标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago’s under-17 women’s football team is gearing up for a challenging journey in the first round of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup. The qualifiers, scheduled from January 24 to February 2, 2026, will see TT face off against Curacao, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, and Barbados in Group F. All Group F matches will be hosted in Willemstad, Curacao, with other host nations including Aruba, Bermuda, and Nicaragua. TT will kick off their campaign against Curacao on January 24, followed by matches against Guadeloupe (January 26), Barbados (January 28), and El Salvador (February 1). The team will play four intense games within nine days. The first round features 30 teams divided into six groups of five. The top six group winners and the two best second-placed teams will advance to the final round, where they will join Concacaf’s top-ranked teams: Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. TT, ranked 11th in the Concacaf Under-17 women’s rankings as of April 2025, were placed in Pot Two alongside Bermuda, Cuba, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. This comes after a disappointing performance in the 2025 qualifiers, where TT finished at the bottom of their group, which included El Salvador, Honduras, and the US, and suffered a 4-0 defeat to El Salvador in April. Further details on the final round of qualifying are yet to be announced.

Fatima College continued their impressive run in the RBC Royal Slam College Basketball tournament with a commanding 92-36 victory over St Francis Boys’ College on October 12 at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sporting Arena in Tacarigua. This win marked their second consecutive triumph, solidifying their position at the top of Group A with six points from two games. The standout performer of the match was twelve-year-old guard Jakeem King, who delivered a remarkable double-double with 17 points and ten steals, complemented by six assists. His exceptional play was pivotal in Fatima’s dominant performance. Meanwhile, in Group B, Presentation College (San Fernando) secured a hard-fought 94-80 win over St Anthony’s College on October 11, thanks to a stellar showing by Michael McCarthy. McCarthy, who had previously scored 42 points in a loss to St Mary’s College, proved his mettle once again with an astonishing 46 points and 29 rebounds, along with three blocks, four assists, and four steals. St Anthony’s College, led by Amir Balgobin and Jahiem McLeod, who scored 28 and 17 points respectively, couldn’t contain McCarthy’s brilliance. In another match on October 11, Queen’s Royal College handed St Francis their first loss in two days with an 82-56 victory. Talib Daniel’s 24 points and six rebounds, combined with Kevani Boatswain’s double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds), were instrumental in QRC’s success. The tournament will resume on October 25, with Holy Cross College facing QRC at 4 pm and St Anthony’s taking on St Mary’s at 6 pm. On October 26, St Francis will clash with Holy Cross, while QRC will challenge the northern powerhouse, Fatima College.

The Chinese Arrival Dragon Boat Festival, held at the Chaguaramas Boardwalk on October 11 and 12, witnessed thrilling performances from teams Aquaholics and Bluebloods. Over the two-day event, numerous races were conducted across various distances, including 200m, 500m, and 1,000m, alongside traditional dragon dances. Aquaholics showcased their prowess by securing victories in the premier open 200m, premier mixed 200m, and premier women’s 200m events. In the premier open race, they narrowly edged out Bluebloods with a time of 53.35 seconds, while Bluebloods clocked 55.57 seconds. Bluebloods, however, excelled in the Under-16 open standard race and the Under-16 200m small event. Both teams also triumphed in the 1,000m events. Aquaholics led the premium mixed race with a time of 7:01.04, while Bluebloods dominated the Under-21 open category, finishing in 6:00.48. Other notable winners included St Joseph’s Convent’s Blue Dragons in the Under-21 women’s race and Sea Serpents in the 500m Under-21 women’s event. The festival also featured an exhibition race for beginners and non-competitive athletes, where Chinese Exhibition emerged victorious.

John Procope’s ambitious attempt to swim 100 kilometers around Tobago was halted due to relentless ocean currents, forcing him to abandon the challenge after 33 grueling hours. The swimmer began his journey on the morning of October 13 at Crown Point, supported by a team that included a small boat stocked with supplies and a kayak for companionship. Swimmers Jacob Cox and William Carr also joined him for part of the route. Despite completing approximately 68% of the distance, Procope and his team were compelled to cease their efforts near Speyside due to the overwhelming strength of the currents. Upon returning to shore on the evening of October 14, Procope’s Facebook page confirmed the decision, emphasizing that safety was the top priority. ‘Couldn’t beat very strong current just past Speyside…took over an hour and still in pretty much the same place. Fatigued. Had to abort,’ the post read. In a follow-up video, Procope expressed gratitude to his supporters. The first half of the swim, in the calmer Caribbean Sea, went smoothly, but the Atlantic Ocean’s unpredictable currents proved insurmountable. This marks another chapter in Procope’s history of endurance swimming, following his successful 25-hour swim from Tobago to Trinidad in October 2024.

In a dramatic showdown on October 12, Eastern Connect FC (16 points) ended FC Maloney’s (18 points) six-game winning streak in the 2025 Eastern Football Association (EFA) season with a 4-3 victory at Clayton Ince recreation grounds. The match, brimming with intensity, saw Eastern Connect take an early lead with first-half goals from Cadeem Jackie and Corie Dhanoolal, who scored twice. Despite Maloney’s valiant efforts to level the score, Sean Labadie delivered the decisive blow in stoppage time, securing the win for Eastern Connect. Meanwhile, Wallerfield United (13 points) solidified their third-place position in Group B with a commanding 4-0 victory over USC Hummers, fueled by Revaldo Patrick’s double and contributions from Emmanuel Phillip and Kevin Thornhill. FC Porto Arima (12 points) climbed to fourth place after defeating Trincity Nationals 3-1, with Wesley Lewis, Rivaldo Patron, and Mikheil Peters on the scoresheet. Maracas United (11 points) fell out of the top four following a goalless draw with CG Poseidon. In Group A, Heatwave FC (11 points) clinched fourth place with a 2-1 win over Malabar FC, overtaking La Horquetta XF. The stage is now set for the ‘Big 8’ knockout phase, commencing October 26, with the EFA champions set to earn $15,000.