标签： Saint Lucia

After years competing at the amateur and white-collar levels, veteran Saint Lucian boxer Marvin “The Artist” Anthony is gearing up for a career-defining milestone: his long-awaited professional debut, a comeback bid that has been years in the making.

The 36-year-old Britain-based middleweight, who competes at the 75-kilogram weight class, has returned to full-time training under long-time coach Tony Velinor at London’s Ringtone Boxing Gym, targeting a first professional bout before the calendar flips to 2026. But to turn this years-old dream into a reality, Anthony is reaching out to the public for critical financial backing to cover the training, logistics, and regulatory costs required to make his professional transition.

Anthony’s last trip into the ring came in late 2024, when he claimed a second-round TKO victory over Dean Amu Siame at a white-collar boxing event hosted at PRYZM Kingston in London. A powerful, well-timed right hook sealed the win, marking Anthony’s second victory of that year. At the time, he framed his work around nurturing young boxing talent, but left the door open to a return to competitive action if he could secure the funding needed to step up to the professional ranks.

Now, that open door has become a clear path forward. Anthony’s official fundraising campaign frames the boxer as a dedicated competitor poised for success, framing his professional bid as a source of pride for his home nation. “Marvin Anthony is a warrior, and he needs your financial help to get him over the line for his professional debut,” the campaign reads. “He is a sure winner, and it’s about time he goes professionally as a boxer! Help make this dream come true, not just for him but for our beloved island Saint Lucia. Please invest in a winner today!”

In an interview with *St Lucia Times*, Anthony emphasized that boxing demands unwavering commitment, noting that very few professional boxers have emerged from his Caribbean home nation. Balancing his roles as a personal trainer, youth boxing coach, and father of two, Anthony said he feels a deep sense of obligation to see his professional dream through. “Boxing is a serious sport,” he said. “No one else [from Saint Lucia] is pursuing it. I believe I’m obligated to finish what I started. Tony is the man for the job. He’s always in my corner.”

As Anthony enters the closing stretch of his second decade involved in competitive boxing, his upcoming debut will not only mark a personal milestone but also a historic step for Saint Lucian boxing, should he secure the support he needs to make the jump.

The 2026 Republic Caribbean Premier League (CPL) opened with a dramatic four-run victory for the Saint Lucia Kings on Sunday night, as a sensational innings from last-minute replacement Andries Gous and a clutch middle-overs bowling collapse by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons secured the win at Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Kings were forced to find an emergency stand-in for regular batter Tim Seifert, the hard-hitting New Zealand international, ahead of the tournament opener, and Gous stepped up to deliver a career-defining performance that set the foundation for the result.

In a rain-interrupted innings, the 32-year-old Gous blazed an unbeaten 82 runs off just 51 deliveries, peppering the boundary with six fours and six towering sixes to lift the Kings to a competitive total of 187 for 8 off their allocated overs. Support came from lower-order batters Kamil Pooran, who contributed a quick 14 runs off 6 balls, and Ackeem Auguste, who added 20 runs from 18 deliveries to push the total past the 180-mark after a slow start to the Kings’ innings.

For the Falcons, former Kings fast bowler Alzarri Joseph — who made a off-season move back to his hometown franchise after four seasons with the Kings — turned in the most impactful performance with the ball, claiming three wickets while conceding 32 runs to dent the Kings’ batting progress.

Chasing a revised target in their run chase, the Falcons got off to a flying start that put them firmly on track for victory. By the end of the powerplay six overs, the side had reached 65 for one, holding a 12-run advantage over the Kings’ position at the same stage of their innings. At the halfway point of their 20 overs, the Falcons extended their lead to 24 runs, sitting comfortably at 109 for two and on course to chase down the required total.

However, a dramatic collapse in the middle overs turned the tide firmly in the Kings’ favor. A combined bowling effort from Roston Chase, Maheesh Theekshana and Shadley van Schalkwyk ripped through the Falcons’ batting order, with the trio taking three key wickets and restricting the Antiguan side to just 50 runs across 50 deliveries. Chase and Theekshana each claimed two wickets for only 18 runs apiece, dragging the Falcons down to a final total of 183 for 7, four runs short of the winning mark.

Following the match, Kings all-rounder Roston Chase shared his thoughts on the hard-fought win, noting that the side overcame a slow start to pull off the result. “I thought that we had a good score on the board. We didn’t start as well as we’d like, but we pulled back the game, and I’m happy for the win,” Chase said.

He also revealed that his appearance in the bowling attack was an unplanned last-minute adjustment, as he continues to recover from a finger injury. “It was not planned for me to bowl tonight because my finger is still healing. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I just tried to go through the pain. And I was able to get four overs in tonight, and it pulled back the run rate. And the guys executed in the end, and it was good.”

Following their opening win, the Saint Lucia Kings will depart St Vincent & the Grenadines for their home island on Monday, where they will kick off their home stand on Wednesday at 7 p.m. local time at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, with their next opponents being the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

The closing day of the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games will forever be etched in Saint Lucian sporting history, as the small island nation secured two medals in a single elite international multi-sport event for the first time ever, highlighted by a landmark bronze medal in netball — the nation’s first ever podium finish for a team sport at this level of competition. This historic bronze was sealed by a groundbreaking 41-34 victory over regional rival Barbados, a result that ends a 16-year losing streak against their opponents.

The historic day got off to a strong start early Friday, when sailor Luc Chevrier claimed a silver medal in sailing competition, setting the stage for the netball team’s momentous achievement later that day. Competing at the Ciudad Juan Bosch Sports Complex, Saint Lucia’s national netball side, the Piton Sparks, faced off against Barbados’ Bajan Gems, and delivered a performance that defied ranking odds and reversed decades of unfavorable results.

Entering the competition ranked 31st in the latest World Netball rankings, the Piton Sparks had already pulled off an upset earlier in the week with a win over 21st-ranked Bermuda. But their triumph over 19th-ranked Barbados carried far greater historical weight: this marked the first time Saint Lucia had beaten the Bajan Gems since 2010, breaking an eight-game losing streak that stretched across the Commonwealth Games, 2022 AFNA Qualifiers, ECCB International Netball Series and CNA Caribbean Championships over 16 years.

The match got off to a worrying start for Saint Lucia, as Barbados jumped out to a 12-10 lead in the opening quarter, powered by sharp, high-percentage shooting from their frontline. But the Piton Sparks adjusted rapidly to Barbados’ attacking rhythm, ramping up their defensive pressure and outscoring their opponents 8-6 in the second quarter to lock the scores at 18-18 by halftime.

Carrying that momentum into the third quarter, Saint Lucia seized full control of the match, adding another 12 goals to Barbados’ nine to carry a three-point 30-27 lead into the final 15 minutes of play. The Piton Sparks closed out the match with a commanding fourth-quarter performance to hold off any late Barbados push, securing the seven-point win that would guarantee them third place on the podium.

Team captain and goal attack Melika Destang led the Saint Lucia frontcourt with an impressive 15 goals from just 18 shooting attempts, while starting goal shooter Dasha Eugene chipped in an additional 14 goals, pushing her total tournament goal tally to 95 from 131 attempts. Even the team’s 15-year-old reserve substitute Neriah Charlery delivered a standout performance, sinking 12 goals from 14 attempts to finish the tournament with an 86% conversion rate, one of the highest across all competing sides. On the defensive end, wing defender Jermia Martial notched five key interceptions, while goalkeeper Kiana Nelson anchored the backline, finishing the entire competition with five interceptions and eight deflections to disrupt opposing attacks.

For the defeated Bajan Gems, starting goal attacker Faye Agard led all scoring with 18 goals from 24 attempts, while Brianna Holder added 13 goals of her own. 44-year-old veteran defensive player Shonette Azore also put in a gritty performance, matching Martial’s five interceptions for the match.

Saint Lucia finished the netball tournament with an overall record of three wins and two losses, scoring 184 total goals while conceding 177 across five matches. Jamaica claimed the silver medal with a 4-1 record, while Trinidad & Tobago dominated the competition to take gold, finishing the tournament undefeated with five straight wins.

The 25th Central American and Caribbean Games, hosted in the Dominican Republic, saw Saint Lucia open its medal count on Friday, as two-time Olympian Luc Chevrier claimed a silver medal in the men’s ILCA 7 Laser Radial sailing competition.

Competing at the Punta Salinas race course, the 27-year-old Saint Lucian athlete improved on his 2023 bronze medal performance, but his final result left room for what could have been, after he entered the final day of racing in a strong position to challenge for gold.

Racing conditions were ideal for the single-handed dinghy event, with consistent 20-knot strong winds creating a fast, competitive playing field. After multiple days of preliminary racing, the 18-athlete fleet was cut down to just five contenders for the final two decisive medal rounds, held on tight, fast-paced courses.

Chevrier got off to a blistering start in the first of the two final races, taking the checkered flag first. The win marked his sixth victory across 11 races held over seven days of competition, pushing him to a total of 19 net points. Just one point behind leader Pedro Luis Fernandez Gamboa of Puerto Rico, who placed second in the penultimate race, Chevrier only needed to finish ahead of the Puerto Rican in the final race to claim the top spot on the podium.

However, Fernandez Gamboa held his ground under pressure in the final race, once again taking second place to finish with a total of 20 net points. Chevrier crossed the line in third, pushing his final total to 22 net points and securing silver. Bermuda’s Sebastian Kempe won the final race and claimed the bronze medal with 25 net points.

Beyond bringing Saint Lucia its first medal of this year’s Games, Chevrier’s silver medal win also earned him an automatic qualification spot in the 2027 Pan Am Games sailing regatta, scheduled to take place in Lima, Peru. There, he will get another chance to secure a spot at the 2028 Olympic Games, continuing his long-running pursuit of elite sailing success.

As the highly anticipated Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draws near, the Saint Lucia Kings delivered a statement of intent on Thursday, wrapping up their pre-tournament preparations with a confident seven-wicket triumph over the Saint Lucia Premier League (SPL) South XI at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground – all despite being without their full roster of overseas and senior West Indies players.

The SPL South XI got off to a promising start after winning the pre-match coin toss and opting to set a first-innings target, but the Kings’ sharp bowling attack quickly derailed their plans, restricting the home select side to 145 all out for eight wickets. Standout batter Stephen Naitram anchored the struggling innings, grinding out a valiant 44 runs from just 36 deliveries to top score for SPL South. Lower-order spinner Larry Edward also put up late resistance, remaining unbeaten on 27 runs from 21 balls to push the side’s total into triple digits.

It was Trinidadian quick Damion Joachim who led the Kings’ clinical bowling display, tearing through the SPL South batting line-up with a devastating match-winning spell that earned him figures of four wickets for just 16 runs. Young paceman Amari Goodridge backed up Joachim’s performance perfectly, claiming three wickets for 30 runs to ensure the SPL South batters never found the rhythm needed to build a competitive total.

Chasing a revised target of 146 runs, the Kings finished the job in commanding fashion, reaching the required total in just 17 overs with seven wickets in hand. Opener Darron Nedd powered the run chase with an explosive innings, smashing 70 runs from only 36 deliveries to set the foundation for victory. All-rounder Matthew Forde provided an explosive late cameo, crushing 42 runs from a mere 15 deliveries to accelerate the innings, while Goodridge finished the game unbeaten on 41 runs to seal the win.

Looking ahead, the Kings will depart for St Vincent & the Grenadines on Friday, where they will regroup with their full squad: head coach and legendary local cricketer Daren Sammy, team captain Roston Chase, and the full group of high-profile international signings will join the side ahead of their opening match. The overseas contingent includes hard-hitting New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, Afghan spin prodigy Noor Ahmad, Sri Lankan stars Charith Asalanka and Maheesh Theekshana, and South African all-rounder Shadley van Schalkwyk.

Saint Lucia Kings will kick off their official 2025 CPL campaign this Sunday, when they face the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in St Vincent.

Ahead of the tournament’s official opening kickoff this weekend, the third iteration of the Caribbean Challenge Series youth football tournament was formally launched Thursday at the Saint Lucia Football Association headquarters in Saint Lucia. Hosted across two venues in the coastal town of Gros Islet — the Corinth Playing Field and Francis Baba Lastic Grounds — the 10-day competition will run from August 8 to 17, bringing young talent from across the Caribbean together under the unifying, purpose-driven theme “Kick Out Crime and Violence”.

Eighteen youth squads hailing from 12 different clubs will compete across three age-based divisions, marking another milestone for the regional youth football initiative. Unlike most tournaments focused solely on on-pitch results, this series was built from the ground up to combine athletic competition with community impact: its core mission is to gather emerging young athletes from across the Caribbean region to grow their skills, build cross-island connections, and lead a grassroots push for peace across island communities.

In a notable departure from initial turnout expectations, only one international team will compete in this year’s edition: Barbados’ National Sports Council Under-14 squad. Gros Islet Football League President Shayne Paul openly shared his disappointment that the tournament did not attract a larger pool of regional participants this cycle. He explained that a confluence of regional events created steep travel barriers for many teams, noting that the tournament falls during peak summer travel season, overlapping with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) cricket season, and comes just after major regional cultural events including Carnival and Jazz festivals that draw crowds and disrupt travel planning across the islands.

Despite the lower-than-expected international turnout, Paul emphasized that the event organizers remain deeply grateful for the commitment of the Barbadian delegation, noting that the National Sports Council took out a formal loan just to cover travel costs and get their young players to Saint Lucia to compete.

The official launch event was well attended by key stakeholders, including club leaders, participating coaches and players, and representatives from the tournament’s two major sponsors: 1st National Bank and the National Lotteries Authority (NLA). Paul opened the event by urging all coaches, players, and supporting family members to uphold strict standards of discipline throughout the tournament, aligning with the competition’s mission to build community through sport.

Paul stressed that the Caribbean Challenge Series approaches youth crime prevention through a community-centered, non-punitive framework. “We aren’t fighting crime with search warrants, roadblocks and force here. We’re opening an avenue, going the softer side, giving these kids a real path,” he explained, adding that the tournament is designed to create a safe, inclusive space for young people to build skills and connect with positive opportunities, rather than turning to lives of crime and violence.

Iva Satney, General Manager of the National Lotteries Authority, echoed these remarks in her address on behalf of the tournament’s sponsor, reaffirming the NLA’s commitment to using sport as a vehicle for holistic youth development across Saint Lucia. “At the NLA, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to dream, to grow, and to succeed,” Satney said. “Sport teaches discipline, respect, teamwork, resilience, and hope. Every child who steps onto a football field instead of the streets is a victory for our nation and our region. To every player participating: know that this tournament is about more than the scoreline. It’s about character.”

Organizers also noted a promising sign of the tournament’s growing impact: a large share of this year’s participants are returning competitors who took part in the 2025 series, creating continuity that allows coaches to track long-term player development and lift the overall competitive quality of the event. Looking ahead, tournament officials have shared ambitious expansion plans. If the 2026 edition meets its core goals for participation, community impact, and organizational success, the Caribbean Challenge Series will adopt a rotating host model starting in 2027, moving the tournament to a different Caribbean island to deepen regional football integration and expand the initiative’s peace-building reach across the region.

As thousands of Caribbean children prepare to return to their classrooms for a new academic year, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is launching a multi-stop community outreach program that blends cricket, mentorship, and practical support to empower young people across the region. Over the coming weeks, the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (DSCG) in Saint Lucia will serve as a key hub for the league’s signature Republic Bank SchoolYard initiative, which brings professional cricketers face-to-face with more than 50 participating local students.

The first round of in-person activities kicks off on August 17, with simultaneous events running at two major cricket venues: DSCG and Jamaica’s iconic Sabina Park. At these kickoff gatherings, participating students will join franchise CPL players for a day of energetic, interactive games designed to build connection and teamwork. After the activities wrap up, every child will receive a full set of school supplies to support their studies throughout the upcoming year.

Following the opening events in Saint Lucia and Jamaica, the initiative will travel onward to two more Caribbean nations: Guyana and Barbados, where it will shift to a ‘Take a Player to School’ campaign format. During this phase of the program, professional cricketers will make on-site visits to local schools across both territories, allowing them to engage directly with student bodies in everyday learning environments. Beyond casual meet-and-greets, players will share personal accounts of their own journeys, from sitting in Caribbean classrooms as aspiring young athletes to building successful careers as international professional cricketers.

Christine Charles, Chief Marketing Officer for CPL, explained that the off-field initiative is designed to highlight the transformative power of cricket beyond international competition. “CPL SchoolYard is about more than cricket. It’s about showing young people across the Caribbean that the players they cheer for started out exactly where they are now, in a classroom, with a dream,” Charles said.

She added that the league takes particular pride in both the practical and inspirational impact of the program: “We’re proud to help send children back to school with everything they need, and even prouder to watch our players give their time to inspire the next generation.”