标签： Saint Lucia

The second edition of the Saint Lucia Golf Open drew to a close on Sunday, May 3, at the scenic Sandals Saint Lucia Golf & Country Club, bringing with it a series of historic firsts, unexpected outcomes, and dominant local performances that underscored the tournament’s growing regional and international appeal.

This year’s competition attracted 118 registered golfers hailing from 15 different countries, marking a 34-player increase from the tournament’s inaugural 2024 holding – a clear sign of the Saint Lucia Golf Open’s rising traction in the Caribbean golf circuit.

In the team competition for the coveted President’s Cup, Barbados claimed the top honor after three days of intense play. The Barbadian side posted a cumulative score of 228, securing first place after the host Saint Lucian team struggled through a challenging second round that derailed their early lead. Host nation Saint Lucia ultimately finished second with a total score of 240, climbing past Antigua and Barbuda on the final day of play to claim the silver medal position. Antigua and Barbuda landed third with 241, followed by Jamaica four strokes off the pace, and Trinidad and Tobago a further 11 strokes behind third place.

The 2025 tournament marked a major milestone for Caribbean golf with the introduction of the first-ever Professional Division, and the title went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Benjamin Martin. Martin carded a three-round total of 6-over-par 219, edging out American contender Chris Johnson by two strokes to take home the $7,500 top prize. Martin carded a 35 over his final nine holes, compared to Johnson’s 37, to lock in the historic win. Host golfer Ryan Daniel finished with a total score of 251 in the new professional division.

In the Championship Division, Australia’s Dean Richards, a competitor on the U.S. collegiate golf circuit, outperformed the field to take gold. Richards delivered his best performance in the final round, shooting a one-under-par 72 to finish with a total of 225, three strokes ahead of second-place finisher Xzavier Wiggins of Barbados, who posted 228. Saint Lucian golfers Keymani Thomas and Harith Khan tied for third place with matching 244 totals. All top-ranked finishers in this division earned valuable points toward their World Amateur Golf Ranking, boosting the tournament’s competitive credibility.

Local golfers turned in a series of standout performances across divisions, with Saint Lucian players claiming four total victories throughout the week. In the Ladies Division, Catherine Spooner – who finished second in 2024 – secured the top spot with three consistent rounds, all scoring under 90, for a cumulative total of 263. She beat Jamaica’s Lisa Gardner by a single stroke to take the title.

Saint Lucian golfers swept the entire podium in the overall Men’s Division. Habib Chreiki claimed gold with a 254 total, followed by Samuel Richelieu at 256, and Andre Dhanpaul at 257 to round out the local sweep. The Seniors Division title also stayed on home soil, with Tim Mangal carding a 222 to beat Jamaica’s Sean Morris (229) and Barbados’ Scott Stollmeyer (230). In the two-day Masters Division, Saint Lucia’s David March claimed the crown with a 173 total, followed by Barbados’ Ivan Codrington (175) and local golfer Peter Devaux (176) in second and third place respectively.

The tournament also delivered a highlight moment that any golfer dreams of: Brandon Malon scored a spectacular hole-in-one, earning a complimentary 2-ball round at the renowned Cabot golf resort as a reward for his impressive feat.

Looking ahead, Dwayne King, public relations officer for the Saint Lucia Golf Association, framed the 2025 tournament as another step forward for the event. “With each passing year, the Saint Lucia Open reaches new heights – and the next edition is already shaping up to be the most ambitious yet,” King said. Building on the momentum of this year’s successful launch of the Professional Division, King noted that organizers plan to expand the competitor field, increase prize purses, and grow the tournament’s reach across the Caribbean and beyond, teasing upcoming announcements that will excite golf fans across the region and globally.

The 57th edition of the Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères wrapped up over the weekend on the Mediterranean coast, drawing hundreds of top sailors from across the globe to compete for coveted points and early momentum ahead of the next Olympic Games. Among the standout competitors was Luc Chevrier, a two-time Olympic representative from Saint Lucia, who fought his way through a stacked field of more than 130 entrants in the ILCA 7 class to secure a spot in the final round.

Hosted in the sheltered Bay of Hyeres, this year’s event served as the second stop on the prestigious Sailing Grand Slam circuit, bringing together 705 athletes from 59 national and territorial teams to compete across 10 competitive boat classes. Unlike many regattas that are plagued by unpredictable Mediterranean weather, organizers and competitors alike enjoyed ideal wind and sea conditions across all six days of racing, allowing every scheduled heat to run as planned.

Chevrier, who is set to turn 27 in June, put in a consistent effort across the preliminary rounds to qualify for the event’s Gold Fleet, the top group of competitors vying for final positions. He ultimately finished 35th overall in the ILCA 7 category, marking the second consecutive Grand Slam event where he has secured a spot in the final stage. His performance follows a 30th-place finish at the opening Grand Slam event in Palma De Mallorca, Spain, giving him a strong start to his competitive season.

Reflecting on his result after the final race, Chevrier emphasized that his early-season form has exceeded expectations. “Back-to-back final finishes for the first two Grand Slam events of the season. So, a very good start to the season,” he said. “We have been quite consistent for the start of the season with top-tier finishes, fighting against the best in the world.”

Up next for Chevrier is the European Championships, scheduled to kick off in two weeks in Split, Croatia, where he will look to build on his Hyères result.

The Saint Lucia Yacht Club, which has supported Chevrier’s career for years, released a statement celebrating his achievement, highlighting what his success means for emerging sailing talent across the Caribbean. “From our shores to international waters. Luc is making waves at Olympic Week in Hyères, and we couldn’t be prouder,” the statement read. “He’s an inspiration to young sailors across Saint Lucia and the Caribbean – proof that big dreams start right here at home.”

In the top tier of the ILCA 7 results, Australia’s double Olympic champion Matt Wearn claimed the gold medal, extending an undefeated streak since his return to competitive sailing. After taking more than a year off following his gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Wearn has now won both of his comeback events, taking top honors at both the Palma and Hyères stops of the Sailing Grand Slam within a single month. Behind Wearn, British sailors Michael Beckett and Elliot Hanson engaged in a tight battle for the silver medal position.

Ed Russo, Event Director for Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères, noted that this year’s event held particular strategic importance beyond just the on-water competition, coming two years ahead of the next Olympic Games. “For the athletes, it was a great week. The weather was perfect, and they were able to race for all six days,” Russo said. “It was truly a fantastic edition. Two years before the Games, this 57th SOF is important because we are in a period of testing and selection for the format of finals they will have for the Olympic Games.”

A cohort of talented track and field athletes from Saint Lucia turned heads across multiple competitive meets held across the United States over the past weekend, delivering standout performances that included three new national records and one confirmed qualifying spot for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Leading the group of high achievers was University of Kansas sprinter Michael Joseph, who capped off his senior home schedule in dominant fashion at the Rock Chalk Classic hosted at Lawrence’s Rock Chalk Park on May 2. The event doubled as Kansas’ annual senior day celebration, and Joseph did not disappoint, taking top honors in both of his scheduled races. In the men’s 400-meter dash, he clocked an impressive 45.54 seconds – marking the third time this season he has run the distance under the 46.46-second qualifying threshold for the Commonwealth Games. His performance locked in his spot at the July tournament in Scotland. Joseph also anchored the University of Kansas 4×400-meter relay team to a winning finish, crossing the line in 3:06.09.

Halfway across the state of Texas, graduate transfer Lauralyn Clifford of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) delivered a career-best performance at the Texas A&M Alumni Muster held at College Station’s E.B. Cushing Stadium. Competing in the women’s hammer throw, Clifford saved her best effort for her final attempt of the competition, launching the implement 59.77 meters (196 feet 1 inch). The throw broke Acacia Astwood’s 2023 UTSA program record of 59.39 meters, and also set a new senior national record for Saint Lucia. It currently ranks as the second-best mark in the American Athletic Conference for the 2026 season.

In the under-20 division, 18-year-old Naya Jules of Garden City Community College made history at the Region VI Championships in Arkansas City, Kansas, where she claimed the silver medal in the women’s heptathlon with a new Saint Lucian U20 national record total of 4477 points. The score also broke Garden City’s program record, and would have been enough to earn silver at the CARIFTA Games, the top regional youth track and field championship for the Caribbean. Across the seven-event competition, Jules notched a 9th-place 16.88-second finish in the 100-meter hurdles, a 2nd-place high jump of 1.54 meters (a personal best), a 1st-place shot put of 10.85 meters (another personal best), and a 7th-place 26.78-second 200-meter run on the first day of competition. On day two, she added an 8th-place long jump of 4.82 meters, a 1st-place javelin throw of 40.53 meters, and a 3rd-place 2:29.71 800-meter run to close out her record-setting performance. Jules also added another program record in the open javelin competition, throwing 41.88 meters to take bronze, and finished fifth in the pole vault with a 3.01-meter clearance.

Meanwhile, at the Puma East Coast International Showcase in Baltimore, Maryland, Jamaica College’s Denzel Phillips, another U20 athlete from Saint Lucia, claimed gold in the men’s shot put and silver in the men’s discus. He improved his own national under-20 record in both events, throwing 17.21 meters (56 feet 5.5 inches) to win the shot put title, and extending his qualifying mark for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships to 58.39 meters (191 feet 7 inches) in the discus, finishing just behind Jamaican rival Joseph Salmon to take second.

Beyond the headline-making record-breakers, several other Saint Lucian athletes posted solid results at weekend meets across the country. Khailan Vitalis won the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the Duke Twilight with a time of 13.90 seconds. Cagini Pilgrim placed fourth in both the men’s 100-meter (10.65 seconds) and 200-meter (21.38 seconds) events at the GLVC Championships, while Miguel Charlery notched 13th in the 100-meter (10.62 seconds) and 11th in the 200-meter (21.71 seconds) at the PSAC Championships. At the HBCUAC Championship, Ishmael Durand placed 26th in the 100-meter (11.54 seconds) and 19th in the 200-meter (23.12 seconds), while Shamael Durand finished fifth in shot put (10.84 meters), seventh in discus (29.33 meters), and 12th in javelin (29.50 meters). Asa Francis placed 10th in the men’s 800-meter at the Kehoe Twilight Meet with a 1:50.05 finish, and Rayshawn Harris clocked 2:02.19 for 33rd in the same event. On the women’s side, Naomi London took fourth in the 100-meter (11.45 seconds) and sixth in the 200-meter (23.03 seconds) at the Texas Invite. Carleen Lionel finished 22nd in the 100-meter at the Atlantic 10 Championships with 12.52 seconds, while Jola Felix posted 10th in the 100-meter (12.68 seconds) and 17th in the 200-meter (27.12 seconds) at the Heart of America Championships. Kereser Augustin placed eighth in the women’s 400-meter at the MIAA Outdoor Championships with 55.88 seconds. Jasmine Stiede notched fourth in the 800-meter (2:13.56) and sixth in the 1500-meter (4:35.50) at the Rock Chalk Classic, while Natalie Albert took third in the women’s hammer throw at the Memphis Tiger Invite with a 54.25-meter throw.

After a dramatic final weekend of group stage action, the four teams set to compete for the 2024 Saint Lucia Premier League (SPL) T20 title have officially been confirmed, with twists, standout individual performances, and unexpected eliminations shaping the final playoff lineup.

The opening fixture of the weekend was derailed before it could deliver a result, as an island-wide power outage forced the abandonment of the clash between Choiseul Craft Masters and Mon Repos Pioneers. With neither side able to claim the two points on offer for a win, the draw left both teams trailing in the rankings, dashing their hopes of securing a higher seed heading into the knockout stage.

On Saturday morning, the first of the Final Four spots was claimed by Soufriere Titans, who pulled off an upset against defending champions Gros Islet Knights to secure their place with a 12-run victory. The match at Soufriere hosted a lively, family-friendly atmosphere, with children enjoying face-painting activities in the stands before the competitive action unfolded.

The Titans’ win was anchored by a blistering, unbeaten century from middle-order batsman Djourn Charles, who smashed 107 runs off just 54 deliveries, including 10 fours and 8 towering sixes. Charles’ explosive innings carried Soufriere to a total of 203 all out, with Gros Islet’s Tarrique Edward turning in the best bowling performance of the match, claiming three wickets for 36 runs.

In their chase, the defending champions managed only 191 all out. While experienced batters Kimani Melius and Noelle Leo both got starts, notching 23 runs each, only Dillon Douglas was able to convert his chance, finishing with 64 runs. Tight, disciplined bowling from Kevin Sinclar (1-17 off four overs) and Shani Maximin (2-29 off three overs) kept the Knights’ chase in check, securing the win for the Titans and leaving them second in the final group stage standings.

The second Saturday match brought another elimination twist, as Micoud Eagles defeated their local rivals Mon Repos Pioneers by 40 runs to book their playoff spot and knock Mon Repos out of title contention. Micoud posted a mammoth total of 257 batting first, powered by a phenomenal near-century from Dominic Auguste. Auguste fell just one run short of a hundred, bowled by Cody Lesmond after striking 10 sixes and six fours, with Samuel Charles adding a valuable 45 runs before also falling short of a personal milestone.

Mon Repos got off to a strong start in their chase, with Sabinus Emmanuel notching 55 and Keon Gaston hitting a brilliant century of 118, but their efforts were not enough to overhaul the total; they finished at 217 all out. Ted Jones was the standout bowler for the Eagles, claiming three wickets for 34 runs to seal the win and leave Micoud third in the final rankings.

Sunday opened with a do-or-die clash for Gros Islet Knights, who needed a win over undefeated group leaders City Blasters to keep their hopes of back-to-back titles alive. The tournament’s only unbeaten side proved too strong, however, securing a dominant eight-wicket victory to end the defending champions’ campaign.

Batting first, Gros Islet collapsed to just 103 all out, with four of their top-order batters dismissed for zero. Only a 36-run knock from captain Kimani Melius pushed the side into triple figures. Amari Goodridge (4-18) and Jaden Elibox (4-20) tore through the Knights’ batting lineup, leaving the Blasters with a tiny target to chase.

City Blasters made light work of the 104-run requirement, reaching the target in just 6.3 overs behind an unbeaten 63 from Stephen Naitrum, which included seven sixes and five fours. Tarrique Edward claimed the only two wickets for Gros Islet, finishing with 2-43 off two overs, but it was not enough to stop the group leaders.

The final group stage match saw Choiseul Craft Masters secure the last remaining Final Four spot, needing a win over already-qualified Micoud Eagles to leapfrog the eliminated defending champions and claim their place. Choiseul’s bowling attack dominated the Eagles, bundling them out for just 134, with Bronte Bess claiming 3-18 and Dornan Edward taking 3-24 to lead the attack.

Choiseul, nicknamed the Men in Orange, chased down the target in just 8.4 overs, with Jason Simon hitting 56 off 31 deliveries and Junior Henry smashing 50 off 20 deliveries to lead the side to a seven-wicket victory.

With the group stage now complete, the knockout phase of the tournament is ready to get underway using the Page Playoff System, a four-match structure consisting of Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the championship Final. The format gives the top two group stage teams a second chance to advance to the Final, while the third and fourth seeds face an immediate sudden-death elimination in the Eliminator.