分类： sports

Saint Lucia’s premier table tennis athlete DeAndre Calderon concluded his campaign at the ITTF Americas Cup San Francisco 2026 during the preliminary stages on January 28, showcasing competitive prowess despite falling short of main draw qualification.

The tournament, presented by Mongo DB at California’s 888 Table Tennis Center in Burlingame, saw Calderon receive an initial first-round bye before dominating his second-round opponent. He delivered a commanding 3-0 victory against USA’s Kef Noorami (13-11, 11-9, 11-9) in under thirty minutes. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, Calderon overcame a five-point deficit to secure the opening game, gaining momentum throughout the match. His performance peaked in the third game where he maintained consistent control, establishing a six-point lead without trailing.

Calderon’s advancement was halted in the subsequent penultimate qualifying match against Argentina’s Nicolas Callaba, who claimed a 3-1 victory (11-8, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6). Despite leading at various points in each game—including a three-point advantage early in the final frame—Calderon couldn’t withstand Callaba’s determined comeback.

The Saint Lucia Table Tennis Association issued an official statement applauding Calderon’s performance: “We congratulate DeAndre on his fierce competition at the ITTF Americas Cup 2026. The very best players in the Americas [are] competing in this tournament.” The association further highlighted his representation of “the fierce Lucian fighting spirit” on the global stage, noting his role in establishing Saint Lucia as “one of the strongest table tennis nations in the world.”

Calderon, a former Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States champion and two-time junior Male Sports Personality of the Year, was among 37 male competitors at this premier Pan American event. The tournament brings together top athletes from North, Central, and South America plus the Caribbean, offering one of the hemisphere’s most prestigious titles. The top four finishers in both men’s and women’s singles will secure qualification for the 2026 ITTF World Cup in Macao, with competition continuing through February 1.

The Windward Islands Women’s cricket team secured their second consecutive triumph in the Cricket West Indies CG United Women’s Super 50 Cup with a hard-fought three-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands on Thursday. The match, held at Cumberland Playing Field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, showcased exceptional bowling performance followed by a captain’s knockout innings.

After winning the toss, the Leeward Islands elected to bat first but struggled to establish substantial partnerships throughout their innings. Qiana Joseph emerged as the standout batter with a resilient 44 runs from 54 deliveries, including seven boundaries. Jahzara Claxton provided late-order support with 25 runs, but the Leewards were ultimately dismissed for 125 in the 35th over.

The Windwards’ bowling attack demonstrated remarkable discipline, with Aldith Gasper claiming three wickets for 28 runs. Captain Jannillea Glasgow and Shanel McKie contributed significantly with two wickets each, maintaining constant pressure on the Leewards’ batting lineup.

The chase proved more challenging than anticipated for the Windwards, who found themselves struggling at 71-6 by the 23rd over. The team’s batting order experienced consistent setbacks, with only captain Glasgow displaying the composure required for the situation. The West Indies allrounder formed a crucial partnership with McKie, who contributed 22 runs from 29 balls, steadily guiding their team toward the target.

Glasgow remained unbeaten with a match-winning 54 runs, featuring six fours, ultimately securing victory for the Windwards at 126-7 in the 35th over with 95 balls remaining. Her exceptional leadership and performance earned her the Player of the Match recognition.

The Windwards, now positioned at the top of the table, prepare to face Guyana in their upcoming match at Park Hill Playing Field in Colonarie on Saturday.

The Francis Baba Lastic Grounds witnessed a display of emerging football talent on Wednesday, January 28, as the 2026 Kenson Casimir Bay Bay Cup tournament continued its group stage matches. Organized by the Gros Islet Football League, the event featured two compelling fixtures that highlighted both youthful promise and tactical discipline.

In the headline match, Gros Islet Youth delivered a commanding 3-1 victory over reigning national club champions GMC United. The Northern United-affiliated duo of Traylan Henry and Thierry Morille orchestrated the victory with exceptional attacking prowess. Henry, a Saint Lucia Sports Academy student, opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a precisely placed finish. Morille, who already boasts Under-20 national team experience, doubled the advantage just before halftime with a well-timed strike.

The second half saw Morille secure his brace just three minutes after the restart, effectively sealing the outcome despite GMC United managing a consolation goal in the 84th minute.

Gros Islet Youth head coach Francis ‘Panko’ MacDonald praised his squad’s cohesive performance, noting: ‘The team displayed remarkable discipline and attacking intent throughout the match. What’s particularly encouraging is how players from Northern United, GMC, Monchy, New Generation, and Dominators blended so effectively as a unified squad.’

Coach MacDonald emphasized the strategic importance of cross-club collaboration: ‘The seamless ball movement, defensive support, and chance creation demonstrated the success of our community-based development approach. This synergy under a common objective points toward a bright future for regional football development.’

In the day’s earlier fixture, Police FC secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Gros Islet Veterans, with Merthinda Sidney scoring the decisive goal.

The tournament continues on February 1 with four teams returning to action at Francis Baba Lastic Grounds. Group B will feature Monchy FC and Police FC both seeking to maintain winning momentum, while Group A action resumes with Gros Islet Youth facing New Generation FC. The competition will relocate to Grande Riviere Playing Field on February 4 for subsequent matches.

In a dramatic American Conference showdown on January 28, the University of North Texas (UNT) women’s basketball team mounted a staggering late-game rally that ultimately fell just short, falling 66-64 to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) on their home court.

The story of the game was one of two halves. UTSA built a commanding 20-point lead late in the third quarter, seemingly putting the contest out of reach. However, UNT unleashed an explosive offensive outburst in the final period, scoring a remarkable 36 points—their highest single-quarter total since the season opener—to nearly complete what would have been the largest comeback in the program’s history.

Leading the charge for the Mean Green was Megan Nestor, the 6’4″ forward from Canaries, Saint Lucia. The former national netball player delivered a powerhouse performance, notching her 12th double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Her all-around contribution included three assists, two blocks, and a steal. She was complemented by Mekhia Chase, who erupted for a career-high 20 points, 13 of which came during the critical fourth-quarter surge. Chase was exceptionally efficient, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and setting new personal bests with four three-pointers and three steals. Andi Schissler also reached double figures, adding 12 points.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Head Coach Jason Burton remained focused on the conference season ahead. ‘We just finished the first nine [conference games] at 5-4,’ Burton stated. ‘We’ve got to figure out how to get to a 7-2, 8-1, 9-0 type run on the back end of this, and it starts with Florida Atlantic this weekend.’ UNT will look to rebound against Florida Atlantic, a team they handily defeated 81-56 in the American Conference opener back on December 30.

Sammy House successfully defended its championship title at the Saint Lucia Sports Academy’s 2026 Track Championships, held January 29th at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. The reigning champions secured victory with 383 total points, outpacing former back-to-back winners Jean House (358 points) and Spencer House (275 points) in a closely contested competition.

The championships showcased emerging athletic talent across multiple age categories. Despite operating with a smaller student population than larger institutions—fielding just one girls’ division and two boys’ divisions—SLSA demonstrated remarkable competitive depth. The event was notably impacted by the absence of at least three top athletes who were simultaneously representing Saint Lucia on the national Under-17 girls’ football team.

Isabella Emilienne of Jean House delivered a standout performance in the open girls’ category, achieving an unusual double victory by winning the 100m in 13.2 seconds and her specialty event, the 400m, in 1:04.4. The talented CARIFTA games veteran also anchored Jean’s winning 4x100m relay team that clocked 54.7 seconds. Spencer House responded with a victory in the girls’ 4x400m relay, finishing in 4:47.6 and narrowly holding off Jean’s challenge.

In the Under-20 boys’ division, Giovanni John of Spencer House dominated the sprint events, capturing gold in both the 100m (11.7 seconds) and 200m (25.2 seconds). John later led Spencer’s 4x100m relay team to victory in 48.9 seconds. Spencer further demonstrated their distance running prowess with Clint Dickson winning the 1500m in 5:23.2 and anchoring the triumphant 4x400m relay team that finished in 4:09.5.

Sammy House established their championship credentials particularly in the Under-16 boys’ category, securing six gold medals. Tai Joseph delivered a distance double with victories in both the 1500m (5:20.6) and 800m (2:39.4). Stephen Abbot claimed the 400m title in 57.6 seconds, while Evan Gilbert won the 200m in 25.6 seconds. The only event that escaped Sammy’s dominance was the 100m, won by Leon Vidal in 12.0 seconds. Sammy reasserted their team strength in the relay events, winning both the 4x100m (51.2 seconds) and 4x400m (4:16.6) with commanding performances.