal, with SLSA and CCSS set to battle it out in the other knockout fixture.
Adding extra competitive fire to the upcoming rounds, a roster of top national youth table tennis talent is scheduled to take to the tables, including Leshon Francis of CCSS, Manie Eleuthere of Ciceron Secondary, Shatal Charles of SLSA, Khamari Harris and Daniella Symphorien of SALCC, Eurnisha Braville of VFCSS, Juan Frias of Leon Hess Comprehensive, reigning girls’ Under-13 champion Lyzan Seraphin of CCSS, and current boys’ Under-13 title holder Andretti George representing St. Mary’s College. Featured athlete portraits include Manie Eleuthere (credit: TF), Leshon Francis (credit: TF), and Shatal Charles (credit: SLNTTA), capturing top contenders ahead of the high-stakes final stages.
Record showcase sets schools semifinals
