分类： sports

One of the region’s emerging competitive swimming programs, the H2O Lions Swim Club, has turned in an impressive performance at the 2024 SVG Gallagher National Swim Championships, held from August 27 to 30 at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre. The club’s young athletes not only secured a top-three finish in the team standings but also posted a dramatic jump in total medals across all age divisions, marking a major milestone for the program.

Over four days of tightly contested racing against some of the country’s top swimming talent, every H2O Lions competitor walked away with a new personal best time, with a large number of the club’s athletes earning spots on the championship podium. The performance highlighted the depth of skill and steady progress the club has fostered among its rising young competitors.

Standout individual results from the event underscore the promise of the club’s youth development pipeline: In the boys’ 9–10 age group, Calique Grant captured a bronze medal, while 11–12 age category competitor Ezron Quashie took home top honors in the 800m freestyle event, clinching the gold.

In a statement released after the competition, club leadership attributed the strong team showing to more than just improved speed and refined technique. The surge in medals and faster personal bests, the organization noted, also reflects clear growth in on-race confidence and strategic tactical awareness among all participating swimmers.

The club’s coaching duo, Josel Williams and Elise Quashie, emphasized that the program’s core mission extends far beyond racking up championship titles or team rankings. The club’s primary focus remains on holistic development, building every member both as a competitive swimmer and as a well-rounded individual.

“Our goal from the start has been to develop athletes who are stronger, smarter, and more confident both in and out of the pool,” the coaching pair explained. “When we center individual progress — focusing on perfecting core skills like starts, turns, and pacing, while also building mental toughness — strong team results come naturally. This championship performance proved that our approach is delivering real results. We are building a culture where every single swimmer has the opportunity to improve, regardless of their starting skill level.”

Currently, the H2O Lions Swim Club conducts regular training sessions at Questelles Beach. Local community members and aspiring swimmers can reach the organization directly by phone at 784-432-8701 for more information on membership and training schedules. To follow more local sports coverage from the region, readers can subscribe to the iWitness News WhatsApp Channel.

The Bequia Basketball Association’s annual tournament made history over the weekend, as two young squads claimed memorable championship titles across its newly launched and longstanding youth divisions.

In the tournament’s first-ever U12 Division championship decider, the Grinches turned in a dominant performance to outmatch the Seagulls 20-13 and walk away as the inaugural title holders. The team’s victory was powered by standout forward Zende Lorraine, who earned the Finals Most Valuable Player award after pouring in 10 points — exactly half of his squad’s total score.

The launch of the U12 division has been celebrated as a landmark achievement for this year’s tournament, BBA executive committee members confirmed. Months before the tip-off of the final rounds, the organization hosted a series of youth development camps and targeted training sessions for young aspiring players. In just four weeks following those introductory programs, organizers noted dramatic improvement across all participating teams, with young athletes growing both their fundamental skills and love for the game.

Nurturing the next generation of basketball talent remains a top strategic priority for the BBA, with executive leaders expressing their excitement to watch young competitors build their confidence, refine their techniques, and sustain their passion for the sport in coming seasons. Beyond the championship honors, the association also recognized two standout young contributors for their off-court dedication: Tyrese Browne and Agape Stowe took home the Most Enthusiastic Player awards for their consistent energy, commitment, and positive attitude across both the pre-tournament camps and the main competition.

In the higher-stakes U16 championship decider held Sunday, the underdog Hornets pulled off one of the tournament’s most shocking upsets, holding off the favored Golden Knights 36-30 to claim their first regional championship title in several years. What made the Hornets’ win all the more remarkable was their rocky road to the final: the squad finished at the bottom of the rankings in the first round of play, barely scraping into the knockout stage of the competition. Undeterred by their low seeding, the team mounted a stunning comeback run, taking down the higher-ranked Titans in the semi-finals before upsetting the Golden Knights for the crown.

Hornets head coach Colson Peters attributed the team’s unlikely success to the relentless commitment his players showed throughout the tournament, highlighting the extra voluntary evening practice sessions the squad held to sharpen their game ahead of the knockout rounds. Leading the charge for the Hornets was River Hacksaw, whose standout play across the final earned him the U16 Finals MVP honor.

Even in defeat, the Golden Knights earned recognition for their standout play throughout the tournament, with frontcourt star Jeremy Hunte taking home four individual awards: Most Rebounds, Most Blocks, Team MVP, and Overall Tournament MVP. BBA President Sabppa Mitchell formally thanked the Golden Knights Basketball Club for its ongoing investment in youth basketball development across the Grenadines, praising the organization’s consistent work to nurture emerging local talent.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ dominant aquatic powerhouse, the Blue Marlins Swim Club, has extended its unbroken winning streak to six years after a commanding performance at the 2024 National Swim Championships, held from August 27 to 30. The team secured a decisive overall victory with a staggering total score of 1,345 points, outperforming all competing local clubs to retain the national crown.

Across the four-day competition, Blue Marlins swimmers claimed top honors in half of the 10 age-group individual championship divisions, and took home three of the six available sprint challenge awards. Multiple standout athletes delivered double award-winning performances, headlined by Hazen Da Briel, who not only won the boys 15-and-over individual championship and the boys 13-and-over sprint challenge, but also etched his name into the national record books. Da Briel broke three long-standing national records in the male 15-16 age category: he clocked 1 minute 59.95 seconds in the 200m freestyle, 4 minutes 15.96 seconds in the 400m freestyle, and 26.01 seconds in the 50m butterfly.

Other individual champions from the club included Jayce Thomas, who earned both the boys 8-and-under individual title and the age-group sprint challenge crown. Skylar Byron claimed two awards as well: the girls 11-12 individual championship and the girls 9-12 sprint challenge. Rounding out Blue Marlins’ individual title winners were Belle Adams, who took gold in the girls 13-14 division, and Tayeah St. Hilaire, who secured the girls 15-and-over individual championship.

The club’s depth of talent was on full display beyond the top podium spots. In the boys 8-and-under division, Blue Marlins claimed the entire podium, with Thomas in first, Zane Da Briel in second, and Rui Gordon in third. Additional top-three finishes across divisions included Raya Adams (second, girls 8-and-under), Saige Jobe (second, girls 9-10), Zoey May (third, girls 11-12), Saj Caesar (second, boys 11-12) and Taj Henry (third, boys 11-12).

Fielding a roster of just 27 swimmers at the national meet, Blue Marlins amassed an impressive total of 148 medals: 40 gold, 50 silver, and 53 bronze, a testament to the team’s consistent performance across all event and age categories.

Speaking after the competition, head coach Tamarah St. Hilaire expressed overwhelming excitement about the team’s historic sixth straight win. She emphasized that the victory came as the direct result of months of dedicated training, even through the summer break when many young athletes take time off. St. Hilaire shared that she could not be prouder of her swimmers’ full effort across the championships, noting that the team delivered beyond her expectations.

She also extended congratulations to all other competing local clubs, praising them for pushing Blue Marlins to higher standards with strong, competitive performances. Looking ahead, St. Hilaire noted that the depth of talent on display across the meet confirms that competitive swimming has a strong and growing future in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The team was prepared for the national championships with support from assistant coaches Alyssa Davis, Henrietha Davis and Rickydene Alexander.

Calliaqua Bay played host to a landmark event for Caribbean youth sailing this week, as the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sailing Association (SVGSA) successfully delivered the 2026 KGroup National Youth Championships. Bringing together the country’s most promising young sailing talent across three competitive classes, the regatta delivered seven days of high-stakes racing that kept audiences and competitors enthralled from the first start to the final finish line. Held under near-ideal weather and sea conditions, the event turned into a showcase of emerging skill and mental toughness for the nation’s next generation of competitive sailors.Competitors raced across three divisions tailored to different age and experience levels: the Optimist class for younger entry-level sailors, and the ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 classes for more experienced teen competitors. What made this year’s championship stand out from previous editions was how tightly contested every division was, with final results decided by mere seconds and narrow points margins that meant no winner was confirmed until the last boat crossed the line in the final race. No competitor held a large enough lead to secure victory early, turning the championship into a test of both physical stamina and mental resilience across all seven races.In the Optimist class, 12-year-old Nigel Tash pulled off a stunning victory by holding his composure through the tense final race. Tash’s consistent, precise boat handling across every leg of the course let him edge out a field of more experienced rivals to claim the top spot on the podium. For the ILCA 4 division, 14-year-old Jordi Lewis delivered a masterclass in tactical racing, climbing from a mid-fleet standing in the early rounds of the regatta to overtake the competition and seal the national championship title. The most dramatic finish came in the ILCA 6 class, where 15-year-old Kai Marks Dasent crossed the finish line of the deciding final race just seconds ahead of his closest competitor to lock in his win. Beyond the results, the close tactical duels and close finishes throughout the regatta created an electric, energetic atmosphere that highlighted the depth of young sailing talent developing across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.A key factor that elevated this year’s championship was the pre-event support from World Sailing, which held an official Judge Seminar just days before the regatta got underway. Led by internationally accredited trainer Chris Watts, the two-day intensive course provided participating sailors and local event officials with advanced, up-to-date training on the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and formal protest procedures. The training not only ensured that the entire championship was run with full fairness and transparency aligned with international standards, it also gave young competitors the confidence to focus on their racing rather than worrying about rule uncertainties.Interviewed after claiming their titles, all three champions highlighted how the pre-event seminar boosted their performance. “Winning the Optimist class feels amazing. The races were so close, and the seminar helped me stay calm and focused when it mattered most,” Tash said. Lewis echoed that sentiment, noting: “The competition was tough, but I enjoyed every moment. Understanding the protest process gave me confidence to race fairly and push harder.” For Dasent, who clinched his win in the final seconds of the regatta, the training opened new doors for his future sailing career: “It came down to the last race, and I’m proud to come out on top. The seminar showed us how international racing works, and now I feel ready to take my sailing further.”SVGSA President Jenny Trumble praised the event and the preparation that made it a success, emphasizing the long-term impact of the combined championship and training program. “The National Championships were a thrilling display of skill and determination,” Trumble said. “With the support of the World Sailing Judge Seminar, our sailors and officials are now better prepared for the challenges of international competition,” she added, signaling the organization’s goal to support more young Vincentian sailors to compete on the global stage in coming years.

The 24th edition of the Annual Bequia Basketball Tournament wrapped up over the weekend with two dramatic championship matches that showcased the rising talent of grassroots basketball across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In the tournament’s headline 1st Division final, first-time contender Smokin Aces — a roster built mostly around players from Union Island — pulled off an impressive upset against 2024 defending champions East Blazers, securing a 59-48 victory to claim the top title.

East Blazers entered the final as favorites, led by Men’s Senior National Team standout Jermaine John, who anchored the team’s aggressive offense and defense through every quarter of the tight contest. Though John’s squad ultimately fell short of repeating their 2024 win, his individual performance across the entire tournament earned him a haul of personal accolades: he took home honors for Most Points, Most Steals, Team MVP, and the tournament’s Overall MVP.

Smokin Aces brought its own elite national talent to the court, brothers Elton Joseph and Elroy Joseph. Elton Joseph holds a spot on the Men’s Senior National Team, while Elroy Joseph represents St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the U23 3×3 National Team. It was Elroy who emerged as the undisputed star of the championship game, turning in a dominant all-around performance that earned him both Smokin Aces’ Team MVP and the tournament’s Finals MVP honors. For the newly formed team, the title win is more than a trophy — it marks a landmark milestone that underscores the growing impact of Union Island players on the regional basketball scene in the Grenadines.

The evening’s second championship match, the 2nd Division final between Golden Knights and Apex Elite, delivered what attendees and fans universally called the most exhilarating matchup of the entire 24th tournament. The contest was a back-and-forth battle from tipoff, with Golden Knights trailing for the vast majority of regulation play. As the clock wound down and the championship hung in the balance, Golden Knights guard Cassius Joseph stepped into the spotlight: sinking two consecutive game-tying free throws in the final seconds to force overtime.

After two extra periods and multiple players from both squads fouling out, Golden Knights seized momentum late in the second overtime, pulling away to secure an 80-71 win. Joseph’s clutch late-game free throws proved the difference-maker, reinforcing the long-held basketball adage that consistent free throw shooting wins championships. Like John, Joseph’s standout performance across the tournament earned him multiple individual honors, including Team MVP, Overall MVP, and Most Rebounds. The win also saw Golden Knights successfully defend their 2nd Division title, retaining the crown for a second consecutive year.

The championship doubleheader drew high-profile attendance that highlighted the growing national importance of the regional tournament. Godwin Friday, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and MP for the Northern Grenadines, joined Renitta Peters-Morris, vice president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation, for the final games. In a post-tournament press release, the Bequia Basketball Association (BBA) noted that their presence underscored the growing recognition of basketball development and the critical role of community programs in nurturing emerging young Vincentian athletes.

BBA President Sabrina Mitchell opened her closing remarks by extending gratitude to every group that contributed to the 24th tournament’s success, thanking sponsors, donors, community supporters, player families, participating athletes, volunteers, executive committee members, referees, and table officials for their consistent commitment throughout the competition.

Looking ahead, the BBA has already laid out plans to build on the momentum generated by this year’s tournament. Mitchell announced the launch of a new Elite Athletes Programme, with 12 young athletes between the ages of 15 and 24 already selected to participate, with more detailed information set to be released in the coming weeks. The association will also host a new Grenadines 3×3 Tournament this coming October, and will continue running its popular youth basketball development camps through the coming months.

“As the 24th Annual Tournament comes to a close, the BBA Executive remains committed to building on the momentum created this summer and investing in the future of basketball across Bequia and the wider Grenadines,” the BBA’s press release concluded.