标签： Saint Lucia

The 2024 CARIFTA Games officially got underway on Saturday morning at Grenada’s iconic Kirani James Athletic Stadium, with the first gold medal of the championship going to an athlete from the small Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia.

Destinee Cenac claimed the opening top prize of the meet with a standout performance in the women’s high jump, clearing a best height of 1.72 meters to outperform the rest of the field. Jamaica’s Stefvanco Henry and Barbados’ Shania Mottley both recorded a matching best clearance of 1.69 meters, with Henry taking silver and Mottley securing bronze to round out the podium for the opening event.

Action on the running track brought a series of mixed outcomes for Caribbean nations competing across age-group divisions. In the Under 17 Girls’ 400m semifinals, Barbados’ Jahzara Inniss crossed the line in fourth place with a time of 57.79 seconds in the opening heat, a result that saw her eliminated from final contention. Her compatriot Savannah Thorne matched Inniss’ fourth-place finish in the second semifinal, but her 57.20-second run was fast enough to secure a spot in the final scheduled for later that day.

For the Under 17 Boys’ 400m division, Barbados’ Taje Coward notched a fourth-place finish in the first semifinal with a time of 49.58 seconds, a result that earned him a place in the upcoming final. Unfortunately for teammate Jalino Hamlett, a false start at the beginning of his heat led to an immediate disqualification, ending his run at the championship early.

In the Under 20 Girls’ 400m semifinals, Barbadian athlete Krystal Bentham ultimately did not start the event, while Kadia Rock delivered a confident run to take second place in her semifinal, clocking 54.85 seconds to secure her place in the final.

Barbados’ Shamari Greenige-Lewis turned in a strong performance in the Under 20 Boys’ 400m semifinals, finishing second in his heat with a time of 46.49 seconds to earn the fourth-fastest qualifying time overall for the final. Teammate Aidan Moore took third in the second semifinal with a 47.27-second run, but the time was not sufficient to advance. Saint Lucia’s Joaqwan Alexander also missed out on a final spot, placing fifth in his opening semifinal with a time of 47.94 seconds.

Additional field event action brought more results across age groups: Barbados’ Jahzaria Ward placed 12th in the Under 17 Girls’ Shot Put with a best throw of 10.84 meters, while compatriot Ajalah Cumberbatch finished eighth in the Under 17 Boys’ Javelin with a top throw of 45.11 meters. Saint Lucia’s Naya Jules turned in a solid fifth-place performance in the Under 20 Girls’ Javelin, recording a best throw of 41.59 meters.

Sprint semifinals also brought mixed luck for Barbadian athletes. In the Under 17 Boys’ 100m, Josiah Gill secured his final spot with a 10.68-second run, while Asher Branford’s 11.14-second finish was not enough to advance. Neither of Barbados’ Under 17 Girls’ 100m athletes earned a final spot: Gia Greenidge clocked 12.24 seconds and Taylor-Rai Wiggins finished in 12.33 seconds, both eliminated in the semifinal round.

In the Under 20 Girls’ 100m semifinals, Barbados earned two spots in the final: Aniya Nurse qualified as the second-fastest overall runner with a time of 11.42 seconds, while teammate Semara Olton secured the eighth and final qualifying spot with an 11.86-second run. For the Under 20 Boys’ 100m, Barbados’ Dahrion Belgrave and Shamri Addison both missed out on advancement, clocking 10.56 seconds and 10.57 seconds respectively.

One of the most anticipated sprint showdowns in recent track and field history is officially locked in, as two of the world’s fastest women will finally share the 200m starting line this summer. Olympic 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and reigning world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States will face off for the first time since the 2025 Tokyo event at Rome’s Golden Gala Diamond League on June 4, 2026.

The Wanda Diamond League confirmed the star-studded field for the fifth stop of its 2026 circuit in an official announcement dated April 2, revealing that the meet will kick off at Rome’s iconic Olympic Stadium, just one week ahead of Alfred’s 25th birthday.

Alfred, 24, has cemented her status as one of the most dominant sprinters of her generation, even overcoming significant physical adversity to claim top honors at the highest levels of competition. Despite competing through a nagging hamstring injury at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, she still walked away with a bronze medal in the 100m. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Alfred delivered a career-defining performance, taking home 100m gold and 200m silver; she currently holds the 10th-fastest 200m time in women’s track and field history. As the reigning Diamond League 100m champion, she has defended her title in both 2024 and 2025, with her only recent 100m loss coming to Jefferson-Wooden at the Prefontaine Classic. She also took top spot in the 200m at the London Diamond League meet last July.

For her part, Jefferson-Wooden enters the clash as one of the most decorated sprinters in the sport right now. The 25-year-old American swept both the 100m and 200m titles at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, and her personal best in the 200m ranks as the eighth-fastest ever recorded by a female sprinter. Notably, this will mark the first time the two elite competitors have gone head-to-head in the 200m distance.

British sprinter Amy Hunt, a World Championships silver medalist, has also been confirmed as part of the competitive 200m field in Rome. Interestingly, Hunt was among a group of high-profile athletes that included Jefferson-Wooden who vacationed in Alfred’s home country of Saint Lucia in late 2025, adding an off-track layer of connection between the competitors.

For fans eager for more matchups between the two sprint stars, the Rome clash won’t be their only 2026 showdown. The pair is already scheduled to face off again in the women’s 100m at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Silesia this coming August 23, giving track and field fans two chances to watch the sport’s top two sprinters battle for bragging rights this summer.

The Saint Lucia Football Association’s Northern Zone Under-20 Men’s District Tournament has wrapped up its group stage, with La Clery producing a flawless performance to top the group standings after four consecutive wins. Their final group match, held on the night of April 1 at the Grande Riviere Playing Field, ended in a dominant 4-1 victory over Marchand, cementing their unblemished record ahead of the knockout stage.

From kickoff, La Clery dictated the tempo of the clash against Marchand. It did not take long for them to break the deadlock, as striker Mehki Phillip found the back of the net in the first half to put his side ahead. Just three minutes after the restart for the second half, Alex Devaux doubled La Clery’s advantage, putting the team in a strong position to close out the win.

Marchand refused to fold, however, and pulled one goal back in the 56th minute through Jalen Phamphile, setting up a tense final 30 minutes. But La Clery’s youth international forward Justice Germaine stole the show in the final stretch, netting two quick goals in the 67th and 70th minutes to extinguish Marchand’s comeback hopes. His second goal, a perfectly placed header from a Devaux corner, stands as the highlight of the match. Despite the loss, Marchand still secured enough points through the group stage to advance to the semifinal round.

In the other decisive final group match, Gros Islet locked up the tournament’s second seed with a lopsided 7-0 thrashing of winless Central Castries. Gros Islet had already built a commanding 3-0 lead by halftime, and never let up their pressure through the final 45 minutes.

Gros Islet’s top scorer Rickelme Lionel opened the scoring just eight minutes into the contest: he intercepted a loose pass in the attacking third, broke through on goal for a one-on-one chance with the Central Castries goalkeeper, and slotted a low shot into the left corner to open the account. Thierry Morille, who would finish the match with four goals, scored twice more before the break, both set up by aggressive pressing and quick distribution from Lionel. Morille added two more goals in the second half to cap his individual rout, while returning senior international Shevon Byron got in on the action with two goals of his own in the 47th and 58th minutes.

With the group stage now complete in the Northern Zone, the tournament will move to the semifinal knockout round, scheduled for Sunday, April 12. The four remaining teams still in contention for the regional title are Babonneau, Gros Islet, La Clery, and Marchand.

For the Eastern Zone Under-20 Men’s competition, group stage play is set to resume this Saturday, April 4 at the Micoud Playing Field. Two matchups are on the schedule: Mabouya Valley will face off against Dennery, followed by a clash between Mon Repos and Desruisseaux.

Hundreds of local community members and basketball enthusiasts from across Saint Lucia converged on Bonne Terre last weekend to celebrate the long-awaited grand reopening of the fully refurbished Bonne Terre Recreational Park, a venue that the Saint Lucia Basketball Federation (SLBF) has already confirmed will host official league matches moving forward. The celebratory opening event featured live local music, a high-energy exhibition basketball game between local club sides, and a wide selection of local street food, drawing players, families and long-time fans of the community spot to mark the occasion. The ceremony concluded with Gros Islet Member of Parliament Kenson Casimir officially unveiling the upgraded complex to the gathered crowd.

For nearly 30 years, the Bonne Terre basketball court has served as a grassroots gathering spot for casual and competitive players across the region. What began as nothing more than a basic concrete slab with hoops mounted at either end slowly evolved over the decades, with basic lighting added in recent years to allow for evening play. The multi-phase $700,000 refurbishment project has transformed the space entirely, adding permanent spectator seating, expanded paved parking, public restrooms, dedicated changing rooms for athletes, and a new children’s play area complete with picnic tables for community events. These upgrades have dramatically expanded the facility’s functionality, turning a once-basic court into a full-service recreational hub for the entire northern Saint Lucia community.

Fabian Florton, a long-time player with the local Bonne Terre Blazers basketball club who has been using the court for 25 of its 30 years of existence, explained that the upgrade came about after local organizers pushed for better infrastructure to support youth basketball development. “We needed a proper space to run youth training programs and give young players a safe, quality place to develop their skills,” Florton said. “We reached out to authorities, worked together to finalize a design for the space, and brought the project to life. Even we were surprised by how much unused space we had once we cleared overgrown brush from the site — the final result is beyond what we imagined. Right now, this is the best basketball court on the entire island. I’m looking forward to the SLBF bringing official league matches here in the near future.”

SLBF President Glen Guiste, a former national player, coach and club administrator who has centered his tenure on expanding grassroots and youth basketball development across the country, echoed Florton’s enthusiasm. “I’m genuinely blown away by what the community has created here,” Guiste said. “This facility sets a new benchmark for recreational sports infrastructure across Saint Lucia, and I hope we can replicate this model in communities across the island. One of the core pillars of our federation’s strategic plan is expanding grassroots youth development, and this venue is perfectly designed to support that mission. Beyond youth training, it’s more than ready to host official league games, and I fully expect Bonne Terre Blazers to host their home matches here — the value of home court advantage for local teams can’t be overstated.”

Guiste highlighted one often-overlooked upgrade that he said would be transformative for growing the sport, particularly for female athletes across the region: the new dedicated changing rooms. “If we want to grow basketball for all athletes, both men and women, we need safe, private, well-maintained facilities,” he explained. “This venue meets that standard completely, and it should be the new baseline that we follow for every future sports upgrade across the country.”

The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground played host to a thrilling day of youth competitive athletics on Wednesday, April 1, where underdog District Six pulled off a dramatic upset to claim the top prize at the 2026 Inter-District Primary School Athletics Championships, ending the multi-event winning streak of defending champion District Eight. What began as a gray, damp morning with steady rainfall shifted to bright, sunny conditions ideal for elite track-and-field competition, drawing hundreds of screaming spectators—including teachers, family members, and fellow students from across the region—to the venue for the penultimate major school sporting event of the academic term.

The day’s opening events saw an early surge from District Five, representing the communities of Dennery and Micoud. Young runner Shandre Fontenelle delivered an immediate boost to his team’s standings, taking gold in the Under-13 boys’ 1200-meter race and silver in the Under-13 boys’ 600-meter. Those strong results pushed District Five into the early lead with 135 points, outpacing both District Six and the defending titleholders District Eight, who represents the Soufrière and Canaries regions. Despite standout individual performances across multiple disciplines from District Eight’s athletes, the tide of competition shifted dramatically once the sprint events got underway. By the conclusion of all sprint competitions, District Six had carved out a solid 17-point advantage over the rest of the field.

That lead only grew through the final relay races, where District Six extended their gap to a commanding 41 points by the end of all competitions. When the final scores were tallied, District Six secured the overall championship title with 311 total points, beating out District Eight who finished as runners-up with 270 points. In the girls’ team rankings, District Six also claimed top honors with 180 points, ahead of District Eight’s 149. District Five held on to claim third place overall with 224 total points, with their boys’ team putting up a particularly strong fight to finish first in the boys’ rankings with 138 points, just edging out District Six’s 131 points. Rounding out the top five overall teams were District Two (representing North Castries) with 212 points, and District One (covering Gros Islet and Babonneau) with 173 points. The full final standings saw District Seven in sixth place with 126 points, District Three in seventh with 114 points, and District Four in eighth with 107 points.

While District Six claimed the overall team crown, individual honors were spread across multiple districts, with District Eight earning three of the eight available individual event trophies. Shervel Gonzales turned in a dominant performance for District Eight, winning the Under-9 girls’ 60-meter sprint in 9.70 seconds and the 150-meter sprint in 23.52 seconds. Teammate Keyanni Gilbert claimed two titles as well, taking gold in the ball throw and the Under-11 girls’ 600-meter in a time of 2:07.03. District Eight’s third individual trophy went to Kayla Gills, who won both the Under-13 girls’ 80-meter (11.02 seconds) and 150-meter (20.10 seconds). In the over-13 girls’ division, Namika Bellas of District Two claimed top individual honors with an undefeated run of performances.

On the boys’ side, multiple young athletes turned in breakout performances across age groups. Clevon McLawrence of District Three stood out in the Under-9 division, clocking 9.23 seconds to take gold in the 60-meter sprint and earn silver in the 150-meter. Avary Maryat of District One repeated as a double champion in the Under-11 division, defending his titles with winning runs in the 150-meter (20.63 seconds) and 300-meter (46.74 seconds). Individual honors in the two oldest boys’ divisions were split evenly across competing teams. Fontenelle, whose early performance pushed District Five into the lead, was one of three individual award winners in the Under-13 boys’ division. Vijay Blanchard earned District Six’s sole individual boys’ award, taking gold in the 80-meter and silver in the 150-meter, while District One’s Asa Emmanuel flipped that result to claim gold in the 150-meter and silver in the 80-meter. In the top division, Jeanquan JnPierre of District Three and Javan William of District Two each earned one gold and one silver medal to split top honors.

On Wednesday, April 1, a confident and high-spirited Team Saint Lucia set off from their home island to compete in the 2026 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, which will be hosted across two venues in Martinique from April 3 to 8. The regional swimming and aquatics competition will run events at both the Pierre Samot Community Aquatic Centre in Le Lamentin and the open coastal waters of Anses d’Arlet.

The roster traveling to the tournament includes 12 athletes, who made the crossing by boat following weeks of rigorous targeted preparation. The team features a mix of experienced returning medal winners hungry for more podium success and promising first-time competitors eager to make their mark on the regional stage. Ahead of their departure, all home-based swimmers wrapped up their final on-island training sessions over the weekend of March 29-30 at Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre.

Beyond physical conditioning, the squad also received tailored mental and motivational support in their final preparation block. Team manager Denise Parks shared with local outlet St Lucia Times that the athletes got an inspiring pep talk from Daren Sammy, head coach of the West Indies men’s national cricket team, and completed a dedicated mental skills workshop with sports psychologist Yasmine St Ange.

Local aquatics officials have singled out several athletes to watch as the competition gets underway. Standout competitors expected to deliver strong performances include Sapphire Parks in the 11-12 age girls’ division, University of Michigan freshman Antoine Destang in the 15-17 boys’ category, Jayden Xu and Noah Dorville, U.S.-based competitor Fayth Jeffrey, and Fayth Lubrun, who will compete alongside Jeffrey in the 15-17 girls’ division. A cohort of talented first-time team members is also ready to showcase their hard-earned skills at the Pierre Samot pool this week.

On the organizational and financial side, Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation President Paul James confirmed to St Lucia Times that the governing body made a deliberate decision not to request funding from the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee for this tournament. The federation plans to pursue external sponsorship opportunities for larger competitions scheduled later in 2026 instead.

For Saint Lucia’s track and field community, a new chapter of athletic ambition is set to unfold this April, as a group of young athletes from St Mary’s College (SMC) prepare to break new ground as the first team from the island nation to compete at the iconic Penn Relay Carnival. Running from April 21 to 25 at the University of Pennsylvania’s historic Franklin Field – a venue that has hosted the prestigious meet since 1895 – the Saint Lucian delegation will compete in the High School Boys division, taking on competitors from across the globe in the 4x100m and 4x400m international relay events.

The five-member SMC roster brings together some of Saint Lucia’s brightest emerging track talent, anchored by athletes with proven experience at regional competitions. Leading the squad is 17-year-old Terrick Plummer, who already represented Saint Lucia at the 2025 CARIFTA Games held in Trinidad & Tobago. He is joined by 16-year-old Joshua Matthew, the current national Under-17 champion for both the 200m and 400m distances. Rounding out the team are 16-year-olds Ethan Doxerie and Tai La Force, and 15-year-old Zayne Henry, with seasoned local coach Lenyn Leonce leading the group as they prepare for their global debut.

This historic participation would not have been possible without the full backing of Hamilton Reserve Bank, the Caribbean region’s largest global bank by headquarters, which holds more than US$6 billion in total assets. The financial institution has covered all of the team’s costs and logistical needs, including international airfare, on-the-ground accommodations, daily meals, local transportation, and official competition gear for the delegation.

In an official statement announcing the sponsorship, the bank framed its support as far more than a one-off contribution to a sports team. “This milestone event for Saint Lucia represents more than participation,” the release read. “It signals a strategic investment in youth development, global exposure, and high-performance sports by the largest global bank in the Caribbean region.”

Merkisha Desir, a senior relationship banker at Hamilton Reserve Bank and a native of Saint Lucia, expanded on the bank’s commitment to lifting regional Caribbean talent. “At Hamilton Reserve Bank, we unlock Caribbean potential by connecting aspiration with access,” Desir explained. “For our bank, the Caribbean is home. Our corporate commitment to regional development extends beyond offering the fastest bank wires in the world in seconds and enabling new banking customers to be approved 100% online in 20 minutes. We are building bridges between Caribbean talent and global opportunities for years to come.”

At the Penn Relays, SMC’s athletes will face off against delegations from across the Caribbean, with large contingents expected from regional track powerhouses including Jamaica, as well as other neighboring nations such as Trinidad & Tobago, The Bahamas, St Vincent & the Grenadines, and St Kitts & Nevis. Each year, the historic meet draws more than 15,000 student-athletes from hundreds of educational institutions across the world, making it one of the most high-profile track and field competitions for young emerging talent globally.

For the SMC team – nicknamed the Samarians – the competition is viewed as a transformative learning opportunity that will pay dividends in future regional competitions. Local athletic leaders hope the experience gained on the global stage will translate to stronger performances at next year’s Island Champs relays. This year, across five relay events at the competition, the Samarians claimed just a single bronze medal, in the Under-16 4x400m division.

Saint Lucia’s growing reputation in international track and field has risen sharply in recent years, anchored by the success of Julien Alfred, the island’s first Olympic gold medallist. With this debut appearance at the Penn Relay Carnival, the nation’s next generation of athletes is set to carry that momentum forward, extending Saint Lucia’s footprint on the global track and field landscape.

The journey for these young athletes began locally at Saint Lucia’s Mindoo Phillip Park, where they have trained and competed for years, before earning the opportunity to take their talents to one of the world’s most iconic track venues. This milestone marks a breakthrough moment for the future of athletics in the small Caribbean nation.