标签： Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia’s athletic community gathered in grand celebration at the 44th National Sports Awards Ceremony, recognizing exceptional sporting achievements throughout the 2025 competitive season. The prestigious event, held at the Royalton Hotel on February 14th, honored the nation’s most distinguished athletes, coaches, administrators, and corporate supporters who contributed to a landmark year in Saint Lucian sports.

Olympic champion Julien Alfred secured back-to-back Sportswoman of the Year titles following another historic season that saw her become Saint Lucia’s first-ever medalist at the World Athletics Championships with a bronze in the women’s 100m. Cricket sensation Ackeem Auguste claimed Sportsman of the Year honors after his remarkable double century performance in the Windward Islands tournament final.

The junior categories showcased emerging talent with swimmer Antoine Destang earning Junior Sportsman of the Year for his record-breaking feats, including seven OECS records and four national records. Sprint prodigy Jady Emmanuel was crowned Junior Sportswoman of the Year after making history as Saint Lucia’s first CARIFTA Games sprint titlist, capturing gold in both the 100m and 200m dashes.

Sports Minister Kenson Casimir addressed attendees, declaring 2025 “a truly outstanding year for Saint Lucia” and emphasizing that “our athletes have continued to demonstrate that regardless of our size as a nation, our talent, ambition, and determination place us firmly on the global stage.”

The ceremony comprehensively recognized sporting excellence across categories including technical officials, administrators, coaches, teams, media personalities, corporate sponsors, educational institutions, and special achievement honorees. Notable team awards went to the National Golf Team, National Boxing Team, Senior Male Cricket Team, and multiple volleyball teams for their regional championship performances.

Special recognition included Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Francis George, Minister’s Award winner Florian Combie, and special honoree Cuthbert “Twa-Ti-Nay” Modeste. The Saint Lucia Athletics Association received Association of the Year, while Chris Wells earned Coach of the Year honors, and Anse Chastanet/Jade Mountain was named Sponsor of the Year.

BERKELEY, Calif. – Virginia Tech’s women’s basketball team secured their 20th win of the season with a decisive 68-58 victory over California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion on February 15, powered by a career-defining performance from junior guard Samyha Suffren.

The matchup began with intense back-and-forth action, with Virginia Tech capitalizing on favorable early opportunities. Coming off the bench, Suffren emerged as the Hokies’ offensive catalyst, scoring the team’s final four points in the opening quarter despite trailing 13-12 after the first period.

When California built a 21-16 advantage in the second quarter, Suffren engineered a spectacular 10-0 scoring run with eight consecutive points, swinging momentum permanently in Virginia Tech’s favor. The Hokies entered halftime with a 33-29 lead they would never relinquish.

Though California won the third quarter numerically, Virginia Tech maintained their composure and held a narrow 44-43 edge entering the final frame. Suffren continued her dominance in the fourth quarter, finishing with career highs in minutes played (29:31), points (19), field goals (7-12), and free throws (5-7).

Beyond her offensive explosion, Suffren demonstrated exceptional defensive prowess, adding to her team-leading 44 steals this season. The junior guard credited head coach Megan Duffy with refining her defensive focus, noting that “offense will come naturally” when defensive intensity is maintained.

With this victory, Virginia Tech becomes the third ACC team this season to complete a California road sweep, joining conference powers Duke and Louisville. The Hokies improved to 20-7 overall and 10-5 in ACC competition. Supporting Suffren’s effort, guard Carleigh Wenzel recorded her 11th consecutive double-digit scoring performance with 15 points, including the team’s only three-pointer of the contest.

Sulphur Springs House delivered a spectacular performance at the annual Soufrière Infant School Track Championships, securing a decisive victory at the Soufrière Stadium. The event, which concluded on February 12, saw the yellow-clad athletes establish an insurmountable lead early in the competition.

Beginning the final day with a commanding 209-point advantage over their nearest rivals, Caribbean Sea, Sulphur Springs extended their dominance by adding another six points to their margin. The final tally stood at an impressive 1,105 points for the champions, leaving Caribbean Sea trailing significantly at 890 points. Last year’s runners-up, Botanical Gardens, accumulated 751 points, while defending champions Piton managed only 717 points in their title defense.

The championship witnessed exceptional individual performances across multiple age categories. Victor Daniel Felix emerged as a standout athlete for Sulphur Springs, capturing three gold medals in the Under-9 boys division. His achievement symbolized the collective excellence of the winning house.

In the Under-9 girls category, Nikita Henry of Caribbean Sea demonstrated remarkable skill, earning three gold medals and one silver medal despite her team’s overall second-place finish.

The Under-8 competitions featured extraordinary talent, particularly Shervel Prospere of Caribbean Sea, who achieved four first-place finishes among the girls. What made her accomplishment particularly notable was her routine training and competition against significantly older athletes. Jahmiel Stanislas of Piton also excelled in this age group, securing three gold medals.

Sulphur Springs demonstrated particular strength in the Under-7 category, where Javier St Brice dominated as the top boy with two gold medals. The girls’ division saw a shared victory between Kalissa Henry of Sulphur Springs and Kishanly Deligny of Piton, each earning one gold medal.

Younger age groups continued to showcase emerging talent. S’zyon Meluce of Sulphur Springs topped the Under-6 girls category with one gold and one silver medal. The boys’ division saw joint champions Simon Dolor and Lorenzo Sylvestre, both representing Caribbean Sea, each earning one gold and one silver medal.

In the Pre-K category, Kaisen Alexander secured back-to-back gold medals for Sulphur Springs, earning him the boys’ crown. Meanwhile, Asia Alexander of Caribbean Sea commanded two gold medals among the girls, demonstrating promising talent for future competitions.

The event was documented through professional photography by Terry Finisterre, capturing the intensity and achievement of these young athletes throughout the championship meet.

A thrilling semifinal clash at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds has set the stage for an intriguing Kenson Casimir Bay Bay Cup football final. Gros Islet Youth, a team composed of promising young talents, secured their place in the championship match after a nerve-wracking penalty shootout victory against Monchy United on February 15th.

The match unfolded as a dramatic contest of resilience and determination. Gros Islet Youth established an early advantage with swift goals from Mekhi Stanislaus and Samiel Louisien, catching Monchy United off-guard in the opening half. However, the experienced Monchy side demonstrated their fighting spirit after the interval, despite being hampered by two significant injuries.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the 67th minute when Gros Islet Youth’s goalkeeper received a red card for violent conduct, reducing the young Lions to ten players. Seizing the opportunity, Monchy’s veteran striker Troy ‘Eto’ Greenidge capitalized with his second goal, leveling the score and ultimately forcing the game into penalties.

The shootout culminated in an extraordinary display of composure from substitute goalkeeper Jerquan Joseph. After stonewalling Monchy’s fourth penalty with a diving save to his left, the national Under-20 defender stepped up to take the decisive fifth kick himself, securing a 5-4 victory and his team’s place in the final.

In the tournament’s other semifinal, defending champions Northern United narrowly defeated guest team New Generation 1-0 with a late goal from Kerdim Agdomar during added time. This sets up a fascinating final matchup between Northern United and Gros Islet Youth, particularly noteworthy as several members of the youth squad are active players for the defending champions.

The championship final and third-place playoff between Monchy United and New Generation will be contested on Sunday evening at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds in Gros Islet.

The West Indies cricket team has become the first squad to advance to the Super 8 round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup following a commanding nine-wicket triumph over Nepal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. This decisive victory underscores the Caribbean side’s formidable form as they progress with one group match remaining.

Captain Shai Hope highlighted the team’s collective strength, noting the valuable contributions from multiple players rather than relying on individual performances. “It’s encouraging to witness everyone contributing in diverse capacities,” Hope remarked. “The fact that different players step up each game demonstrates positive team development.”

After winning the toss, the West Indies bowling attack immediately dismantled Nepal’s top order, reducing them to 27-4 within eight overs. Veteran all-rounder Jason Holder spearheaded the assault, claiming four wickets for 29 runs to earn Player of the Match honors. His medium-pace bowling proved particularly effective under the daytime conditions.

Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee provided resistance with a resilient 58 runs from 47 deliveries, helping his team recover to 133-8. However, this total proved insufficient against the West Indies’ powerful batting lineup.

The chase commenced with a 43-run opening partnership between Hope and Brandon King. Following King’s departure for 22, Shimron Hetmyer joined Hope in an unbroken 91-run stand that sealed victory in just 59 balls. Hope finished with 61 runs while Hetmyer contributed 46, maintaining his position as the team’s leading run-scorer in the tournament.

Holder attributed the bowling success to adapted strategies: “This day game presented different conditions where the ball retained more movement on the surface. Our bowlers maintained exceptional discipline, with Matthew Forde delivering an outstanding spell that established our dominance early.”

The West Indies conclude their group stage against Italy at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Thursday, entering the match with already secured advancement to the tournament’s next phase.

University of North Texas senior Megan Nestor continues to dominate the collegiate basketball scene with another extraordinary performance against Tulane. The 6-4 center from Saint Lucia secured a remarkable 28 rebounds while contributing 10 points and three steals during her career-high 38 minutes on court. This exceptional effort propelled the Mean Green to a 56-47 victory, marking their third win in four games and improving their season record to 14-11.

Nestor’s latest rebounding showcase represents her third 25-rebound game this season, accounting for half of all such performances across Division I women’s basketball. Her fifth 20-rebound game of the season nearly broke program and conference records, falling just short of her own 31-rebound achievement against Texas Southern in December.

The Valentine’s Day performance elevated Nestor’s season rebound total to 359, moving her from fourth to second place in program history. She now stands just six rebounds away from surpassing Sharon Shelton’s nearly 50-year-old record of 364 rebounds. Nestor has demonstrated remarkable consistency, recording double-doubles in 11 of her last 12 games while averaging 13.5 points and 16.8 rebounds per contest during league play.

Head coach Jason Burton praised Nestor’s multifaceted contribution: “What Megan’s doing on the rebounds is just absolutely phenomenal. More than just the boards, I thought she was fantastic as far as making plays. She had some big plays in our press and big deflections that led to steals.”

The team’s defensive effort proved equally impressive, holding Tulane to just 33% from the field and 3-of-19 on three-pointers. This represented UNT’s lowest point total allowed in a league game since joining the American Conference, improving their conference record to 8-5. Burton acknowledged the closely contested nature of the game, noting “It was close for the majority and could have gone either way. We did a great job of closing it out.”