Carib Scope

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  • BEST EVER!

    BEST EVER!

    On a tense final day of a West Indies Championship four-day fixture at Chedwin Park, the Jamaica Scorpions delivered one of the most memorable comebacks in regional first-class cricket this season, sealing a dramatic seven-wicket victory over defending force Barbados Pride that left head coach Robert Haynes calling it the finest win of his tenure.

    Barbados Pride had put the Scorpions under intense pressure from the opening day, posting a solid first-innings total of 348 before holding a narrow six-run first-innings lead after Jamaica mustered 342 in response. Resuming on day four at 255 for five, Pride extended their advantage, with 23-year-old Kevin Wickham producing a historic batting performance to cement his place in match folklore. Fresh from a blistering 153 in the first innings, Wickham was imperious once again, expertly placing the ball into gaps to reach an unbeaten 108, becoming the first player in the match to score two centuries. Shamar Springer added 54 before falling to pacer Ojay Shields, and Marquino Mindley picked up late wickets including Joshua Bishop and Johann Layne to finish with match figures of seven wickets for 48 runs in the second innings. Pride captain Kraigg Brathwaite declared at 317 for eight, leaving the Scorpions an imposing target of 324 runs to win with just over two sessions remaining on a worn, unpredictable pitch.

    What followed defied all expectations. Instead of shutting up shop for a draw, the Scorpions’ opening pair turned the match on its head with a record-breaking 242-run opening stand that broke Pride’s spirit. Skipper John Campbell, a West Indies Test batsman, led the charge from the front, attacking loose deliveries and putting the Barbados bowlers under constant pressure. He survived a major scare early in his innings when a sharp bouncer from pacer Jair McAllister struck him on the helmet, forcing a brief medical check for concussion, but returned to the crease unfazed to hammer his 11th first-class century. Campbell finished with a sensational 126 from 158 balls, decorated with 11 fours and six sixes, before finally holing out to long-on off Shamar Springer’s bowling.

    At the opposite end, 25-year-old Kirk McKenzie matched Campbell’s aggression with elegant, tempered strokeplay, remaining unbeaten when the victory was secured. After Campbell’s departure, big-hitting promoted batsman Odean Smith fell cheaply for three, and Carlos Brown added 21 before being dismissed, leaving McKenzie to finish the job in style. The left-hander smashed a four and a six off consecutive deliveries from left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop to bring up the winning runs, finishing on 135 not out from 180 balls with 13 fours and two sixes. The Scorpions reached the target of 326 for three in just 61 overs, well inside the maximum 70-odd overs they were projected to have.

    In his post-match interview, an elated Haynes could not hide his excitement over the result. “I think this is the best one I’ve ever seen — to chase 324 runs on the last day in 70-odd overs and to get it with time to spare,” he said. “We stuck to the task — we lost first innings by six runs, but we didn’t give up. We were scoring at four and a half runs per over so we decided at tea that we were going to have a go at it. Everything worked as planned, and overall it was a great team effort.” Haynes also heaped praise on Wickham for his historic double century performance, as well as Campbell and McKenzie for their match-changing opening partnership.

    Brathwaite, the Pride captain, was gracious in defeat, acknowledging the Scorpions’ disciplined and determined performance. He noted that Jamaica’s patient, slow-scoring first innings had kept them in the game after Pride’s strong opening day total. “To be honest, it was good to see the fight Jamaica showed — they scored at only three runs an over. I’ve never played a Jamaica team that would have batted that slowly, but it just shows that the guys are up for it, so we have to up our game even more,” Brathwaite told reporters. He admitted that missed catching chances and a failure to build pressure through dot balls cost his side, but gave full credit to the Jamaican batting line-up for their clinical chase.

    The two sides will now move on to the next stage of the series, with the second fixture scheduled to take place at Sabina Park from April 19 to 22, followed by the third match from April 26 to 29.

  • ‘We hold no grudges’, says JAAA after athletes’ allegiance switch blocked

    ‘We hold no grudges’, says JAAA after athletes’ allegiance switch blocked

    In a recent decision that has sent ripples through the global track and field community, World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel has rejected nationality transfer applications from four elite Jamaican athletes seeking to compete for Turkey, a top Jamaican athletics official has confirmed.

    The high-profile group includes three Olympic medalists — Roje Stona, Wayne Pinnock and Rajindra Campbell — alongside Jaydon Hibbert, the young star who holds the World Under-20 triple jump world record. The four athletes were part of a larger cohort of 11 competitors who had initiated the process of switching their national affiliation to the European nation, but all related transfer requests were turned down in Thursday’s ruling.

    Garth Gayle, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), has stressed that the governing body holds no resentment against the athletes who pursued the transfer, and that the national federation remains willing to welcome them back to the Jamaican team. “We hold no grudges, our doors are wide open,” Gayle stated in an interview with Jamaica Observer Online. He added that the federation would not place any barriers to the athletes re-integrating into Jamaican competitions, as long as they maintain good standing within the sport. “We are all Jamaicans and once they are in good standing,” he noted.

    Gayle also shared that this situation is not without precedent in Jamaican athletics. He revealed that it is not the first occasion that athletes have started the nationality change process only to reverse their decision later, a situation the JAAA has navigated before. Beyond Jamaica’s own experience, the JAAA president pointed out that concerns over elite athletes being poached by other nations are not unique to the Caribbean country — many other athletic powerhouses have raised similar issues about the growing trend of nationality transfers driven by recruitment from other nations. The JAAA plans to release a full formal statement on the ruling later this day.

  • Coaches are the key

    Coaches are the key

    Jamaican football is positioning for sustainable, long-term growth through a strategic focus on expanding its domestic pool of qualified coach educators, according to top leadership at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

    Last week, the JFF teamed up with Concacaf, the regional governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, to wrap up a new “Train the Trainer” coach educators workshop. The hands-on program was hosted at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, located at The UWI Mona Bowl in St Andrew, and led by a panel of football and education experts: JFF Director of Football Andrew Peart, FIFA Caribbean technical consultant Lenny Lake, Ballaz Academy founder Andre Virtue, and Concacaf Head of Education Andre Waugh.

    The workshop gathered a cohort of accomplished local coaches from across the island, including Keon Broderick, the lead coach behind Excelsior High School’s recent Manning Cup title win. Trainees joined the program with the goal of joining Jamaica’s existing network of coach educators, supporting the delivery of the national football association’s C and D-level coaching certification courses.

    In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Peart emphasized that growing the number of qualified coach educators stands as a top strategic priority for the JFF. He was quick to note, however, that elite coaching experience alone does not make an effective coach educator. “A good coach educator is one who, of course, has credibility in the game as a coach, has knowledge of the game, has those characteristics that would facilitate that respect from others and one who understands adult learning principles,” Peart explained.

    Unlike youth coaching, working with aspiring coaches requires a specialized approach to adult learning, Peart added. Trainee coaches bring years of existing on-field experience and clear professional goals to their coursework, so educators must foster a collaborative, supportive learning environment that helps adult learners build on their existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch.

    Peart argued that expanding the coach educator ecosystem will create ripple benefits across every level of Jamaican football. “Over time, this sector will need coach educators, coach educator developers, coach developers, coach mentors; so you’ll need that broad framework, which supports the entire ecosystem,” he said. “Because in having more coaches now you’re going to need more mentors, more educators to deliver courses, but more mentors, more developers. So it will be an ecosystem that has different target groups supporting the whole football.”

    Paul Alexander, Director of Football at Ballaz Academy and a workshop participant, reported that the program left him far better prepared to take on his new role as a coach educator. For years, Alexander has focused on grassroots youth coaching, but the training gave him new insights into specialized adult learning frameworks, including how to apply concepts like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to build more effective learning environments for trainee coaches.

    “I think it’s very important because if we can now help facilitate an environment that allow student coaches to take ownership of their learning and really come to an understanding of how to become a better coach and we produce better coaches out of that, I think the players on the pitch are the ones who are going to be developed and we’ll see the fruits of it down the road,” Alexander said.

    The workshop is part of a two-year national push by the JFF to upgrade the qualifications of domestic football coaches across the country. Rudolph Speid, current head coach of Jamaica’s senior men’s national team, the Reggae Boyz, and chairman of the JFF Technical Committee, outlined the progress the association has already made: by 2026, Jamaica boasts more than 400 C-licensed coaches (up from zero in 2017), 1,500 D-licensed coaches, 200 B-licensed coaches, 60 A-licensed coaches, and four coaches currently completing their top-tier professional coaching licenses.

  • Saint Lucia lead Windward U19 championship

    Saint Lucia lead Windward U19 championship

    In a decisive clash on April 14, Saint Lucia delivered a dominant performance to claim the pole position in the Winlott Inc Windward Islands Under-19 Men’s Super50 Championship, beating defending title holders and match hosts Dominica by a convincing 89-run margin. The upset result reshuffled the tournament standings, pushing Saint Lucia’s net run rate to a tournament-leading 1.719, while Dominica dropped to second place with a net run rate of 0.642. Both teams hold an equal win-loss record of two victories and one defeat through their first three matches, after Grenada dropped further off the pace by handing St. Vincent & the Grenadines their first win of the competition.

    Played at Dominica’s Benjamin Park, the match got off to a solid start for Saint Lucia after captain Theo Edward won the pre-match toss and elected to set a target batting first. A match-winning half-century from middle-order batsman Johnathan Daniel anchored the visitors’ innings, guiding them to a total of 162 all out in 42.1 overs. Daniel faced 64 deliveries during his standout knock, striking four boundaries and one maximum to become Saint Lucia’s first half-centurion of the 2025 tournament. He received valuable support from the team’s opening pair: Roystan Fanis compiled a patient 25 runs from 59 balls, while Tyler Venner chipped in with 20 runs from 46 deliveries to build on the early foundation.

    Dominica’s chase got off to a catastrophic start that they never recovered from. Venner, who contributed with the bat earlier, opened the bowling for Saint Lucia and sent Dominica’s top-order batter Derwin Lewis back to the pavilion for a golden duck with just his fifth legal delivery of the innings. By the end of the fourth over, Nathaniel Joseph produced a caught-and-bowled dismissal to remove the other Dominica opener Alex Armstrong, also without scoring, leaving the hosts reeling at two wickets down for no runs. The collapse continued in the eighth over, when Bjorn Fanis claimed his only wicket of the day to leave Dominica three wickets down before they had even reached double figures.

    Venner struck again in the very next over, dismissing batter Earsinho Fontaine for just three runs to extend Dominica’s misery. A late mini-resistance pushed the home side’s score to 47 for four, but off-spinner Neil Poyotte triggered the final collapse that wrapped up the match. Poyotte took back-to-back wickets of Kelan Christmas and Kenneth Burton, before combining with paceman Cody Fontenelle to clean up the last four Dominica wickets for just 18 runs. The defending champions were bowled out for only 73 runs, handing Saint Lucia a comprehensive 89-run victory. The bowling figures told the story of the visitors’ dominance: Poyotte finished with incredible figures of 4 wickets for 11 runs from his four overs, Fanis claimed 1 for 10 from four overs, and Fontenelle took 2 wickets for 9 runs from 2.5 overs.

    Daniel’s standout knock marked not only his first half-century for the tournament but only the second half-century recorded across all competing teams this year. The innings pushed Daniel to the top of the tournament’s run-scoring charts, with a total of 107 runs from three matches at an average of 35.67. For Saint Lucia’s bowling attack, Nathaniel Joseph claimed his seventh wicket of the competition to move him to the top of the team’s wicket-taking rankings, and only two bowlers across the entire tournament — Poyotte and Liam Wilson — boast a better economy rate than Joseph’s 3.23 runs conceded per over.

  • Dominican Republic to host Bike Kite Fest 2026 at Playa Buen Hombre

    Dominican Republic to host Bike Kite Fest 2026 at Playa Buen Hombre

    The Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic is preparing to welcome international athletes and adventure travelers alike to a one-of-a-kind multi-disciplinary celebration when it hosts Bike Kite Fest 2026, a pioneering event that fuses elite sport, live entertainment, and local cultural traditions. Scheduled to run from May 30 through June 7 at the idyllic coastal stretch of Playa Buen Hombre, the festival is a collaborative project between local organizers Cibao Atlántico and Uveros Village, with a core strategic goal of elevating the destination’s profile to rank among the world’s premier kitesurfing hubs.

    The 10-day event will kick off with a challenging 100-kilometer cycling race that winds along scenic coastal routes before concluding at the festival’s beachfront base. Following the opening race, the festival’s centerpiece will be a high-stakes Big Air kitesurfing competition, overseen and officiated by officials from the Global Kitesports Association to ensure professional, international-level standards. The competitive field will feature a mix of global kitesurfing superstars, including decorated athletes Mikaili Sol and Lorenzo Casati, who will go head-to-head with top homegrown Dominican competitors. The stakes are high: the event offers cash prizes totaling up to $7,000, a reward that has already drawn significant attention from the global kitesurfing community and boosted the festival’s international draw.

    Beyond the high-profile competitive events, organizers have built a broad, inclusive experience that caters to competitors, spectators, and casual travelers alike. Attendees can enjoy daily live music performances, immersive beach activities, and dedicated camping space that can accommodate more than 2,000 festival-goers, complete with access to a wide range of local culinary offerings that showcase the Dominican Republic’s rich gastronomic traditions. The festival also prioritizes community engagement, integrating a full lineup of grassroots, locally focused activities including domino tournaments, open-play volleyball, and traditional recreational kite flying. This blend of elite sport and cultural celebration is designed not just to create an unforgettable experience for attendees, but also to drive long-term tourism growth, attract new investment, and spur inclusive economic development across the country’s northern coastal region.

  • Bajan golfers dominate Golf Championships

    Bajan golfers dominate Golf Championships

    The Caribbean International Optimist Junior Golf Championship wrapped up its 2024 edition on April 10, with host nation Barbados claiming the majority of divisional titles after four days of competitive play at the Barbados Golf Club in Durants, Christ Church. Young golfers from across the region, including squads from Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua and Barbuda, traveled to the island to compete for top honors and a coveted qualifying spot for this summer’s global Optimist tournament.

    In the girls’ divisions, Barbados secured clean sweeps in two age brackets. Kyria Small and N’kah Mayers finished on top of the 10-12 flight leaderboard, while Mariella Young claimed first place in the 15-18 division, leading fellow Barbadians Kiara Wilson and Neffertari Alleyne who took second and third. On the boys’ side, the host nation also notched two early wins: Connor Proudfoot earned first place in the 12-13 age group, finishing ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Varin Singh, while Joshua Sambrano took the top spot in the 14-15 division, outperforming Ayo Dells of Antigua.

    Visiting golfers claimed victory in the remaining two boys’ divisions. Marquise George of Antigua finished first in the 16-18 senior boys’ flight, beating Barbados’ Aiden Buchanan by a narrow margin, and Christophe Ramnarine of Trinidad and Tobago secured first place in the 10-11 bracket, ahead of Antigua’s Taylon Matthew.

    Organizing committee chair Faye Wharton-Paris praised the smooth execution and broad participation of this year’s tournament in an interview with Barbados TODAY. She highlighted that while Barbados dominated the prize standings, the event celebrated rising golf talent from across the entire Caribbean. Wharton-Paris also emphasized the stakes of the regional competition: top qualifying players will earn the opportunity to compete at the prestigious Optimist International Junior Golf Championship, held this July at Florida’s famous Trump Doral Golf Course.

    Tournament Director Trenton Weekes noted that the event has seen steady growth and incremental improvements year over year, with organizers constantly refining operations to deliver a better experience for all participants.

    “We keep making adjustments to ensure the tournament runs as efficiently as possible,” Weekes explained. “The players are always happy with the results and excited to compete on the high-quality course here at Barbados Golf Club. Competing alongside top peers from around the region makes this a truly valuable experience for every young golfer that participates.”

    Weekes also spotlighted the exceptional condition of the venue’s playing surfaces, calling the Barbados Golf Club’s greens some of the finest in the entire Caribbean. He added that visiting players consistently express surprise and satisfaction with the course quality, with many committing to return for future editions of the tournament.

    While Weekes expressed satisfaction with the current state of junior golf development in Barbados, he stressed that there is always room to expand the sport’s reach and nurture more emerging talent. The tournament director noted that organizers aim to grow both local participation year after year, and help more young Barbadian golfers break into international competitive circuits, with the goal of developing the next generation of homegrown golf stars. He pointed to recent standout performances by local golfer Emily Odwin, who made national headlines just weeks before the championship, as an example of the success the regional community aims to replicate.

  • Coco Point Trust partners with school to open sports complex in Barbuda

    Coco Point Trust partners with school to open sports complex in Barbuda

    Barbuda’s youth athletic community has gained a transformative new hub, following the official opening of a multipurpose sports complex developed through a collaborative partnership between the Coco Point Trust and McChesney George Secondary School. The facility delivers a purpose-built, dedicated space where local students and young emerging athletes can refine their physical skills and nurture their sporting potential, filling a long-standing gap in accessible athletic infrastructure on the island.

    In an official statement shared after the opening ceremony, Barbuda’s Ministry of Sport outlined the core mission driving the project: to foster sustainable grassroots sports growth across the island by expanding access to modern, fit-for-purpose training and competition spaces. For years, young athletes in Barbuda have lacked standardized facilities to train consistently, a barrier that the new complex is designed to eliminate entirely.

    “The Coco Point Trust, working hand-in-hand with the leadership and teaching staff of McChesney George Secondary School, has turned this long-awaited community vision into a tangible reality,” the ministry affirmed in its announcement.

    Local sporting officials project that the complex will do more than just serve local recreational needs. It is expected to elevate the profile of Barbuda’s young athletes, equipping them with the resources and training environment needed to compete at higher competitive tiers – from national tournaments to regional and international sporting events. Beyond elite athletic development, the facility is also designed to encourage broader community participation in physical activity, inviting young people of all skill levels to engage with regular sports.

    The ministry also took the opportunity to recognize the critical support of external sponsors who backed the project, emphasizing that their contribution extended far beyond funding the construction of physical infrastructure. The statement framed the investment as a long-term bet on Barbuda’s next generation, noting: “This is not just an investment in concrete and bleachers. It is an investment in the future of Barbuda’s youth, and in the ongoing, inclusive growth of sports across our island.”

  • Butcher set to receive prestigious award

    Butcher set to receive prestigious award

    Two of British sport’s most influential barrier-breaking figures, former England cricketer Roland Butcher and rugby legend Maggie Alphonsi, are set to be honored with Special Lifetime Achievement Awards from Sporting Equals at the organization’s upcoming ceremony on April 18.

    Sporting Equals, a leading UK-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing racial equity, diversity and inclusion across all areas of sport and physical activity, has previously bestowed this prestigious award on household names of British sport including Olympic gold medalist Denise Lewis, former England footballer Sol Campbell, rugby star Jason Robinson and sprint champion Linford Christie. The award recognizes athletes and sports figures whose careers have created long-lasting change, broken long-standing systemic barriers, and built a more accessible, inclusive landscape for future generations of athletes.

    Roland Butcher carved his name into cricket history in 1980 when he became the first Black cricketer to represent England at the Test match level. Born in Barbados, Butcher built a celebrated 16-year domestic career with Middlesex County Cricket Club from 1974 to 1990, and was a core contributor to the team’s dominant era that saw them claim six County Championship titles. After retiring from competitive play, Butcher remained deeply committed to cricket, serving as a coach, administrator, and mentor to young emerging players from underrepresented backgrounds. His 2022 autobiography *Breaking Barriers* details his pioneering journey and the challenges he overcame to open doors for Black cricketers that came after him.

    Expressing his reaction to the honor, Butcher said he was deeply grateful for the recognition. “I’m delighted and truly honoured to be nominated for a Special Lifetime Achievement Award by Sporting Equals, and to receive this recognition alongside Maggie Alphonsi,” he stated. “I’m really looking forward to attending the 2026 Sporting Equals Awards, and joining a prestigious group of past recipients.”

    Maggie Alphonsi, widely regarded as one of the most transformative figures in the history of women’s rugby, boasts an extraordinary competitive resume: she earned 74 international caps for England, scored 28 tries, and played a pivotal role in the England team that won an unmatched seven consecutive Six Nations titles. Alphonsi was also a key member of the 2014 England Women’s Rugby World Cup winning squad, which went on to claim the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year award for their historic victory. Off the pitch, she has been a leading advocate for greater investment, visibility and equity for women’s rugby, expanding opportunity for female athletes across the UK.

    Nik Trivedi, acting chief executive officer of Sporting Equals, emphasized that both Butcher and Alphonsi are fully deserving of the honor. “Roland Butcher and Maggie Alphonsi are true pioneers whose influence extends far beyond their on-field sporting achievements,” Trivedi said. “They have inspired generations, challenged long-entrenched established norms and helped create a more inclusive future for sport across the United Kingdom. We are incredibly proud to recognize their extraordinary contributions to British sport.”

  • Kings stay top of basketball table

    Kings stay top of basketball table

    The KFC National Basketball League’s current standings have the two-time defending champions Soufriere Kings perched firmly in first place, following a dominant pair of victories over the weekend that extended their early season form to five wins from six outings. With a superior point differential over nearest competitors Bonne Terre Blazers, the Kings have cemented their status as the team to beat in this year’s tournament.

    The first of the Kings’ two wins came on Friday night, when they delivered a lopsided 28-point defeat to Courts Jets, the league’s most historically successful franchise. The final scoreboard read 71-43 in favor of the league leaders, with standout performances across the starting lineup. Sydney Didier anchored the team’s defensive effort and offensive efficiency, topping the first half scoring with 15 total points, six steals, and a 47% field goal percentage. The season’s leading overall scorer, Jayzee Saltibus, put up an impressive double-double of 22 points and 16 rebounds, while Rayquan Francis joined him in double-digit stat lines on both ends of the court with 12 points and 14 rebounds. For the losing Jets side, Marcian Calderon turned in a strong individual performance, recording 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead his team.

    Just 24 hours later, the Kings faced a far tighter contest against second-ranked Morne Gladiators, walking away with a heart-stopping one-point win that kept their hold on first place secure. The 64-63 result could have swung the other way: the Gladiators held possession with just 12 seconds remaining on the clock, trailing by a single point, but failed to convert the game-winning opportunity, allowing the Kings to escape with the victory.

    Linzell Alcee stepped up as the Kings’ go-to scorer in the tight matchup, pouring in 16 points and grabbing four rebounds, including a number of timely late-game buckets that kept his side ahead. Saltibus notched another double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Didier added 11 points and five rebounds to the winning effort. For the Gladiators, Shamoir JnBaptiste led all scorers with 11 points, and Jayxan Justin logged a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds.

    Across other matchups held over the weekend, the Bonne Terre Blazers claimed a narrow four-point win over South Coast Basketball, finishing 62-58. Troy Louison notched the highest scoring total of the game with 18 points, while Orin Thomas rounded out a strong performance with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. South Coast was led by Kurt “Bawse Cartel” Raphael, who scored 14 points, and Tim Baptiste, who added 13 of his own.

    Friday’s losers Courts Jets quickly bounced back from their heavy defeat to the Kings, pulling off a dominant 61-point win of their own against Firedup Fitness. The final score ended 104-43, with Ryan Philogene turning in an all-around elite performance: he led all scorers in the game with 28 points, while adding nine rebounds and eight steals. Tristan James contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, and Garick George chipped in 16 more points for the winning side.

    The KFC National Basketball League action is set to resume this Wednesday, with the next round of games scheduled to tip off at the Beausejour Gymnasium.

  • Dominica Athletics Association to host 2026 National Junior Championship in Grand Bay

    Dominica Athletics Association to host 2026 National Junior Championship in Grand Bay

    The Dominican athletics community is gearing up for a major showcase of young sporting talent, after the Dominica Athletics Association Inc. (DAA) officially confirmed the schedule and details for its 2026 National Junior Championship. Scheduled to kick off on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Geneva Playing Field in the southern community of Grand Bay, the one-day competition will draw the country’s most promising junior track and field athletes, all competing to represent their local athletic clubs from every corner of the island.

    In an official press statement announcing the event, DAA outlined that nurturing emerging athletic talent remains a central priority for the organization. The association emphasized that consistent engagement with young athletes, regular progress monitoring, and ongoing access to high-quality competitive opportunities across the island are foundational to growing the sport. According to DAA, structured development pathways paired with steady institutional support do more than just boost individual and team performance: they help young athletes build self-confidence and foster stronger, more connected community spirit around local athletics.

    This year’s championship will feature a broad slate of competitions divided across multiple age groups to ensure every athlete has a chance to compete at their appropriate skill level. The event lineup covers both classic and modern track and field disciplines, including fan-favorite individual sprint races over 100 meters and 200 meters, plus exciting mixed-gender relay events: the 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relays.

    The full event schedule starts with an official opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m., with all competitions concluding by 4:30 p.m. DAA has issued an open invitation to families, athletics supporters, and members of the general public to attend the event at Geneva Playing Field, encouraging locals to turn out and cheer on the young competitors as they represent their home clubs and communities. Beyond the competition itself, the association notes that the championship serves a longer-term purpose: creating a platform to expand the reach of track and field across Dominica while cultivating the next generation of elite national athletic talent.