Carib Scope

分类： sports

  • Chevrier makes his mark at World Champs

    Chevrier makes his mark at World Champs

    A trailblazing moment for Caribbean sailing has emerged from the waters of Dublin Bay, as 27-year-old two-time Olympian Luc Chevrier from Saint Lucia has etched his name into the annals of the sport by clinching the first individual elite-level race win in his nation’s sailing history. Competing at the 2026 ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship hosted at Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, Chevrier crossed the line first in Race 5 of the tournament’s competitive Red Fleet on Wednesday.

    This milestone comes just weeks after another watershed achievement for Saint Lucian sailing: earlier this month, Chevrier claimed a silver medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games held in Santo Domingo, another result that marked the first major podium finish for his country in Olympic-class sailing. The seasoned competitor, who has already represented Saint Lucia at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, wrapped up his five-race qualifying series in Dublin with a cumulative net score of 67 points, securing his spot in the tournament’s elite Gold Fleet by finishing 55th out of a field of 141 competing sailors from across the globe.

    Reflecting on his historic race victory immediately after crossing the finish line, Chevrier emphasized the role of a strong opening in securing his win. “It’s super nice to be winning at least a race in the World Championships,” he said. “I finally had a good start. That played a big part in it.” The sailor went on to break down his race strategy, noting that his performance on the first downwind leg created the decisive gap between himself and the chasing pack. “Basically, I made the difference on the downwind. In that first downwind, I managed to separate from my competitors and put that distance between me and second place. Then I just kept controlling the race on the second upwind, not taking too much risk, just following the fleet and covering as I know how to.”

    Chevrier, who has already secured automatic qualification for the 2027 Pan American Games, faced a rocky start to the Dublin regatta, opening with a 32nd-place finish in the opening race. However, he steadily improved his positioning across the next three qualifying races, notching 20th, 25th, and 21st place finishes to stabilize his overall standing. Competing in light wind conditions of 7 to 9 knots for his winning Race 5, the consistent performance across his qualifying runs brought his average counting score down to 16.75, enough to advance as the highest-ranked Caribbean competitor in the field.

    For Chevrier, the win carries extra significance as a representative of a small island nation with a growing athletic community. “It’s always a pleasure to represent my country. We’re a small country, but we have a lot of rising athletes in sailing and athletics. It’s a good thing to be from a small country, but it’s also really nice to put us on the map, and I’m super proud of this first place, for sure,” he added.

    The tournament now moves into its elimination final series, which kicks off on Thursday with two back-to-back high-stakes races on Dublin Bay. Daily blocks of multiple races will continue through Friday and Saturday, with the final championship medal race scheduled to take place on Sunday.

  • Pointe Ronde facility poised for top world athletics certification

    Pointe Ronde facility poised for top world athletics certification

    The Caribbean island nation of Dominica is marking a major milestone in its sports development journey, as its new multi-purpose sporting complex under construction in Pointe Ronde, Portsmouth is positioned to earn the highest tier of certification from global governing body World Athletics.

    The confirmation came from Michael Tovar, Track and Field Director for Mondo USA and the Caribbean, who shared the update after a recent on-site technical assessment of the ongoing project. Per Tovar’s analysis, the complex’s running track is on track to meet all requirements for World Athletics’ coveted Class One certification upon the completion of construction work.

    This prestigious certification opens a new chapter for Dominica’s athletic sector: it will qualify the island to host top-tier international track and field competitions, a transformative shift from its previous hosting capacity for smaller regional events. There is one key limitation, however: the facility cannot accommodate Olympic Games due to its planned seating capacity falling short of the International Olympic Committee’s requirements.

    Beyond hosting major international tournaments, the certification delivers long-lasting benefits for Dominica’s homegrown athletes. Any results clocked during officially sanctioned events held on the Class One track will automatically qualify for formal ratification by World Athletics, a critical step that allows local athletes to earn world rankings, qualify for global championships, and secure international competitive opportunities that were previously out of reach.

    Tovar emphasized that the impact of the new complex stretches far beyond traditional track and field competitions. He noted that the facility is designed to serve as a regional athletic hub, hosting a wide range of activities including elite training camps, specialized skill development clinics, sports rehabilitation programs, and international coaching exchange initiatives. Complementing this, Dominica’s warm year-round tropical climate makes the Pointe Ronde location particularly appealing to overseas athletic teams seeking a mild winter training base to escape cold weather in their home countries.

    According to the Government of Dominica, the multi-million-dollar development is being delivered in staggered phases to keep construction on schedule. The first phase currently underway focuses on completing the Class One synthetic running track and all core supporting infrastructure required for operations. Subsequent phases of the project will add an Olympic-sized swimming pool, purpose-built athlete accommodation, and dedicated administrative office facilities to expand the complex’s capabilities.

    Fenella Wainham-Sheppard, Parliamentary Representative for the Portsmouth constituency where the complex is located, framed the project as a transformative investment for both the local community and the island’s broader sports economy. She highlighted that the upgraded infrastructure will not only strengthen Dominica’s national sports capacity but also create new economic opportunities by drawing international teams, clubs, and athletes to the island, while providing a platform to showcase Dominica’s stunning natural environment and consistent favorable climate to a global audience.

  • SVG participate in sub region tennis tournament

    SVG participate in sub region tennis tournament

    A young eight-player tennis delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) recently made history on the regional sports stage, competing in the annual COTECC Sub Region-4 Under-12 Team Championship hosted in neighboring Trinidad and Tobago.

    For this year’s tournament, SVG entered both male and female national squads, with three emerging junior athletes and one player-coach captain assigned to each team. The boys’ roster featured rising talents Zion Byfield-Grant, Keyondré Gaymes, and Nathaniel Sheen, led by coach-captain Sebastian Cyrus. On the girls’ side, juniors Amaia Waterstone, Nakayda Cain, and Amina Lucas competed under the guidance of coach-captain Roxann Williams.

    The annual COTECC Sub Region-4 competition brings together young tennis prospects from across the Lesser Antilles, with all 19 member nations eligible to field teams. In 2024, the boys’ draw attracted 10 teams from nine competing jurisdictions: Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, SVG, Suriname, and host nation Trinidad and Tobago. The girls’ draw saw eight teams from seven participating countries, as Barbados and Curaçao opted not to enter a female squad this year.

    After several days of intense on-court competition, SVG’s junior squads posted solid debut results. The boys’ team secured 8th place overall, finishing with a total record of two tie wins and three tie losses, broken down into four wins and six losses in singles matches and one win against three losses in doubles play. The girls’ team claimed 7th place in their draw, closing out the tournament with one tie win and four tie losses, earning four singles wins and going winless in four doubles matches.

    Notably, the 2024 outing marked a string of firsts for every SVG player selected. All competitors were making their debut representing a senior national team, and for some young athletes, the trip marked their first time traveling outside of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    In an official press statement following the tournament, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tennis Association (SVGTA) expressed pride in the young delegation regardless of the final rankings. “Despite the results, the SVGTA is proud of our juniors’ showing at this tournament, and thanks them for representing St Vincent & the Grenadines,” the statement read.

    The association emphasized that high-impact developmental opportunities such as this regional competition are invaluable for young athletes’ growth, both in terms of their on-court skill and off-court personal development. “Opportunities like this are crucial for player development both on and off the court. The many fruitful experiences had, and lessons learned will continue to add to their foundation, and the SVGTA is confident in each player’s commitment to improving,” the statement added.

  • Defending SPFL champs go top, first points for Central

    Defending SPFL champs go top, first points for Central

    The fourth round of Saint Lucia’s hotly contested Semi-Pro Football League (SPFL) delivered two high-stakes, dramatic matches on Wednesday evening, played at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds in Gros Islet. When the final whistles blew, relegation-battling Central Castries had secured their first victory of the season, and two-time defending champions La Clery had climbed to a share of first place in the league table.

    The first clash of the night paired Central Castries, who had entered the fixture rooted to the bottom of the standings without a single point to their name, against Anse La Raye, the reigning Tier 2 champions. Delayed arrival at the pitch left Central Castries slow to find their rhythm in the first half, with both sides unable to break the deadlock heading into the break. But the capital-based side entered the second half with unshakeable determination to end their winless drought and hand the west coast Anse La Raye side their second defeat of the campaign.

    The deadlock finally broke in the 66th minute, when Pernal William fired a powerful strike into the back of the net off a well-placed free kick from Bennerero Wellington, putting Central Castries up 1-0. Anse La Raye responded quickly, drawing level seven minutes later after Erick Gabriel converted a penalty to tie the match. Yet just a minute after equalizing, Gabriel found himself under intense defensive pressure from Wellington and accidentally diverted the ball into his own net, gifting Central Castries a 2-1 win and their first three points of the season.

    The upset result lifts Central Castries out of last place, moving them up to ninth in the overall standings. They now sit just above Mabouya Valley, which remains the only club in this year’s tournament yet to secure a victory.

    In the evening’s second feature match, two-time back-to-back title holders La Clery faced off against hosts Gros Islet, delivering a clinical performance to claim a 2-0 win that catapults them to joint first place on the league table.

    Much like the opening fixture, the first half of La Clery’s clash against Gros Islet remained scoreline, as both defenses held firm against repeated attacking pushes. It was not until the 60th minute that La Clery broke through, when Yanic Noel slotted home a shot from just outside the six-yard box. The goal came off a seamless sequence of tight, precise passing between Mervin St Romain and Erickson Magloire, who carved open the Gros Islet defense to set up Noel’s game-opening score.

    Gros Islet threw players forward in the final half-hour, launching repeated attacks in search of an equalizer, but could not bypass La Clery’s star goalkeeper Devone St Prix, the reigning Footballer of the Year, who turned away every attempt on goal. As the match entered fourth-minute stoppage time, Baggio Edward sealed the three points for La Clery with a deft lob over Gros Islet goalkeeper Emmerson Biscette, pushing the final score to 2-0.

    With the loss, Gros Islet remains mired just above the relegation zone. After four matches, the side holds just a single win and three points, sitting ahead of Central Castries only by a slim margin of goal difference.

    Looking ahead, the SPFL’s second-tier Super League is set to continue its slate this coming Friday, returning to the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds for a matchup between Micoud and Choiseul. Over in the top-tier Premier League, fans will see a highly anticipated clash between Dennery and Vieux Fort North, two of the four remaining unbeaten teams in the 2026 tournament.

  • Seifert’s sensational 105 stuns TKR

    Seifert’s sensational 105 stuns TKR

    In a dominant Wednesday night display at Queen’s Park Oval, the Saint Lucia Kings secured their third consecutive seasonal victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League, capping off a historic batting performance and a clinical bowling effort to climb to the top of the league table.

    The fixture marked a key return for local player Keon Gaston, who came back into the squad following an injury layoff, while Sri Lankan batter Charith Asalanka stepped in to replace Johann Jeremiah in the Kings’ adjusted lineup. After TKR won the toss and elected to field first, the Kings got off to a blistering start that would set the tone for the entire match. Opening batters Tim Seifert and Kamil Pooran put together a rapid 60-run opening partnership to kick off the innings. When Pooran departed for a well-crafted 25 runs, the Kings’ momentum showed no signs of slowing. John Campbell stepped up to add aggressive impetus, keeping the required run rate soaring above 10 runs per over through the first half of the 20-over innings.

    Led by Seifert’s red-hot form, the entire Kings batting unit attacked all areas of the ground, with the New Zealand batter delivering a standout match-winning century. Seifert remained unbeaten on 105 runs off just 61 deliveries, hammering eight boundaries and five maximums to post the highest individual score by any Kings batter in the 2024 CPL season. By the end of their innings, the Kings had posted a mammoth total of 211 runs – a new ground record for the franchise at Queen’s Park Oval, breaking the previous benchmark of 167/5 set by the side when it competed as the Saint Lucia Zouks back in 2019.

    Despite the imposing target, the match was not without its own milestones for TKR. Veteran spinner Sunil Narine picked up his 650th career wicket in T20 cricket during the Kings’ innings, making him just the second bowler in the history of the format to reach the elite milestone, following Afghanistan star Rashid Khan.

    TKR’s run chase got off to a similarly explosive start, with Narine joining opener Colin Munro to put on a 70-run opening stand inside the first seven powerplay overs. But the Kings turned the tide immediately after the powerplay, when skipper Roston Chase delivered back-to-back breakthroughs to derail TKR’s momentum. After claiming the second wicket of the innings, Chase dismissed TKR captain Nicholas Pooran just one ball after he walked to the crease, leaving the chase disjointed.

    TKR struggled to rebuild their momentum until former captain Kieron Pollard – the leading run-scorer in T20 history – launched a late counterattack. Pollard smashed a rapid 65 runs off only 26 deliveries, including six fives and five sixes, to drag TKR back into contention. But once Pollard fell to Kings leading wicket-taker Matthew Forde, TKR’s hopes of a comeback were effectively ended. The Saint Lucia Kings eventually sealed a 36-run victory, their largest winning margin by runs this CPL season.

    Named Man of the Match for his historic century, Seifert highlighted the importance of the win over one of the league’s strongest sides in post-match comments. “It probably wasn’t the best start for us in the first five games, but we said to ourselves to forget about that and focus on the next five. Now we’re two for two. So yeah, it’s a great night, and to come here and win gives huge confidence to the boys,” Seifert said. With the third straight win over TKR, the Saint Lucia Kings now sit atop the CPL table as the tournament enters its next phase.

  • CPL eyes expansion

    CPL eyes expansion

    The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), one of the most prominent annual franchise T20 cricket tournaments in the Caribbean region, has left the door open to expanding its current lineup of teams to include an eighth franchise, according to the tournament’s head of Public Relations and Communications, Peter Miller. Speaking in an exclusive interview with veteran cricket commentator Joseph Reds Pereira on the sidelines of this year’s ongoing competition at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, Miller outlined that while expansion is a long-term goal for the league, any decision to add a new team will not be rushed, given the complex operational hurdles the tournament already faces hosting matches across multiple Caribbean nations.

    This 2024 edition of the CPL marks the first year to feature seven franchises, following the successful addition of the Jamaica-based Jamaica Kingsham earlier this year. Miller emphasized that bringing a franchise back to Jamaica had been a key strategic priority for the league for years, noting that Jamaica’s status as the most populous nation in the English-speaking Caribbean makes it an irreplaceable and high-value market for the tournament’s growth and fan engagement.

    Despite the success of adding the seventh team, Miller stressed that the CPL leadership has no interest in overextending the league through rushed expansion that would ultimately force future contraction of the competition. “What we don’t want to do with CPL is expand to the point where we then have to contract, so it’s all about moving at a pace that makes the most sense,” Miller explained. A core requirement for any future expansion, he added, is securing committed long-term franchise owners who have both the resources and dedication to sustain a team over decades, rather than pursuing short-term growth at the expense of league stability.

    A unique challenge sets the CPL apart from other major global T20 franchise tournaments, Miller noted: the massive logistical complexity of staging matches across multiple sovereign nation states in the Caribbean. Unlike most leagues that host all matches in a single country, the CPL must coordinate the cross-border movement of hundreds of people, including broadcast television crews, central league administrative staff, and 30 to 35 personnel per franchise. This requires meticulous planning around international luggage transport, specialized cricket equipment shipping, visa processing, border control clearance, and customs inspections – layers of coordination that most other T20 competitions never have to navigate.

    When pressed specifically on the timeline and feasibility of adding an eighth franchise, Miller reaffirmed that long-term league sustainability would be the non-negotiable guiding factor for any final decision. He outlined one potential structural adjustment that could accommodate an eighth team, drawing a parallel to England’s popular The Hundred tournament: reducing the total number of group stage matches to keep the tournament schedule compact. Under this model, the CPL would cut from 10 group games per team to eight, while still ensuring every team plays each other at least once throughout the group stage. Miller acknowledged that adjusting the tournament structure to add an eighth team would bring new complications, but added that there are clear pathways to make the expansion work successfully if all the preconditions are met.

    Miller also touched on the CPL’s current position in the global cricket calendar, noting that while the tournament has secured a permanent spot on the international cricket schedule, it has not yet reached the scale where it can command an exclusive window that pauses all other global cricket competitions, a status that would allow the CPL to attract every top men’s T20 player in the world. He pointed out that only the Indian Premier League (IPL) currently holds that unique status, thanks to its unmatched commercial scale that dwarfs every other T20 tournament on the planet. “I think you need to realize where you sit, there’s always going to be other international cricket tournament going on,” Miller concluded.

  • Tridents suffer first CPL defeat of season

    Tridents suffer first CPL defeat of season

    The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) delivered a thrilling upset on Tuesday night at North Sound, Antigua, as the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons handed the previously unbeaten Barbados Tridents their first loss of the season by a 30-run margin. The dominant all-round performance from the Falcons pushed them back to the top of the tournament’s points table, with pace bowler Joshua James earning Player of the Match honors for his stellar spell of three wickets for just 18 runs, while all-rounder Moeen Ali anchored the Falcons’ batting innings with an unbeaten half-century.

    Barbados Tridents skipper Chris Green won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that put the Falcons under immediate pressure from the opening ball. Tridents fast bowler Daniel Sams clean-bowled star opener Rahkeem Cornwall with the very first delivery of the match, leaving the Falcons reeling early. By the end of the mandatory powerplay, the Falcons had only managed 40 runs for the loss of two wickets, putting their campaign on the back foot early.

    However, Moeen Ali stepped in to steady the innings with a clinical, power-packed knock. Playing 37 deliveries, Ali struck three boundaries and four towering sixes to finish not out on 56, dragging the Falcons to a competitive total of 155 runs for five wickets from their full 20-over allocation. Supporting contributions from opener Amir Jangoo (26 runs) and Karima Gore (27 runs) proved crucial in building the match-winning total after the rocky start. For the Tridents, Afghanistan spin star Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the most effective bowler, picking up two wickets for 32 runs, while Sams, Ramon Simmonds and Gudakesh Motie each claimed one wicket apiece.

    Chasing a target of 156, the Tridents got off to a promising start, reaching 45 runs for two wickets by the end of the powerplay. Replacement batter Shian Brathwaite, called into the squad to cover injured star Kadeem Alleyne, fell for seven runs, while top-order batter Zachary Carter contributed 17 runs to the early stand. The Tridents looked set at 54 for two in the eighth over, but a collapse changed the trajectory of the match. Wickets fell at consistent intervals, and the Tridents slumped to 95 for seven by the middle of the 14th over.

    The Falcons’ bowling attack delivered a clinical finish to wrap up the victory. The Tridents were bowled out for 125 runs in 18 overs, with Rivaldo Clarke top-scoring for the side with 27 runs off 26 balls, and Kevlon Anderson adding 22 runs to the total. Beyond James’ match-winning three-wicket haul, Alzarri Joseph took two wickets for just 12 runs, Shadab Khan claimed two for 23, and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up two for 36, capping a dominant all-round bowling performance from the Falcons.

    In his post-match remarks, Tridents captain Chris Green reflected that his side had played solid cricket for much of the contest before losing momentum. He highlighted the promising partnership between young batters Clarke and Anderson, which he said had given the Tridents a strong platform to chase the target. According to Green, a controversial caught dismissal proved to be the turning point that shifted momentum entirely to the Falcons. “For us it just felt like we panicked a little bit and that gave the game away,” Green said.

    The result ended the Tridents’ perfect start to the season, which had seen them claim back-to-back wins in their opening two matches. Green emphasized that the side would take the loss as a learning experience rather than letting the defeat derail their campaign. “In T20 cricket you’re going to play good games, you’re gonna play bad games. Sometimes you win those bad games, sometimes you lose those good games. It’s a matter of fine margins,” he noted.

    With three matches completed and seven remaining in the group stage, Green maintains his side remains in a strong position to advance. “We’re still in a really good position, but I think your key word there is learning, and we are a young side and we’ve got to keep learning,” he added.

  • Column: Vernieuwde aanpak topsectie voetbal vereist

    Column: Vernieuwde aanpak topsectie voetbal vereist

    For decades, SV Transvaal (Robinhood) has stood as an unrivaled powerhouse in Surinamese club football, capped off by lifting the Concacaf Caribbean Cup trophy just a few seasons ago. But the country’s all-time record league champion has seen a dramatic and unexpected fall from grace in the 2024 campaign. After claiming the regional title in 2023, the red-green side was eliminated in the semi-finals of this season’s Concacaf Club Shield, the qualifying tournament for the Caribbean Cup — an early exit that has cast a spotlight on the club’s sudden downturn in form.

    While Robinhood has maintained its reputation for fluid, well-organized play in recent years, the team has consistently failed to convert that on-pitch quality into match-winning results. The club’s leadership has launched an internal review to pinpoint the root causes of the underperformance, especially given that the current head coach holds a unique advantage over other local managers: years of access to learning opportunities with elite professionals from the Suriname national team. Though many fans and analysts have been quick to blame the manager for the slump, commentator Mireille Hoepel argues that a full organizational deep dive is necessary to identify the actual issues and break what appears to be a developing downward spiral. Early, decisive intervention, Hoepel notes, is critical to putting the historic club back on the path to recovery and restoring its traditional status as Suriname’s leading football outfit.

    Robinhood is not alone in its regional struggles. Suriname’s current domestic league champion has also failed to make a mark in international regional competition, dropping both away matches after giving up early first-half leads. These results have severely dented the team’s chances of advancing to the next round of play, and have brought a long-running systemic issue in Surinamese football back to the forefront: the persistent lack of finishing quality among local attacking players.

    For years, clubs have addressed this goal-scoring problem by signing foreign strikers to deliver immediate improvements. While this strategy often boosts a club’s short-term performance, it does nothing to develop the finishing skills of domestic talent, Hoepel argues. That said, she acknowledges that top-flight clubs are justified in prioritizing immediate results and titles, and are free to pursue whatever strategy best fits their competitive goals.

    Instead, Hoepel proposes a systemic solution led by the Surinamese Football Association (SVB): a targeted short-term training program to develop specialized striker coaches for the nation’s top clubs. Under the plan, every team in the Suriname Major League (SML) would nominate one candidate to attend the training. Ideal candidates could be former strikers looking to transition into specializing in developing the finishing ability of current attackers, though Hoepel says the program should not exclude motivated non-playing candidates who are passionate about improving the attacking side of the game.

    Hoepel emphasizes that this specialized coaching focus would bring widespread benefits to Surinamese football at every level. Across all domestic divisions, teams routinely execute strong build-up play and dominate possession, but consistently fall short when it comes to converting chances in front of goal. Finishing is a refined skill that does not develop naturally, she notes; it requires deliberate focus, determination, and hundreds of hours of specialized repetition.

    Training a cohort of specialized striker coaches would mark the first step in a broader modernization of Suriname’s senior football setup, Hoepel argues. Over time, specialized coaching training should be expanded to cover every position on the pitch, ensuring that even the smallest technical details get the focused attention they require. With a modern, specialized approach to player development, Hoepel concludes, Suriname’s senior national and club teams can finally grow into competitive contenders on the regional and global stage beyond the country’s borders.

  • PBN’s Platinum FM Earns Praise for CPL 2026 Local Coverage

    PBN’s Platinum FM Earns Praise for CPL 2026 Local Coverage

    As the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) progresses across regional host venues, a local radio outlet in Antigua and Barbuda has emerged as a standout partner for its standout match coverage. Platinum FM, the primary radio division of the Pointe Broadcasting Network (PBN), has received widespread praise from tournament organizers for its comprehensive reporting of the competition’s Antigua-based fixtures.

    Raul DeSouza, CPL’s Executive Producer of Radio Coverage, offered particularly high marks for the station’s on-location broadcast team. In his remarks, DeSouza noted that the quality and unwavering consistency of Platinum FM’s output during the Antigua leg of the tournament ranks among the strongest work delivered by any of the league’s territorial partner stations this season.

    “What stood out most about Platinum FM’s coverage was the combination of infectious energy, sharp professionalism, and an authentic connection with local cricket fans,” DeSouza explained. “Their commentary team didn’t just call every play on the pitch — they captured the electric atmosphere and passionate energy of the crowd packed into Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. That immersive, community-focused style is exactly what regional cricket broadcasting should aspire to.”

    DeSouza went on to highlight specific elements of Platinum FM’s coverage that elevated its work above other partners. The station’s detailed ball-by-ball commentary, in-depth pre-match build-up discussions and post-match breakdowns, and interactive segments that put listener voices front and center were all called out as key strengths. Beyond that, he emphasized that Platinum FM’s accessible broadcasts have played a critical role in expanding the tournament’s reach, bringing live CPL action to thousands of local listeners who are unable to attend matches at the stadium in person.

    Leadership at PBN welcomed the recognition from CPL organizers, framing the honor as a direct reflection of the media network’s long-term commitment to growing its sports broadcasting capabilities. Luther Lee, Chairman of PBN’s Board of Management, and General Manager Eldean Eudelle both echoed that the accolade reinforces the value of the network’s investments in talent, technology, and local sports content.

    With the 2026 CPL still underway and set to visit multiple other Caribbean nations through the end of the season, tournament officials have confirmed that Platinum FM will remain a key broadcast partner for the remainder of the competition. The station is expected to continue delivering its signature comprehensive coverage for CPL fans both in Antigua and Barbuda and across the wider global listener base.

  • Nine Young Gymnasts Compete at Copa Quetzal, Bring Home 24 Medals

    Nine Young Gymnasts Compete at Copa Quetzal, Bring Home 24 Medals

    A small but mighty team of nine young female gymnasts from Belize has turned an unexpected competition opportunity into a historic haul of medals, bringing home 24 awards and six trophies from the 2026 Copa Quetzal international gymnastics tournament held in Guatemala City between August 19 and 22.

    Competing under the banner of Belize’s SESA Gymnastics and the national Gymnastics Federation, the young athletes delivered standout performances across their divisions, securing four gold medals, eight silver medals, and 12 bronze medals overall. All six trophies awarded to the team recognize gymnasts who ranked in the top three across their respective competitive categories.

    What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the tournament was never part of the team’s original 2026 competition schedule. According to SESA’s head coach Susen Bedran, the timing of Copa Quetzal, held during the Northern Hemisphere summer break, created a unique opening for student gymnasts who balance training with school commitments to participate in international competition.

    Many of the team members had struggled to maintain consistent training through the academic year, with school responsibilities forcing some to miss practice sessions or attend classes only sporadically. When the opportunity to compete arose in mid-year, the coaching staff made the call to launch an intensive preparation block in July, requiring the young gymnasts to train in the gym virtually every day leading up to the August tournament.

    “In July, we really pushed. They had gym like every day in July to get ready for this competition in August,” Bedran explained in a post-competition statement, noting that the athletes’ extraordinary dedication allowed them to master full routines and get competition-ready in the condensed timeline. Beyond the impressive medal count, Bedran emphasized that the greatest success of the team lies in the personal growth the gymnasts achieved over the preparation process.

    “We’re definitely proud of the girls,” the coach said. “As a coach, you know where they started, you know where their weaknesses are. You know where their strengths are.” She added that seeing the young athletes overcome long-standing challenges and deliver strong performances in events they had previously struggled with was just as rewarding as the team’s overall medal haul.

    Even after arriving in Guatemala for the tournament, the team maintained their training discipline: several gymnasts booked extra practice sessions at a local gym both before and after their competitive events to refine their routines. Bedran emphasized that regardless of final placement, the international experience itself provided invaluable competitive exposure that will benefit the young gymnasts in future events.

    This year’s tournament marks SESA Gymnastics’ second appearance at Copa Quetzal, following their debut participation in 2024. Comparing the team’s 2026 performance to their first outing two years ago, Bedran confirmed that the program has recorded clear, measurable improvement across all levels of competition, pointing to a bright future for young gymnastics development in Belize.