标签： Saint Lucia

The 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Table Tennis Championships, hosted at the newly renovated Table Tennis Pavilion in Santo Domingo’s Parque del Este, have delivered standout performances from two of Saint Lucia’s top young competitors, marking a promising milestone for the island nation’s table tennis program this week.

Leading the Saint Lucian contingent was 21-year-old DeAndre Calderon, a right-handed player hailing from Corinth, Gros Islet, who recently returned to regional competition after competing with his club team in Germany. Competing in Group 13 of the men’s singles draw, Calderon secured second place in group play to advance to the knockout rounds. His group stage run included a confident 3-1 win over Barbados’ Mark Dowell, with set scores of 11-8, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7, a 3-1 defeat of Guyana’s Niran Bissu (11-3, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5), and a hard-fought 3-0 loss to top-ranked host nation competitor Isaac Vila.

In the Round of 32 knockout stage, Calderon delivered a polished performance to defeat Costa Rica’s Gabriel Quiros 4-1, wrapping up the match with set results of 14-12, 12-10, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4. His impressive run ultimately came to a close in the Round of 16 on the evening of April 14, where he fell 4-1 to Cuba’s highly ranked Jorge Campos, who took sets 11-6, 11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7.

Fifteen-year-old LeShon Francis, one of the youngest athletes to qualify for the senior draw and a already a qualifier for the Pan Am Senior Championships, turned heads with his own strong performance that earned him a spot in the Round of 32. Competing in Group 3, the left-handed prospect also finished second in group play, notching a clean 3-0 sweep of Barbados’ Ramario Gill (11-5, 20-18, 11-9) and a 3-1 win over Trinidad & Tobago’s Anson Lowkie (7-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-5), with his only group stage loss coming to Mexico’s Marcos Madrid via 3-0 sweep. Francis’ run ended in the Round of 32 with a 4-1 defeat to Guatemala’s Ricardo Gatica.

Third Saint Lucian men’s competitor Manie Eleuthere finished fourth in Group 12, dropping all three of his group stage matches in 3-0 sweeps to Rafael Cabrera of the Dominican Republic, Shemar Britton of Guyana, and Gabriel Quiros of Costa Rica.

All three of Saint Lucia’s women’s singles competitors faced tough draws in their group stage campaigns. Shatal Charles dropped two 3-1 matches, falling to familiar opponent Stuti Kashyap of Antigua & Barbuda and host nation player Yasiris Ortiz. Zarianne Anthony was defeated in 3-0 sweeps by Guatemala’s Lucia Cordero and Mexico’s Monica Munoz, while Cherese Darcheville fell to three higher-ranked opponents: Mexico’s Marbella Aceves, El Salvador’s Cristina Machado, and Cuba’s Karla Perez Gonzalez, all via 3-0.

In doubles competition, the only Saint Lucian match win came from the mixed doubles pairing of Calderon and Anthony, who earned a 3-0 sweep (11-6, 12-10, 12-10) over Trinidad & Tobago’s pair of Josiah Joseph and Imani Taylor-Edwards, before falling 3-0 to Cuba’s Adrian Perez and Estela Crespo. All other doubles campaigns ended in opening-round defeats: Charles and Francis lost to their Puerto Rican opponents, the women’s doubles pair of Charles and Anthony dropped their opening match, and the men’s doubles team of Eleuthere and Francis also exited in their first match. The tournament kicked off with men’s and women’s singles play on April 13, with doubles launching the following day, and finals for all disciplines scheduled for April 15.

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.

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.

Three days into the highly anticipated Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Tournament, Saint Lucia’s young female squad has maintained a flawless undefeated record, powered by a dominant 40-13 blowout victory over the Cayman Islands. The match, held on Monday, April 13 at the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC) in St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, saw 14-year-old goal shoot Neriah Charlery steal the show with a match-leading performance.

Hailing from Blanchard, Desruisseaux, Charlery has emerged as one of the tournament’s most talked-about rising stars. Competing for club side Ruby Red Darlings, the teen has already built an impressive resume at the school level: she claimed Most Valuable Player honors for Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School’s Under-16 squad, and earned the title of best attacking player at the inter-school Under-19 championship final. Her explosive one-on-one play has left commentators and opposing defenses stunned. “Charlery of Saint Lucia, one-on-one she is devastating,” remarked the live stream commentator during the match against Cayman Islands. “Question is, how do you guard her?”

Joining Charlery as a core leader for the squad is team captain Naija Ferdinand, a seasoned competitor who already holds experience at this elite youth level. A native of Micoud, Ferdinand is a student at St Joseph’s Convent and a member of the 2 Da Max Netball Academy. With just four returning players on the roster, Ferdinand has stepped into her leadership role seamlessly, according to head coach Shem Maxwell. “She has been a good leader and able to relay instructions to her teammates when given,” Maxwell said. “And she’s always at the forefront to assist.”

The tournament marks a step up in competition for many of the Saint Lucia players, and starting centre Sanya Emmanuel has been one of the most impressive young athletes adapting to the higher intensity. Representing Ravine Claire, Soufriere and competing for the Little Sisters Netball Club, Emmanuel was named a standout performer by Maxwell through the first three days of competition. The coach highlighted that the entire squad has risen to the challenge of competing against top Caribbean youth talent after moving up from school-level competition.

“Everyone’s trying,” Maxwell noted. “It’s a task for them coming from school ages into a competition like this, but like our centre, she’s doing a brilliant job, especially in the game [Sunday, against Dominica], on different days we see each person doing it differently.”

With their undefeated streak still intact, Saint Lucia will put their perfect record to the test when they face Grenada on Tuesday afternoon. The squad will go on to meet two of the tournament’s joint title favorites, Barbados and hosts Trinidad & Tobago, in upcoming matches as they push for a tournament championship.

The much-anticipated sixth iteration of the Saint Lucia Premier League T20 (SPL T20) launched last weekend, with five competitive matches held across two host venues to kick off the tournament. After the conclusion of the opening round of fixtures, Jade Mountain Soufriere Titans have claimed the top spot on the points table courtesy of a superior net run rate, with weeks of competition still ahead to shake up the rankings.

The opening clash of the tournament unfolded on Friday evening at the iconic Mindoo Philip Park, where Dr Freezers South Castries Lions secured a five-wicket victory over the Babonneau Leatherbacks. Electing to bat first, Babonneau was held to a total of 128 runs off the full 20 overs, with disciplined bowling from ex-Babonneau player Larry Edward proving decisive—Edward claimed three wickets for just 15 runs to restrict the opponent’s scoring. Only two batters from Babonneau managed to surpass the 20-run mark, with Khan Elcock notching 37 runs and Johnnel Eugene adding 25.

Even though South Castries Lions’ star players Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles failed to deliver their expected impact, the side still pulled off a comfortable win, led by overseas recruit Daniel McDonald’s unbeaten top score of 39 runs.

In the second match of the opening week, Jade Mountain Soufriere Titans delivered a dominant nine-wicket blowout against Mon Repos Credit Union Pioneers. Batting first, the Pioneers put up a competitive 164 runs for the loss of seven wickets, thanks to dangerous opening batter Sabbinus Emmanuel’s quickfire 51 off 33 deliveries, captain Keon Gaston’s explosive 38 from 17 balls, and 18 not out from Cody Lesmond.

The Titans chased down the 165-run target in just 12.2 overs, powered by a match-winning 115-run opening partnership between Guyanese import Kevin Sinclair and Dwight Thomas. Thomas remained unbeaten on 54 at the close, while Sinclair bludgeoned 76 runs off only 26 deliveries, including seven towering sixes and five clinical fours. His spectacular performance earned him the Man of the Match award.

The third fixture saw City Blasters secure a narrow 11-run win over Micoud Eagles in a tense, back-and-forth encounter. Batting first, City Blasters posted a solid total of 185 runs for 8 wickets, with Jaden Elibox top-scoring with 34 runs. Five of the side’s batters crossed the 20-run threshold, building the foundation for the competitive total. Micoud mounted a strong fightback, with Samuel Charles scoring 46 runs and Dominic Auguste adding 35, but the side ultimately fell short of the target, finishing on 174 runs for 7 wickets.

The fourth match of the week brought an emphatic victory for Babonneau Leatherbacks, who thrashed Choiseul Credit Union Craft Masters by 141 runs. Batting first, Babonneau piled up a massive 253 runs for the loss of 4 wickets, led by Khan Elcock’s 79 runs, Shervon Joseph’s 65, and Qwaine Henry’s quick 49. In response, the Craft Masters were bowled out for just 112 runs, undone by Joshua Mann’s exceptional bowling figures of 6 wickets for 31 runs, supported by Elcock’s 3 wickets for 21 runs.

The opening weekend of the tournament wrapped up with a convincing 88-run win for SAIL Gros Islet Knights over Mon Repos Pioneers. Gros Islet amassed an imposing total of 274 runs, headlined by the first century of the 2024 tournament: Tarrique Edward scored a blistering 111 runs off 53 deliveries, while Dillon Douglas added a rapid 40 off 16 balls to boost the total. Despite a valiant 58 runs from Pioneers captain Keon Gaston, Mon Repos could only reach 186 runs for 9 wickets at the close. Edward capped off a stellar all-round performance by picking up 3 wickets for 26 runs to complement his match-winning century.

Action will resume this coming Tuesday for the second week of the tournament. South Castries Lions will face off against Gros Islet Knights at Mindoo Philip Park, while Babonneau Leatherbacks will take on league leaders Soufriere Titans at the Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds. Both fixtures are scheduled to get underway at 7:30 PM local time.

The 2024 Winlott Inc Windward Islands Under-19 Men’s Super50 Championship has gotten off to an explosive start, with defending champions and host nation Dominica jumping to the top of the early tournament standings after securing wins in both of its opening weekend matches. The opening two days of play delivered a mix of surprise upsets and dominant performances from the four competing teams, with 2023 runners-up Saint Lucia splitting its opening fixtures: a commanding victory over St Vincent & the Grenadines followed by a tight low-scoring loss to Grenada.

Sunday’s clash at Portsmouth’s Benjamin’s Park delivered one of the opening weekend’s standout individual performances, as left-arm spinner Shamel Hillaire’s incredible 6-wicket haul for just 26 runs guided Grenada to a 20-run victory over Saint Lucia. Grenada won the toss and elected to bat first in the 35-over limited-overs contest, posting a total of 123 all out. Unusually, the team’s top scorer was extras, which contributed 29 runs to the total. Five Grenadian batters reached double figures, with Kemile Abraham top-scoring among registered players with 24 runs off 65 deliveries.

In Saint Lucia’s bowling attack, fast bowler Bjorn Fanis turned in the most impressive performance, claiming 3 wickets for 23 runs from his 6.1 overs. The paceman put consistent pressure on Grenada’s middle and lower order, breaking key partnerships to keep Grenada’s total well below 150. All-rounder Cody Fontenelle chipped in with 2 wickets for 26 runs from six overs, while Saint Lucia captain Theo Edward also picked up 2 wickets for just 21 runs from his five overs. Opener Liam Wilson, though he finished the innings without a wicket, delivered extremely economical spell, conceding only seven runs from four full overs.

Chasing a modest target of 124 runs to win within 35 overs, Saint Lucia got off to a flying start, reaching 30 runs without loss after the first five overs. Captain Edward got the chase off to a steady start, scoring 15 runs off 15 balls, and the team’s momentum held through the next three overs, adding another 12 runs. The first wicket fell when opening partner Roystan Fannis was dismissed for nine runs, followed quickly by Johnathan Daniel’s departure for 11 runs, which left Saint Lucia at 43 for 3 wickets.

A 30-run stand in 36 balls between Tyler Venner and Aiden Scholar stabilized the innings briefly, but Venner’s dismissal for a team-high 16 runs at the hands of Hillaire triggered a dramatic late-order collapse. Hillaire went on to claim six of the last seven Saint Lucian wickets, and also assisted in a runout to wrap up the innings, bowling Saint Lucia out for 103 runs. Only four batters from Saint Lucia managed to reach double figures in the disappointing chase.

The day before Sunday’s loss, Saint Lucia delivered a dominant display against St Vincent & the Grenadines at the Geneva Playing Field, sealing a 163-run victory to open its tournament campaign. Put in to bat first after losing the toss, Saint Lucia posted a competitive total of 208 all out in 43.5 overs, led by Jean Claude Emmanuel’s 41 and Johnathan Daniel’s 44. Fontenelle chipped in with a useful 33, while Kanil Nelson contributed 15 to the total. For St Vincent & the Grenadines, bowler Kazado Henry turned in a strong individual performance with 4 wickets for 30 runs.

In response, St Vincent & the Grenadines’ batting line-up collapsed completely, being bowled out for just 45 runs in 16.1 overs. Young fast bowler Nathaniel Joseph produced a devastating five-wicket haul for Saint Lucia, taking 5 wickets for only 17 runs from his six overs, while Wilson picked up two additional wickets to help finish off the innings.

As the tournament moves into its next round of fixtures, Saint Lucia is scheduled to face undefeated table-toppers Dominica on Tuesday, in what is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated matches of the early group stage.

The Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Table Tennis Championships is currently underway at the newly renovated Table Tennis Pavilion in Santo Domingo’s Parque del Este, delivering high-stakes competitive action and surprise breakthroughs from underdog teams across the region.

Heading into the knockout stage, only one English-speaking nation managed to secure a spot in the elite final eight: Saint Lucia. The Caribbean island’s men’s team navigated a challenging Group 2 draw to earn their place in the quarterfinals, marking an impressive milestone for the country’s table tennis program.

Saint Lucia’s road to the knockout rounds started with a tight contest against regional powerhouse Cuba. While the team fell to Cuba overall, it produced a historic individual victory: star player DeAndre Calderon outlasted Cuban Adrian Perez in a five-set thriller, winning 12-10, 7-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-2. This win marks the first time any senior men’s player from Saint Lucia has defeated a Cuban opponent in international competition. Calderon notched another win in the group stage against Jorge Campos, taking the match 3-1 after dropping the opening set, though Cuba ultimately claimed the group win with victories in the remaining two rubbers.

Saint Lucia bounced back from the Cuba loss to secure a critical 3-1 team victory over Trinidad & Tobago, cementing their second-place group finish and knockout spot. The tie began with Calderon sweeping Josiah Joseph in straight sets, before Trinidad & Tobago’s Malik Gopaul leveled the score with a 3-0 win over Manie Eleuthere. Leshon Francis restored Saint Lucia’s lead with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Anson Lowkie, and Calderon closed out the match with a second straight straight-set win over Gopaul to punch Saint Lucia’s ticket to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinal matchup, Saint Lucia drew eventual tournament champions Puerto Rico, ultimately falling 3-1 to the dominant Puerto Rican squad. Calderon once again delivered a highlight win for Saint Lucia, rallying from two sets down to defeat Puerto Rico’s Enrique Rios 3-2, with set scores of 2-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5. However, Puerto Rico’s depth proved too much for the Saint Lucian side: Eleuthere fell 3-0 to Angel Naranjo, Francis lost 3-0 to Jadbiel Torres, and Naranjo sealed the Puerto Rican win with a victory over Calderon in the final rubber.

Following their quarterfinal exit, Saint Lucia competed in placement rounds, dropping a 3-0 result to Guatemala and a narrow 3-2 decision to El Salvador, with Calderon picking up two more individual wins in these matches. For Saint Lucia’s women’s team, the tournament served as a valuable developmental opportunity, though the side failed to take a set against group opponents Cuba and Guatemala, finishing at the bottom of their qualifying group.

Puerto Rico left the team competition as the undisputed top performer, claiming both the men’s and women’s team titles with consistent, strong play across all rounds.

Following the conclusion of the team competition, tournament play shifted to the group stages of singles and doubles events on Monday. The 2026 CAC Senior Table Tennis Championships is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday in Santo Domingo. This event is the second of three back-to-back table tennis competitions hosted in the Dominican capital, coming after the 2026 CAC Games qualification tournament and preceding the Caribbean Youth Championships, which will run from March 17 to 23.