分类： sports

Against the backdrop of a string of standout performances by Saint Lucian athletes at top-tier international competitions, the island nation’s Minister for Youth Development and Sports Kenson Casimir has publicly credited the current Pierre administration for building a supportive ecosystem that has driven this wave of sporting success.

Speaking to journalists during the pre-Cabinet press briefing held on Monday, Casimir — who traveled to Santo Domingo to attend the recent Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games — drew a direct line between the government’s policy investments and the tangible results achieved by local competitors on the global stage.

The recent run of results speaks for itself: Saint Lucia’s national netball squad claimed a bronze medal at the CAC Games, sailor Luc Chevrier secured a silver medal in his event, and rising sprinter Jady Emmanuel turned heads at the Under-20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Emmanuel not only finished 8th in the competition but also set a new national record of 11.28 seconds in the 100-meter event, marking a new milestone for the country’s track and field program.

Outlining the breadth of the administration’s achievements over its current term, Casimir told reporters that under this government, Saint Lucia has won medals at nearly every major global multi-sport event, with just one exception. “We can see that we have an Olympic medal too. We can see that we have CAC medals. We can see the Pan-American, Commonwealth; we have done well at every global event. I don’t think any government could boast of that level of achievement in sport in a five-year period except one,” he said.

Despite celebrating this unprecedented winning streak, the minister stopped short of declaring the national sports sector fully developed, acknowledging that meaningful work remains to elevate competitive standards across all sports — particularly men’s and women’s football.

“The only sport that we’ve not dominated on a global level as yet is football,” Casimir acknowledged. But he expressed cautious confidence in the long-term trajectory of the sport, noting that the current government has already committed more public and private investment to football development than any preceding administration in the country’s history. “But we will get there. You know we are putting in the work. This government has certainly invested in football more than any government has in our history, and we’re certainly expecting very soon to reap those rewards,” he added.

After a year of targeted preparation and growth following their 2024 championship debut, the small Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is set to make its second appearance on one of surfing’s most prestigious global stages next month. The Saint Lucia Surfing Association (SLSA) has officially announced its three-person roster that will compete at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Championship, hosted this year at the iconic Surf City surf breaks of El Salvador.

Running from September 4 to 13, the 2025 championship will bring together more than 400 of the world’s top young surfers, all aged 17 and under, representing over 50 nations across the globe. Athletes will test their skills across two distinct venues: La Bocana and El Sunzal, two of El Salvador’s most renowned surf spots that regularly host elite international surfing competitions. Competitors will travel from surfing powerhouses including Australia and South Africa, as well as fellow Caribbean nations, to contest age-group titles.

The Saint Lucian delegation is built around a tight-knit core of young talent. Sebastian Rambally-Ambler will captain the squad, competing in the Under-18 division. His brother Daniel Rambally-Ambler will pull double duty, entering both the Under-16 and Under-18 categories, while William Verity rounds out the roster as the third competitor in the Under-18 division.

This year’s tournament marks only the second time Saint Lucia has fielded a team at the global junior surfing championship. The nation made its debut at the 2024 event held in Peru, where Sebastian and Daniel Rambally-Ambler competed but were eliminated following the preliminary round. Rather than stepping back from the challenge, the SLSA doubled down on investment in its young athletes, launching an intensive development program to help the team raise their competitive level ahead of the 2025 event.

Beyond consistent training at their home surf breaks, the team has traveled across the Americas to train at some of the hemisphere’s top surfing destinations to gain experience in varying conditions. They have logged training sessions at Oz Surf School in Jacó, Costa Rica, at Peru’s famed Tubos break in Lima, and at the legendary Trestles complex in Southern California. Under new head coach Brett Prinz, the program has expanded beyond in-water practice to add structured physical conditioning, in-depth video performance analysis, and focused skill-specific training to refine the athletes’ competitive edge.

For the Saint Lucian surfing community, the team’s journey to El Salvador carries far more meaning than just a shot at a medal. Shaid Rambally, president of the SLSA and the team’s manager for the championship, framed the participation as a milestone for the growth of the sport on the island. “This journey represents more than competition; it is a celebration of perseverance, teamwork and the continued growth of surfing in Saint Lucia,” he said.

Rambally added that the association is deeply proud of the young team that will carry the nation’s flag into the competition against the world’s best junior surfers. “We are incredibly proud of our national team and wish them the very best as they compete against the world’s top junior surfers while flying the Saint Lucian flag with pride,” he said. “Thank you to our coaches, families, sponsors, supporters and the entire surfing community for helping make this journey possible. Together, we continue to build the future of surfing in Saint Lucia.”

The team’s motto, “Small Island. Big Dreams. One Team.” sums up the nation’s approach to its second appearance on the global junior surfing stage, reflecting the ambition of a small community working to build a lasting legacy in the sport.

After years competing at the amateur and white-collar levels, veteran Saint Lucian boxer Marvin “The Artist” Anthony is gearing up for a career-defining milestone: his long-awaited professional debut, a comeback bid that has been years in the making.

The 36-year-old Britain-based middleweight, who competes at the 75-kilogram weight class, has returned to full-time training under long-time coach Tony Velinor at London’s Ringtone Boxing Gym, targeting a first professional bout before the calendar flips to 2026. But to turn this years-old dream into a reality, Anthony is reaching out to the public for critical financial backing to cover the training, logistics, and regulatory costs required to make his professional transition.

Anthony’s last trip into the ring came in late 2024, when he claimed a second-round TKO victory over Dean Amu Siame at a white-collar boxing event hosted at PRYZM Kingston in London. A powerful, well-timed right hook sealed the win, marking Anthony’s second victory of that year. At the time, he framed his work around nurturing young boxing talent, but left the door open to a return to competitive action if he could secure the funding needed to step up to the professional ranks.

Now, that open door has become a clear path forward. Anthony’s official fundraising campaign frames the boxer as a dedicated competitor poised for success, framing his professional bid as a source of pride for his home nation. “Marvin Anthony is a warrior, and he needs your financial help to get him over the line for his professional debut,” the campaign reads. “He is a sure winner, and it’s about time he goes professionally as a boxer! Help make this dream come true, not just for him but for our beloved island Saint Lucia. Please invest in a winner today!”

In an interview with *St Lucia Times*, Anthony emphasized that boxing demands unwavering commitment, noting that very few professional boxers have emerged from his Caribbean home nation. Balancing his roles as a personal trainer, youth boxing coach, and father of two, Anthony said he feels a deep sense of obligation to see his professional dream through. “Boxing is a serious sport,” he said. “No one else [from Saint Lucia] is pursuing it. I believe I’m obligated to finish what I started. Tony is the man for the job. He’s always in my corner.”

As Anthony enters the closing stretch of his second decade involved in competitive boxing, his upcoming debut will not only mark a personal milestone but also a historic step for Saint Lucian boxing, should he secure the support he needs to make the jump.

The 2026 Republic Caribbean Premier League (CPL) opened with a dramatic four-run victory for the Saint Lucia Kings on Sunday night, as a sensational innings from last-minute replacement Andries Gous and a clutch middle-overs bowling collapse by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons secured the win at Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Kings were forced to find an emergency stand-in for regular batter Tim Seifert, the hard-hitting New Zealand international, ahead of the tournament opener, and Gous stepped up to deliver a career-defining performance that set the foundation for the result.

In a rain-interrupted innings, the 32-year-old Gous blazed an unbeaten 82 runs off just 51 deliveries, peppering the boundary with six fours and six towering sixes to lift the Kings to a competitive total of 187 for 8 off their allocated overs. Support came from lower-order batters Kamil Pooran, who contributed a quick 14 runs off 6 balls, and Ackeem Auguste, who added 20 runs from 18 deliveries to push the total past the 180-mark after a slow start to the Kings’ innings.

For the Falcons, former Kings fast bowler Alzarri Joseph — who made a off-season move back to his hometown franchise after four seasons with the Kings — turned in the most impactful performance with the ball, claiming three wickets while conceding 32 runs to dent the Kings’ batting progress.

Chasing a revised target in their run chase, the Falcons got off to a flying start that put them firmly on track for victory. By the end of the powerplay six overs, the side had reached 65 for one, holding a 12-run advantage over the Kings’ position at the same stage of their innings. At the halfway point of their 20 overs, the Falcons extended their lead to 24 runs, sitting comfortably at 109 for two and on course to chase down the required total.

However, a dramatic collapse in the middle overs turned the tide firmly in the Kings’ favor. A combined bowling effort from Roston Chase, Maheesh Theekshana and Shadley van Schalkwyk ripped through the Falcons’ batting order, with the trio taking three key wickets and restricting the Antiguan side to just 50 runs across 50 deliveries. Chase and Theekshana each claimed two wickets for only 18 runs apiece, dragging the Falcons down to a final total of 183 for 7, four runs short of the winning mark.

Following the match, Kings all-rounder Roston Chase shared his thoughts on the hard-fought win, noting that the side overcame a slow start to pull off the result. “I thought that we had a good score on the board. We didn’t start as well as we’d like, but we pulled back the game, and I’m happy for the win,” Chase said.

He also revealed that his appearance in the bowling attack was an unplanned last-minute adjustment, as he continues to recover from a finger injury. “It was not planned for me to bowl tonight because my finger is still healing. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I just tried to go through the pain. And I was able to get four overs in tonight, and it pulled back the run rate. And the guys executed in the end, and it was good.”

Following their opening win, the Saint Lucia Kings will depart St Vincent & the Grenadines for their home island on Monday, where they will kick off their home stand on Wednesday at 7 p.m. local time at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, with their next opponents being the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.