分类： sports

On the morning of August 1, 42 runners ranging in age from 4 to 75 years old lined up along the Marisule-Bois d’Orange Highway for the annual Pompey Golden Mile, a community race that blends athletic competition with Emancipation Day commemoration. Organized by the John Pompey Foundation with on-the-ground support from the Morne Stars Athletics Club and official backing from the Saint Lucia Athletics Association, the event stretched from a starting line at Northern Electrical to a finish line outside Glace Supermarine, uniting runners of all ages and backgrounds from across Saint Lucia and beyond in a celebration of freedom and sport.

The 2026 iteration of the run featured a remarkably diverse field of participants: 16 runners under the age of 15, 21 competitors under 20, and five seasoned athletes over the age of 50. Competitors traveled from across the island, with groups joining from the southern districts of Dennery and Vieux Fort, a large contingent of club runners from the island’s north, and one international participant who traveled to Saint Lucia from Kenya via Trinidad and Tobago.

When the final runner crossed the finish line, Kenyan-born competitor Alex Ekesa claimed the men’s open title with a blistering time of 4:46.23. Asa Francis, a Vieux Fort native competing while home from studies at Coppin State University, took second place with a time of 4:51.38, while Kenrick James rounded out the men’s podium in 5:22.34. In the women’s division, Maiya Landers, a high school runner based in the United States, secured both the open women’s title and the junior women’s crown, crossing the line in 6:27.03 to place 14th overall. McKayla Olivier finished just 0.45 seconds behind Landers to take second place in the women’s open division, with Jayla Sayers claiming third in 6:37.03.

Additional age-group titles went to Traie Constantine, who finished first in the junior men’s division with a time of 5:43.59; Sheba Jn Pierre, who topped the Under-15 girls’ standings in 8:14.41; and Kaylee O’Reilly, who claimed the Under-15 boys’ title with a time of 9:06.84. The event also recognized its most experienced and youngest participants: Charles Sayers and Rose Marie Casimir were honored as the oldest male and female competitors, while Samiel Williams and Melania Etienne took pride of place as the youngest finishing runners.

For the John Pompey Foundation, an organization that has invested more than a decade into supporting youth development and grassroots sports across Saint Lucia, the Golden Mile is far more than a running race—it is a deliberate effort to tie athletic achievement to historical remembrance of Emancipation. John Pompey, founder of the foundation, framed the 2026 event as a fitting tribute to the meaning of the holiday. “This year’s run was a monument to freedom,” Pompey said in comments following the race. “Every stride taken on this historic day honours the path paved by past generations, proving that the pursuit of excellence is one of the truest expressions of liberty.”

Pompey extended gratitude to all participants who joined the celebration of freedom through sport, singling out event partners for their critical support. “We are indebted to Alex and all the other runners for coming out and celebrating strides of freedom with us,” he said. “I want to say a special note of thanks to Morne Stars Athletics Club, who did most of the organisation on the ground, and the Saint Lucia Athletics Association, especially Patrick Mathurin, who supported starting and timing.”

Beyond the annual Golden Mile, the John Pompey Foundation maintains a long-standing record of supporting community sports across the island. The organization has regularly donated barrels of sporting equipment, groceries, and food to grassroots athletic clubs throughout Saint Lucia, and has hosted community sports events including the Golden Mile for more than 10 years. Following the 2026 edition, foundation leadership declared the event a total success, highlighting the cross-generational turnout as a sign of the race’s growing resonance with local communities.

On August 1, the sun-drenched pitches of the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds — widely counted among the most breathtaking rugby venues in the region — played host to a landmark edition of the annual International Carnival Sevens: Rugby In Paradise. For the fifth consecutive year, the tournament brought together elite rugby talent from across the globe, wrapping up a full day of nonstop action with Martinique Jokers and Blue Ice claiming the men’s and women’s championship titles respectively.

Nearly 100 competitors hailing from seven different countries and territories took to the field across eight hours of competition, contesting 22 hard-fought matches that showcased the growing depth of sevens rugby across the Caribbean and North America. For local organizers at the Saint Lucia Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), the 2026 tournament carried extra historical weight: SLRFU Technical Director Wayne Pantor confirmed that 45 Saint Lucian youth players took part in the regional event, marking the largest single-contigent of local youth players ever to compete at an international rugby tournament hosted on the island.

The men’s championship final delivered every bit of the high-stakes drama fans anticipated, as the Martinique Jokers faced off against Canada’s Canadian Pirates in a back-and-forth thriller that came down to the final whistle. When the clock expired, the Jokers held onto a narrow 21-19 victory to claim the 2026 crown, capping off an undefeated tournament run. Martinique Jokers’ standout Fabien Da Silva earned the Men’s Most Valuable Player award, honored both for his tournament-leading point total and his role as a unifying offensive leader that drove the team’s championship chemistry.

In the men’s consolation matches, Guyana Police Falcons secured a dominant third-place finish with a 29-0 shutout win over Martinique’s MADA side. The Plate Final, a showdown between two domestic Saint Lucian squads, saw the Rogues claim a tight 5-0 victory over Saint Lucia Select in a physically demanding contest that highlighted the strength of local rugby development on the island.

The women’s division brought its own dose of excitement, with the championship decided via a best-of-three series between Blue Ice and Blue Flames. Both rosters featured rising talent from across the Caribbean, with players drawn from Saint Lucia, Grenada, Guyana, and St Vincent & the Grenadines, emphasizing the cross-regional collaboration that has become a core pillar of growing women’s rugby in the region.

After splitting the first two matches — Blue Ice taking the opener 15-5, and Blue Flames evening the series with a 22-12 second win — the two sides met in a decisive final game to determine the title. Blue Ice pulled away late to secure a 15-7 victory and claim the women’s crown. Guyana youth standout Jelena Shepherd, who finished the tournament as the leading try scorer, took home Women’s Most Valuable Player honors for her consistent dominant play throughout the competition.

The 25th Central American and Caribbean Games hosted a landmark moment for table tennis from the English-speaking Caribbean over the weekend, as Saint Lucia’s men’s and women’s teams marked their first-ever appearance at this elite regional competition, securing three impressive group stage victories against higher-ranked opponents.

As the only nation from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify both men’s and women’s squads for the Games’ table tennis team event, Saint Lucia entered the group phase draw at Santo Domingo’s Pabellón de Tenis de Mesa with little expectation, facing a stacked field of regional powerhouses. The underdog team quickly proved their potential, picking up three match wins across the weekend’s fixtures, even though neither squad advanced past the group stage to the knockout quarterfinals.

In Group A, the Saint Lucian men’s side got off to a tough start on Saturday, falling to defending regional powerhouse Mexico in a 3-0 clean sweep. The Mexican squad dominated the scoreboard across all three matches, outpointing their younger opponents 99-44 overall. Young gun Dario Arce and veteran Marcos Madrid handily defeated 21-year-old DeAndre Calderon and 15-year-old Leshon Francis 3-0 in the opening doubles tie, with set scores of 11-5, 11-3, 11-4. Mexico’s 21-year-old Rogelio Castro followed with a straight-sets win over Manie Eleuthere, and Madrid closed out the tie with a 3-0 victory over Calderon.

The men’s side bounced back against Costa Rica, picking up two of their three overall tournament wins in the tie. Calderon and Francis claimed a doubles victory to open the tie, outlasting Jeison Martinez and Daniel Araya 3-1 after dropping the third set following dominant opening two games. After 17-year-old Gabriel Quiros pulled out a five-set win for Costa Rica over Eleuthere to level the tie, Calderon responded with a hard-fought five-set triumph of his own over Araya to restore Saint Lucia’s lead. Despite the early lead, Costa Rica rallied: Quiros defeated Francis in straight sets to level the tie 2-2, and Martinez closed out the match with a straight-sets win over Eleuthere to claim the quarterfinal spot, ending Saint Lucia’s men’s campaign.

Over in Group D, Saint Lucia’s 12th-seeded women’s squad faced off against fourth-seeded host side Dominican Republic, where Shatal Charles claimed the team’s third and final win of the tournament with a stunning comeback. After the hosts took the opening doubles tie and Eva Brito won a straight-sets match against Cherese Darcheville, Charles found herself down 0-2 to Yasiris Ortiz. Over 30 minutes of play, she clawed her way back to win three straight sets, taking the match 3-2 (5-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8) for the squad’s only point of the tie. Brito closed out the match for the hosts with a straight-sets win over Zarianna Anthony, handing the Dominican side a 3-1 victory.

On Sunday, Saint Lucia’s women’s side faced another regional powerhouse in Cuba, who shut out the underdog squad 3-0. Cuba’s Estela Crespo and Rosalba Aguiar won a straight-sets doubles win over Anthony and Charles, Daniela Fonseca dominated Darcheville, and Aguiar claimed her own five-set comeback win over Charles to close out the tie.

While neither team advanced to the knockout rounds, the three wins posted by the first-time Saint Lucian squads mark a historic milestone for table tennis development in the small island nation, proving that emerging athletes from smaller Caribbean territories can compete with some of the region’s best competitors.

The Windward Islands Super 50 Men’s Competition has seen a major shake-up in its 2024 title race, as defending champions Team Saint Lucia have officially been knocked out of contention to retain their crown, falling short of qualifying for this year’s championship final.

On Monday, Saint Lucia will shift focus to the third-place playoff, where they will face off against Grenada to close out their tournament run. With the defending champions out of the top two race, the path to the trophy is now clear for two other Caribbean sides: Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, who will clash in the highly anticipated final to decide this year’s tournament winner.

While the early exit marks a disappointing end to Saint Lucia’s campaign, the tournament has offered plenty of bright spots for the side, with multiple players turning in standout performances that hint at strong future prospects for cricket in the nation.

On the bowling front, versatile all-rounder Jaden Elibox delivered a career-defining spell during Saint Lucia’s seven-wicket win over Dominica on July 31. Elibox put on a masterclass of line and length bowling, claiming five key opposition wickets while conceding just 21 runs total, single-handedly dismantling Dominica’s batting order to secure the win for his side.

In a hard-fought loss to Grenada on August 2, rising fast-bowling prospect Joshua Cepal also turned heads with a impressive performance despite his team’s defeat. Bowling a full seven-over spell, Cepal picked up four wickets while giving up only 37 runs, cementing his reputation as one of the most promising young talents in Saint Lucia’s current cricket setup. His strong showing this tournament comes as no surprise to regional cricket observers, after he earned a selection to an exclusive West Indies fast-bowling development camp earlier this year.

Saint Lucia’s batters also delivered several memorable innings throughout the group stage. Young batting sensation Theo Edward put on a power-hitting display against Dominica, smashing a rapid 66 runs off just 46 deliveries. His knock included six beautifully struck fours and four towering sixes, bringing his side close to victory in a thrilling contest. Before that explosive innings, veteran batter Stephen Naitram and the in-form Elibox produced solid batting performances in a narrow three-wicket loss to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Naitram scored a steady 68 runs off 68 deliveries, while Elibox hit a blistering 75 runs off only 40 balls, nearly chasing down St Vincent and the Grenadines’ total in a thrilling late-match comeback bid.

As the preliminary round of the ILCA 7 men’s laser radial sailing competition reaches its midpoint at the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games, hosted in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, two-time Olympic sailor Luc Chevrier of Saint Lucia has emerged as a top contender to secure a spot in Friday’s highly anticipated medal round.

With five of the scheduled 10 preliminary races completed, the 27-year-old, who claimed bronze at the 2023 CAC Games, currently sits in third place in the overall rankings, sitting only two points behind the event leaders. The regatta launched with a competitive field of 18 skilled sailors from across the region.

Chevrier got off to a blistering start on the opening day of racing on Saturday. He claimed victory in the very first race of the competition, followed by a solid third-place finish in the day’s second heat, trailing leaders Sebastian Kempe of Bermuda and Pedro Fernandez of Puerto Rico. He closed out the opening day of action with another win in the third race, cementing his status as one of the regatta’s top performers.

When racers returned to the course at Punta Salinas Beach on Sunday, they were met with favorable racing conditions: warm coastal waters and steady, consistent wind. Chevrier posted consistent fourth-place results in both the fourth and fifth races of the series, while Joshua Higgins of The Bahamas claimed third place in both of Sunday’s heats.

Following the first five races, Kempe and Fernandez enter the break tied at the top of the overall standings with just seven points apiece. Kempe holds the tiebreaker advantage thanks to two first-place finishes across the opening five races. Chevrier trails narrowly at nine points, putting him well within striking distance of the lead ahead of the remaining preliminary races. As of Monday morning, Mexico’s Gerardo Rodriguez holds fourth place overall, with Higgins in fifth.

Competitors are scheduled to take a rest day on Monday, before returning to the water for three more preliminary races on Tuesday and an additional two races on Wednesday. Once all 10 preliminary heats are completed, the top 10 ranked sailors will advance to the gold medal fleet racing, set to take place on Friday.

Beyond competing for a CAC Games medal, Chevrier is also chasing a qualifying spot for the 2026 Pan American Games regatta in Lima, Peru. To secure his place at next year’s event, the Saint Lucian champion needs to finish among the top two sailors from countries that have not already confirmed a quota spot for the 2027 Pan Am Games. As things stand halfway through the preliminary round, Chevrier is holding down a qualifying position, putting his Pan Am dream well within reach.