分类： sports

On Wednesday, June 24, a three-member national boxing delegation from Saint Lucia departed for Guadeloupe, where they are scheduled to compete in a high-profile Boxing Gala kicking off this Friday. The trip was organized following a formal invitation from the host organization, the Gwada Boxing Club, and the roster carries a particularly exciting new face: 18-year-old lightweight debutant Ethan Reneau.

Hailing from the quiet community of Mon Repos in Micoud, the south of Saint Lucia, Reneau has earned his place on the national traveling side not through luck, but through months of consistent, grueling training. As a left-handed fighter who has turned heads with his technical progress in domestic competitions, the young athlete worked his way up the ranks to secure his first international call-up.

Shannon Lebourne, vice president of Saint Lucia’s Boxing Association, spoke highly of Reneau’s selection in comments following the team’s departure. Lebourne emphasized that Reneau’s spot on the national team is far more than a personal opportunity—it stands as clear proof that dedication, discipline, and trust in incremental improvement yield tangible results for young athletes across the country. “Young boxers all over Saint Lucia can look at Ethan’s journey and see that hard work does pay off,” Lebourne said. “We are incredibly proud of what he has already achieved, and we have full confidence that he will carry our nation’s flag with honor in the ring.”

Reneau will not enter the competition alone: he will share the ring with two vastly more experienced teammates who bring years of international competition experience to the team. Kyle Marcel will step into the 75-kilogram elite division, while Danaii Cooman is scheduled to compete in the 60-kilogram elite class. Leading the entire delegation and guiding the three fighters through pre-fight preparation and match strategy is head coach Conrad Fredericks, who has overseen the team’s training camp in the lead-up to the Friday gala.

The highly anticipated opening match of the best-of-three KFC National Basketball League Finals tipped off on Wednesday, June 24, at Beausejour Gymnasium, delivering a heart-stopping contest that left basketball fans on the edge of their seats. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bonne Terre Blazers walked away with a tense 62-59 win over the two-time defending champion Soufrière Kings, putting them one step away from lifting the coveted Ricky “Skecky” Estwick Trophy.

The Blazers got off to a fast start, stringing together a seven-point scoring run to close the first quarter with a 16-11 advantage. But the defending champions refused to cave, mounting a steady comeback in the second quarter that saw them grab a one-point lead (28-27) by halftime. Soufrière retained their narrow edge heading into the final frame, after Linzell Alcee sank a buzzer-beating layup to push the Kings up by two points. In the closing quarter, however, the Blazers shifted into high gear on the defensive end, putting together an 18-13 scoring run that secured them the narrow opening-series victory.

This historic upset marks the first time the Soufrière Kings have dropped a knockout playoff game since 2023—the same year the Blazers last claimed the national championship. The Kings, hailing from the island’s Sulphur City, had remained undefeated in finals matchups over the past two consecutive seasons, making Wednesday’s result all the more surprising.

The Louison brothers were the driving force behind the Blazers’ winning performance. Troy Louison turned in a standout all-around stat line, notching 19 points (including two three-pointers), 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals. His brother Andre followed close behind with 17 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Rounding out the Blazers’ top scorers was Lance Louis, who contributed 12 points, five assists and three steals. For the Kings, forward Jayzee Saltibus delivered an impressive rebounding performance, pulling down 20 boards and adding 13 points to the team’s total. Leading scorer Kimani Charles put up 16 points and four assists, while Clayton William added 11 points and seven rebounds. Alcee finished with 10 points, and playmaker Sydney Didier notched six points, seven assists and six steals despite struggling with shooting accuracy through the night.

Statistically, the two teams were nearly evenly matched: both finished the game with 43 total rebounds, 17 turnovers and 23 made field goals. The difference came down to on-court efficiency, with Troy Louison’s constant aggressive attacks on the interior opening up opportunities for the Blazers that ultimately spelled the difference.

The finals series will resume this Friday at the same Beausejour Gymnasium venue. The evening will open with a women’s exhibition game kicking off at 7:00 p.m., followed by the highly anticipated Game 2 between the Blazers and Kings at 8:30 p.m. The Kings will need a full regrouping to defend their title and force a deciding third game, while the Blazers will look to close out the series and claim the championship on Friday.

The 36th annual Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Bridge Championships is set to kick off later this month, and Caribbean island nation Saint Lucia has announced a 10-person delegation set to compete at the tournament, which will run from June 26 to 28 at Dominica’s iconic Fort Young Hotel in the capital city of Roseau.

Leading the official Saint Lucian national squad selected by the Saint Lucia Bridge Association are two pre-ranked competitive pairs. The first pairing matches experienced competitors Irvin Smith and Victor Theodore, while the second brings together Naomi Patrick-Smith and John Lewis. This core team already has a strong track record of high-stakes tournament performance: in last year’s championship, Smith and Theodore claimed the second-place spot in the national pairs division, finishing just behind the leading team from Anguilla. All three core athletes — Theodore and both Smiths — also played a critical role in securing Saint Lucia’s third-place finish in the overall national teams event in 2024. Across all divisions of last year’s tournament, Saint Lucia’s squad put on an impressive overall showing, taking silver in both national pairs and Swiss pairs, bronze in open teams, and splitting gold and bronze in the Swiss teams competition, finishing the tournament with a total of six podium medals.

Beyond the official national team entries, three additional competitor pairs will travel to Dominica — nicknamed the “Nature Isle” for its lush tropical landscapes — to join the tournament. These additional pairs are Nancy Gomez paired with Monica Perreira, Monique Devaux-Lovell partnered with Nannette Reyes, and Michelle Theodore competing alongside Ian Hippolyte.

For local residents of Saint Lucia who are curious about learning to play bridge or seeking more information about the association’s activities, the Saint Lucia Bridge Association maintains multiple public outreach channels. Interested parties can reach the organization through its official website at sluba.lc, via its social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram, or by phone at 730-6122.

At the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup hosted on home soil at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on June 24, England pulled off a commanding victory over previously undefeated West Indies, locking in their own place in the tournament’s knockout stage and leaving their Caribbean rivals fighting for semifinal qualification in their final group match.

West Indies entered the showdown at cricket’s most iconic venue riding a wave of momentum, having opened their campaign with back-to-back wins against Scotland and Sri Lanka. A second victory would have all but secured their spot in the final four, setting up a high-stakes clash that drew widespread attention from global cricket fans.

England got off to a rocky start in their batting innings, losing opening batters Amy Jones and Sophia Dunkley within the first six overs. But against expectations, the hosts delivered their most dominant powerplay of the entire tournament, posting 57 runs despite the early dismissals. A steady, high-scoring partnership between Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey for the third wicket turned the tide firmly in England’s favor, with the pair adding 66 runs to the total. Wyatt-Hodge led all batters with an impressive 65 runs, while captain Heather Knight chipped in with a quickfire 43 to push England to a formidable total of 186 at the end of their 20 overs.

Chasing a target of almost 10 runs per over, West Indies needed a fast start from their top order to keep up, but instead got off to a sluggish start that put them on the back foot from the first over. The match turned even more sour for the Caribbean side when captain Hayley Matthews was given out caught behind following a controversial review. Though the on-field umpires originally ruled the delivery not out, the third umpire upheld the appeal based on Snickometer data indicating a faint edge, despite clear visual evidence of a gap between Matthews’ bat and the ball. A clearly frustrated Matthews left the pitch early, leaving her side without their key leader in the run chase.

Even with the setback, West Indies attempted to rally, and found a bright spot in all-rounder Chinelle Henry, who scored a fighting half-century off just 30 deliveries and picked up one wicket for 25 runs with the ball. But the batting line-up ultimately could not make up the ground required, with the Maroon Warriors finishing their innings 38 runs short of the target.

After the match, Matthews attributed the loss to her side’s inconsistent line and length with the ball, noting that missed opportunities in key periods of the England innings let the hosts build a match-winning total. Speaking on her controversial dismissal, the West Indies captain acknowledged the finality of umpiring decisions in international cricket, saying “Not everything goes your way when you get those occasions. I certainly felt that I definitely did not hit it. At the end of the day, the umpire’s decision was final. Clear gap between bat and ball. But got to respect the umpire’s decision.”

Despite the upset defeat, West Indies remain in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage. They will face winless, bottom-placed Ireland in their final group match, needing just one more win to lock in their place in the tournament’s semifinals.

After more than a month of intense competition across youth and adult divisions, the highly anticipated Coast To Coast Netball Tournament is set to conclude this Saturday, June 27, at Micoud Court, with four action-packed final-stage clashes scheduled to determine this year’s champions. Organizing body Netball Saint Lucia has officially confirmed the four finalists across both junior and senior divisions, following a dramatic round of semifinal matches held last weekend at the Beausejour Gymnasium.

In the senior competition bracket, 2 Da Max delivered a commanding repeat performance, overpowering the Windward Islands Secondary Games (WISG) side by a final score of 49-26 to secure their spot in the title decider. The road to the final for the other senior title contender, LFX Netballers, began with a walkover victory after Shamrock was forced to forfeit their preliminary matchup. Building on that bye, the pink-clad LFX squad carried their momentum into the semifinal, crushing their opponent with a lopsided 56-20 win to book their place in the championship game.

The junior division also saw impressive displays of skill and determination from the island’s rising netball talent. Little Sisters put on a masterclass of defensive pressure and offensive precision to secure a dominant 35-6 victory over Shamrock Juniors, earning their place in the junior final. In the other junior semifinal, Ruby Red Darlings engaged in a tight, low-scoring battle with White Blazers, ultimately edging out their opponents by three points to win 11-8 and claim the second final spot.

The full day of final-stage action gets underway at 1:00 p.m. local time at Micoud Court. The opening match will see White Blazers go head-to-head with Shamrock Juniors in the junior third-place playoff, followed immediately by the junior championship decider between Ruby Red Darlings and the undefeated Little Sisters. Starting at 3:00 p.m., the senior division’s closing matches will kick off with Shamrock Seniors facing off against WISG to claim third place, before 2 Da Max and LFX Netballers clash for the 20XX senior Coast To Coast title.

Saturday’s concluding matches will bring to an end more than five weeks of community-focused netball competition across Saint Lucia. Beyond the domestic tournament, the event has served as critical preparation for Saint Lucia’s senior national netball team, which is currently gearing up for two major upcoming international fixtures: the Central American and Caribbean Games, set to take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, this coming August, and the Netball World Championship Qualifiers scheduled for October in Barbados.