West Indies seamer Kemar Roach … believes the hosts can test England.

(CMC) – Fast bowler Kemar Roach believes despite being labelled “underdogs”, West Indies have what it takes to challenge England in the upcoming three-Test series in the region.

Roach is the oldest and most experienced member of the 13-man squad preparing for the series – which starts at Kensington Oval here next Wednesday.

The 30-year-old boasts an impressive record of 166 wickets in 50 Tests, putting him in the West Indies top 10 wicket-takers of all time.

“Looking ahead to the series, I’m feeling fit and ready. I’m confident I can do well and make an impact for the team,” the Barbadian said during the ongoing training camp here.

“We are the underdogs, we know that. But we were underdogs back in 2017 and we played some fantastic cricket to win at Leeds and show the world we have quality. We will prepare well, we will plan well, we will look to take our chances and look to challenge and win again.”

Roach was referring to the 2017 tour of England when West Indies suffered a crushing innings and 209-run defeat in the opening Test at Birmingham but bounced back to stun the hosts by five wickets at Headingley.

He, along with the Windies players entered camp on Thursday, and will ramp up their preparations over the weekend going into next week’s big event.

“I recently reached one of my goals in the last series…obviously to be among the top ten West Indian bowlers of all time in Test cricket was something special,” he noted.

“My next goal is to get 200 Test wickets and in doing so win some more games for West Indies. I will see how far I can go from there. I think I still have another three to four years in West Indies cricket, and I want to contribute to the team.”

The speedster has a very good record at Kensington Oval, managing 24 wickets in five Tests at the historic venue. His best match figures were eight for 116 against New Zealand in 2014.

Roach, who has been a key member of the Windies attack after returning to the squad in 2017 following a 19-month break due to injury and loss of form, said he was eagerly looking forward to performing in front his home fans.

“As a Bajan playing at Kensington Oval in front of your home people, is always a good feeling to perform well … it is very important at home, you know the conditions well,” he pointed out.

“Once you go there and be focussed and be mentally prepared, I think it will be a very good feeling to represent the West Indies in your homeland.”

He continued: “Seeing the names of past greats on the stands is an inspiration. Kensington is an historic place and a lot of great cricketers have played at the ground. It has been renovated from the old one but it is still a good feeling to go out there and see the Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion, Greenidge and Haynes Stand, The Three Ws, Hall and Griffith or bowling at the Malcolm Marshall or Joel Garner Ends.”

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Ethiopian Suleman Shifa

(CMC) – Ethiopian runners Suleman Shifa and Meseret Basa took respective male and female honours with contrasting victories in the 10-kilometre road race on day two of the Bermuda Marathon Weekend on Saturday.

Shifa won the men’s division in 32 minutes, 24 seconds, just three seconds ahead of Bermudian Jim Butterfield, with Canada’s Ethan Davenport – winner of Friday night’s elite men’s mile race on Front Street – third in 33:50.

“I feel good, but it was too much heat for a 10K race,” said Shifa, who was third in Friday mile race. “I was feeling my hamstring in the last two miles.”

Basa, 30, who finished seventh overall, stormed home in the women’s division well clear of her rivals, hitting the tape in 35:53.

Heather Kampf, of the United States, the 2015 winner. finished a distant second, and 28th overall, in 41:36 after claiming an unprecedented fifth title in Friday’s women’s mile race

Maya Weigel, also of the US, finished third after being given the same time as Kampf.

Davenport won the men’s mile race – which has tight turns at each end of Front Street – in 4:20.20, four seconds ahead of his Canadian compatriot Sacha Smart, with 10K winner Shifa third home in 4:32.78.

Kampf, 31, who won four years in a row from 2013, returned after a two-year break to win the women’s mile race again, finishing in 4:50.26.

Kampf’s compatriot Weigel finished second in 4:58.43, with Panama’s Rolanda Bell third in 5:02.48.

“It’s great to be back and this victory was a really special one,” Kampf said. “I’ve been absent for the past two years for altitude training or just an injury, so coming back and being healthy and ready to race again in 2019 is really special.”

The marathon and half-marathon round out the weekend on Sunday.

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(SNO) — The battle of Castries concluded on Sunday evening, with the young footballing heroes of Mary Ann Street, Constitution Park, Derek Walcott Square, and The Sab prevailing.

The boys of Mindoo Phillip Park, Bagatelle, Independence City, and Sunbilt were left to take second place.

The event was the finale of the Saint Lucia Football Association Inc. Under-14 Boys competition. The combatants: Castries Central versus Marchand. All played out in the scenic surrounds of the Mabouya Playing Field on Sunday, January 20.

Between them, the two squads featured a who’s who of youth internationals, as many as eight in total. Both had played extraordinarily well to make it to this grand stage, and the evenness in quality led to a stalemate at halftime, though the game was certainly not without incident.

It was not, in fact, until late in the piece that Central Castries captain Shaquan ‘Ants’ Nelson netted for Central, only to see the lead doubled within minutes, thanks to talisman Keegan Caul. A third goal came off the boot of a Marchand defender, only to be blown off, apparently, bizarrely, for off-sides.

The final whistle sparked joyous celebrations from the Central Castries players, parents, family, and fans, who had travelled in their numbers to watch their young lions. It was, of course, a bittersweet moment for the vanquished Marchand boys, and their numerous supporters.

At the finish, Central Castries dominated the prize-giving ceremony. Sherqwane Prudent was named best defender, and Ajani Hippolyte, best midfielder. Caul got the most goals for the tournament, whilst Nelson was adjudged most valuable player of the finals.

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Brandon King … struck his second half-century of the match.

(CMC) – Chadwick Walton and Brandon King notched half-centuries as Jamaica Scorpions finally broke their losing streak with a convincing six-wicket victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes on the final day of their fifth round encounter here Sunday.

Asked to chase 212 at the Grenada National Stadium, Scorpions produced a measured run chase to pull off a comfortable win in the end, with Walton top-scoring with 79 and Brandon King getting 56.

Barbadian all-rounder Kenroy Williams put on the finishing touches with an unbeaten 36, handing Scorpions their first win of the Regional Four-Day Championship in four outings.

Scorpions started the day well when they finished off the Volcanoes innings with no addition to the overnight total of 198.

With the first ball of the day, left-arm spinner Dennis Bulli removed Shermon Lewis without scoring and Scorpions then made a great start when Walton and Oraine Williams (18) put on 37 for the first wicket.

Left-arm spinner Larry Edward removed Williams to break the stand and Assad Fudadin (10) followed soon afterwards, to leave the visitors on 53 for two.

Walton and King then joined forces to rescue the innings, posting their second 100-run stand of the contest with a third wicket partnership of 102.

Walton, who struck 125 in the first innings, faced 135 balls in 2-¾ hours and counted six fours while King, who made 52 in the first innings, hit a four and a pair of sixes in an innings lasting 141 deliveries and 157 minutes.

However, part-time off-spinner Tyrone Theophile, who claimed four for 44, hauled the hosts back into the affair as Scorpions lost three wickets for 15 runs to tumble to 170 for five.

Walton played back to one from left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge which kept low and was lbw and captain Paul Palmer lasted half hour for his six before whipping Theophile to mid-wicket where Alick Athanaze took a great catch.

Theophile then struck again when he had Jerome Taylor holing out to long on without scoring.

With the match in the balance, Williams strode to the wicket to win the match for Scorpions, putting on a valuable 22 for the sixth wicket with King and a further 20 with Aldaine Thomas (three not out) in an unbroken seventh wicket partnership.

The 34-year-old Williams, in his second match of the season, struck six fours in a fluent 54-ball knock.

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Hurricanes opener Montcin Hodge.

(CMC) – Jaison Peters struck Test leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo over mid-wicket for six to earn Leeward Islands Hurricanes a dramatic two-wicket win and inflict leaders Guyana Jaguars with their first four-day defeat in nearly two years here Sunday.

Resuming the day on 32 for one in pursuit of 291 for victory at the National Stadium here, Hurricanes looked on course to pull off a comfortable victory, especially after opener Montcin Hodge stroked a superb 127.

But drama ensued late in the day when champion left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (4-43) grabbed three wickets in two overs as Hurricanes lost three wickets for eight runs in the space of 16 balls, to slide to 290 for eight.

In the last throw of the dice, Jaguars captain Leon Johnson handed Permaul the final new ball and the veteran delivered immediately, having Hodge caught and bowled in the very first over.

Four balls later and with four byes added, Orlando Peters played back and was bowled before he had scored and with scores level, Jeremiah Louis (4) sliced a catch to Keemo Paul at backward point, in Permaul’s next over.

But Peters held his nerve to hit the winning runs, and end on 37 not out from 38 balls, which included three fours and a six.

Ironically, the last time Jaguars lost in the four-day championship was to the Hurricanes back in April, 2017, with the defeat only their third of the franchise era which began in 2014.

Having won four on the trot this season, the odds were stacked in Jaguars’ favour at the start of the final day of the fifth round contest but Hodge turned the tide in favour of the Hurricanes with his fourth first class hundred and second in as many outings.

Resuming from his overnight 17, the 31-year-old stroked 14 fours in an innings spanning 320 deliveries and just shy of seven hours.

Crucially, he posted 153 for the second wicket with the classy Keacy Carty who carved out a quality 67 after starting the day on three. Hodge also put on 42 for the fourth wicket with Terrance Warde (25) and an invaluable 59 for the sixth with Jaison Peters.

The right-handed Hodge, who made a magnificent 158 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force two weeks ago in Tarouba, carried his tally for the season to 470 runs at an average of 67.

It was his stand with Carty at the start of the day which laid the foundation for the Hurricanes success. The 21-year-old Carty hit nine fours off 193 balls in about 3-¾ hours before becoming the first casualty of the day, caught at the wicket fishing at a widish ball from Test pacer Paul.

There was a wobble when Akeem Saunders (9) played back and was trapped lbw to Permaul but Hodge kept his cool to guide the innings.

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West Indies Head Coach Richard Pybus (left) talks with Eusan Crandon during net practice at Kensington Oval on January 19, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

(PRESS RELEASE) – Cricket West Indies has added experienced former Caribbean and international players to its coaching team as the WINDIES prepares for an upcoming busy cricket season, beginning with a series of engagements with the touring England side this week.

Former West Indies allrounder Vasbert Drakes, former Guyana allrounder Esuan Crandon, and former Middlesex and Sussex batsman Toby Radford are teaming up in the Caribbean to assist newly appointed interim head coach of the WINDIES Men’s team, Englishman Richard Pybus.

The newly-assigned assistant coaches are currently working to prepare the Caribbean team for its test campaign against the English, which opens on Wednesday at Kensington Oval with the first of three test matches. The two teams will play three tests, five one-day internationals and three T20 Internationals.

West Indies Head Coach Richard Pybus (right) talks with Bowling Coach Vasbert Drakes during net practice at Kensington Oval on January 19, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

“It is an honour to be back working with West Indies cricket again,” said Drakes, coach of the 2016 West Indies women champions during the ICC Women’s World T20. “As someone who played the game at the highest level, it has always been my wish to contribute to West Indies cricket and give back to the young players. We have a tremendous group of players here, full of ambition and hungry for success. Our role as coaches is to offer leadership and sound advice and to share knowledge and create an environment of learning. I want to see West Indies cricket grow and flourish.”

Crandon, who coached the Guyana Jaguars to four consecutive regional first-class titles, is also keen to work with the players, most of whom he is familiar with.

“I am passionate about the game of cricket and a true supporter of West Indies cricket, so ultimately I want to make a contribution to the game in the region and see the players perform at their best,” he said. “I am a calm individual and I’m here to do what is required to help the team succeed … that’s what I enjoy doing, coaching and helping others.”

West Indies Head Coach Richard Pybus (left) with Spin Coach Mushtaq Ahmed during net practice at Kensington Oval on January 19, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Radford, who served as an assistant coach of the championship-winning 2012 WINDIES men’s team during the ICC World T20 competition, and a former head coach of the West Indies High Performance Centre, joins his Caribbean colleagues along with former Pakistan legend Mushtaq Ahmed, who will continue in his role as spin bowling consultant.

Head coach Richard Pybus was the architect of the West Indies trifecta of 2016 World Cup titles (World T20, Women’s World T20 and Under-19 World Cup) while serving as WINDIES cricket director. He will receive assistance from the coaching team for the tour of England, the Triangular Series in Ireland, the 2019 Cricket World Cup (CWC), and the visit of India in July and August.

The full WINDIES squad and management team for the upcoming England test series follows:

Jason Holder (Captain)
Kraigg Brathwaite
Darren Bravo
Shamarh Brooks
John Campbell
Roston Chase
Shane Dowrich
Shannon Gabriel
Shimron Hetmyer
Shai Hope
Alzarri Joseph
Kemar Roach
Jomel Warrican

NOTE: Oshane Thomas has been called up as cover for Alzarri Joseph

MANAGEMENT

Rawl Lewis – Team Manager

Richard Pybus – Head Coach

Khevyn Williams – Physiotherapist

Vasbert Drakes – Assistant Coach

Esuan Crandon – Assistant Coach

Toby Radford – Assistant Coach

Zeph Nicholas – Massage Therapist

Mushtaq Ahmed – Spin Bowling Consultant

Philip Spooner – Media Manager

Dexter Augustus – Analyst

UPCOMING TEST MATCH SCHEDULE

1st Test: Kensington Oval (Barbados) – Jan 23-27

2nd Test: Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground (Antigua) – Jan 31 to Feb 4

3rd Test: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (St. Lucia) – Feb 9-13

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(SNO) — Pan Am Games defending champion for women’s high jump, Saint Lucia’s Levern Spencer, kicked off her 2019 season with a strong opener at the Clemson Invitational last Saturday (Jan. 19).

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edwin

(SNO) — With just two indoor meets under his belt, Delan Edwin is confident that he is getting the hang of the boards.

The 22-year-old Saint Lucian sprinter is pursuing an accounting degree at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri.

On Friday (Jan. 18) he competed at the University of Central Missouri Invite, and took approximately a tenth of a second off his best indoor times for the 60m and 200m. In the process, he provisionally qualified for the 60m at the NCAA Division II Championships.

In the short sprint, Edwin finished with a best time of 6.87 seconds, winning his heat, but ending second overall. He had been clocked at 6.92 in the preliminaries, after running 6.96 at the Crimson & Gold Invitational in early December.

There was also a personal-best mark of 22.43 to win the 200m, as compared to 22.55 the first time he ran that race indoors last time out, finishing a mere 19th overall.

Edwin is an alumnus of the Ciceron Secondary School and a member of Blazers Track Club in Saint Lucia, and he has represented Saint Lucia at Windward Islands School Games.

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Pybus

(PRESS RELEASE) — Newly appointed interim coach of the WINDIES cricket team is confident the squad selected for the test series against England has the skills and motivation to emerge victorious.

“We have a clear goal – we are here to win the series,” said Richard Pybus, who believes that despite strong opponents the WINDIES side is ready to start consistently delivering “some really great cricket”.

Pybus, recently called up to lead the regional side through the busy upcoming 2019 cricket series, said the West Indian players were disappointed with their performance during the recent tour of the sub-continent, but have a point to prove. “Playing at home in the region, the guys are very motivated,” Pybus reckoned, explaining that the team with its good balance and experience would focus on consistency.

He welcomed the support of his coaching staff, which includes assistant coaches Vasbert Drakes of Barbados, Esuan Crandon from Guyana and Englishman Toby Radford, along with spin bowling consultant Mushtaq Ahmed, who Pybus previously coached when Ahmed played for Pakistan.

“Mushtaq is great to have around the guys, he is incredibly positive and has a superb cricket brand. Toby is highly experienced in the system, he knows all the guys and brings a lot of value. Vasbert was part of our high-performance program, he is a World Cup-winning coach in his own right and is well-established as a player and a coach; and Crandon has been the standout first class coach for a quite a period of time now,” he commented.

Pybus lauded the leadership of captain Jason Holder, who he believes has matured as a cricketer and as a leader was well poised to help the team advance: “At times it has been a really tough gig, from where he started to where he is now, and I think he has handled that exceptionally well.”

The WINDIES skipper, according to Pybus, has improved markedly: “His performance has really evolved over the last while and he has become one of the standout all-rounders in international cricket. He was superb with the ball last year and his batting has really come on. So, I think he’s also getting to a point in terms of his own personal maturity, where he’s comfortable where he is with the captaincy, and I think he is confident being in a situation where he can really demand excellence out of the side.”

Meanwhile, Pybus, an Englishman, deflected criticisms surrounding his appointment to the regional Caribbean side, chalking it up to part of the landscape of professional sport.

“It just goes with the territory really. We’ve got a test match coming up. That for me, is what I’m personally focused on. Wherever you are, there are critics, and as a coach, your job is to make sure that you produce winning cricket.”

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(PRESS RELEASE) – West Indies captain Jason Holder has great faith in his young team that they can challenge England in the upcoming Wisden Trophy Test Series.

The first contest of the three-match rubber bowls off at the historic Kensington Oval on Wednesday. First ball is 10 am (9am Jamaica Time).

Holder spoke to members of the media on Tuesday morning as the home side completed their preparations. He repeated his theme that “consistency is the name of the game” and as “underdogs we will fight hard and dig deep” in a bid to topple the visitors.

“What you have seen of this bowling attack in the last couple of series is consistency. We have done a hell of a job of trying to take 20 wickets more often than not. We want to continue and get even better. I just think we need to start the series well by putting some runs on the board in the first innings and making an early statement. England obviously have a quality bowling attack, but we have demonstrated glimpses of what we can do against this attack.”

Holder added: “We obviously had a really good time at Headingley and fought back well in that series. And then last time in the Caribbean we did really well to fight back here in Barbados. We know we can perform against this attack. It is a case of being consistent and sticking to our game plans for long periods.”

The captain was on Tuesday named in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Test Team of the Year for 2018. Last year he was fantastic with bat and ball and led from the front with 33 wickets at an amazing average of 12.3 runs per wickets. He also scored 336 runs at an average of 37.33 runs an innings. These performances catapulted him to Number 2 in the ICC Test rankings for allrounders.

“Was a good year for me, last year… I want to continue and I want to get even better in this year. What worked well was building pressure with the ball and I really focused on my RPO (runs per over) and keeping the batsman at one end. With the bat, what was missing … hundreds … I really value hundreds, it’s something in the back of my mind. So, I’m concentrating in my batting. I’m looking to get bigger scores.. right now I’m feeling really good mentally,” the 27-year-old six-footer said.

“Overall, I was quite pleased with how 2018 went for me personally, but we’re still low in the rankings. I would feel better if I was in the ICC XI and we were in the top three in the world. That’s basically my aspiration. Just to keep doing as much as I can to win a few more games for West Indies.”

A crowd of close to 13,000 is expected for the opening day and Holder called on Windies fans to rally round the team and show their support.

“We always value the support of our fans and that support goes a long way. This will be a highly-competitive series and we aim to give our faithful and loyal supporters something to shout about and a lot to celebrate.”

FULL SQUAD

Jason Holder (Captain)

Kraigg Brathwaite

Darren Bravo

Shamarh Brooks

John Campbell

Roston Chase

Shane Dowrich

Shannon Gabriel

Shimron Hetmyer

Shai Hope

Alzarri Joseph

Kemar Roach

Jomel Warrican

NOTE: Oshane Thomas has been called up as cover for Alzarri Joseph

Match Schedule

1st Wisden Trophy Test: Kensington Oval, Barbados – Jan 23-27

2nd Wisden Trophy Test: Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua – Jan 31 to Feb 4

3rd Wisden Trophy Test: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia – Feb 9-13

TICKETS: on sale at local ticket booths in Barbados and online at https://www.windiescricket.com via the “BuyTickets” button.

Antigua Test tickets started at ticket booths from January 21.

Saint Lucia Test tickets go on sale at ticket booths from January 28.

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David ‘Shakes’ Christopher

(SNO) — The quadrennial Pan American Games are imminent once more, with the Lima, Peru edition set to run July 26 to August 11.

Preparations are underway for the XVIII Pan American Games, Lima 2019, with a grand total of 9,500 athletes from all 41 member territories expected to participate in 424 total events.

Organizers of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games (COPAL) on Monday welcomed delegates from the 41 nations of Panam Sports for the Chef de Mission Seminar, which will run until Thursday of this week. Among them was David ‘Shakes’ Christopher from Saint Lucia, president of the island’s boxing federation.

More than 70 representatives from the NOCs of the Americas will meet from January 21-24 at the Swissotel in Lima to ensure their countries and their athletes are prepared for the Pan American Games that begin July 26. The four-day seminar will include extensive discussions about the policies and procedures surrounding the Games, including arrivals and departures, transportation, hospitality, ticketing, Ceremonies, and many other crucial logistical aspects.

Venue tours will also be included in the seminar, with visits to the nearly completed Athlete Village, Villa Maria del Triunfo which will host several sports including field hockey, baseball and water polo, the VIDENA complex featuring athletics, cycling and multi-sport courts, as well as a tour of the coast where the road cycling and volleyball competitions will take place. A trip to the national stadium will also be available to all attendees.

Many of the delegates will be the chef de missions that will lead their countries’ delegations during the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games, while a few chef de missions will not be named until closer to the Games. Other NOC representatives and Games experts will be present for these countries.

Christopher was previously the delegation leader for Saint Lucia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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(SNO) — Competing in her first indoor season, Briar Cliff University’s Allana Paul led the Lady Chargers over the weekend at the Chelsey M Henkenius Invite. The Saturday meet was hosted by Wartburg College.

Paul, who turns 21 this year, is pursuing a four-year degree programme in kinesiology at her new school in Sioux City, Iowa. She competed this past weekend in three individual events.

The BCU frechman won the 400m in 59.77 seconds, the 200m in an NAIA B qualifying time of 25.85, and was second in the 60m dash, running 7.83 in the final, and 7.97 in the preliminaries. Her final time in the 60 was also a qualifying time for the 2019 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Championship.

As a consequence of her performances, Paul has been named this week’s 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza Athlete of the Week.

Paul and the Chargers will compete again Friday and Saturday at the Dennis Young Indoor Classic in Storm Lake, Iowa, when she will be seeking to improve on her opening times.

Allana Paul

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Rick Valcin

(SNO) — Rick Valcin has a packed curriculum vitae, inclusive of an NCAA Division 3 title in men’s pole vault, two all-American nods, three Iowa Conference pole vault titles, a 100m title, two Drake Relays qualifiers, and multiple outings for Saint Lucia in international competition, such as the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014.

Graduating from the University of Dubuque with a degree in sports management andmarketing, the Gros Islet Secondary School alumnus joined the Spartans as a coach for the 2015 season. Since then, he has not had much involvement in coaching. Until now.

Valcin is now an assistant coach (pole vault) at Clarke University, one of his alma mater’s former rivals, and in whose facility he holds the pole vault record. With the Clarke Pride, also based in Iowa, the 28-year-old will work under the leadership of Mason Tangen, head track and field coach.

Rick Valcin

Speaking to Valcin’s addition to his staff, here is what Coach Tangen had to say: “I hired Rick because of his experience. He brings a lot of technical experience to the table with pole vaulting, more than what any other coach could. His experience and success as an athlete has really translated into his coaching and he has been able to do some different drills and technical practices with our pole vaulters that they’ve really never been able to do. Right now we have three pole vaulters, one being our school record, national qualifying junior, the other two being freshmen.

“He has been able to tailor his coaching style to deal with the different technical capabilities of the three different vaulters. He brings a good and fair coaching style as well as passion for team and sport to our program. We’re lucky to have him a part of our staff and can’t wait to see what he does with our vaulters.”

Competition may be in the rearview mirror for young Valcin, but clearly, he still has a lot to give to track and field.

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(SNO) — Kicking off term 2 of the 2018-2019 academic year, Education District 2 (Castries) held a well organized and highly competitive table tennis tournament recently.

The aim of the tournament was to select four boys and four girls who will then be representing the district at the Inter-District Table Tennis Championships which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 30. 2019.

There were 36 competitors from Carmen Renee Memorial, Camille Henry Memorial, Morne Du Don Primary, Eucharist Lewis S.D.A Primary and Vide Bouteille Primary.

The boys’ championship saw Camille Henry dominating, as their athletes captured the first three spots. Morne Du Don Primary, through Denzel Phillips, secured the fourth spot. Shaynne Edgar competed unbeaten as he defeated last year’s champion, Alex Devaux, in a tightly contested match in the finals. Laviktwa Kenswil beat Phillips for third place.

It must be noted that the top three competitors are all grade 5 students.

The girls’ championships also saw Camille Henry securing the second, third and fourth spot on the district team. Eucharist Lewis S.D.A. Primary’s Teri-Ann Esperance dominated all her opponents — including Myra Antoine, Thea Bissette, and Grace Joseph — to retain her district title.

Last year, District 2 finished second in the national competition.

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(SNO) — The Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) has announced the imminent recommencement of the Elite Women’s Cricket Programme, sponsored by the Saint Lucia National Lotteries, this weekend at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground from 9 a.m., and the upcoming women’s domestic competition.

In 2018, women’s cricket in Saint Lucia saw the successful conclusion of the Alicia John Women’s Domestic league, the creation of the inaugural Windward Islands Women’s Tournament, Nerissa Crafton and Qiana Joseph making the Windwards team, and 14-year-old Zadia James named as a reserve.

The legacy of the ICC Women’s World T20 began with the implementation of an under-17 (U-17) schools district tournament prior to the global event. The Elite Women’s Programme commenced last year with both the theoretical and practical components of the programme being facilitated by local coaches and administrators.

A squad of 40 women, comprising participants in the U17 competition, along with selected senior women cricketers, will continue working under the guidance of SLNCA coaches. Players are expected to participate in the local association’s domestic competitions, as two separate teams, as well as represent their local districts.

The SLNCA women’s domestic season bowls off on February 2, 2019, with two U17 development teams (north and south) participating in the 2019 SLNCA Alicia John Women Domestic League, along with Gros Islet, Choiseul, South Castries, and Laborie.

The next few weeks will be characterized by intensive national training in preparation for the Windward Islands Women Cricket Tournament which is dated March 7-14, 2019 in Dominica, and the CWI Regional Women Tournament proposed to be hosted by the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) late March to April 2019.

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(JAMAICA OBSERVER) — With the idea of becoming a professional footballer appearing a pipe dream, Jamaica’s retired track superstar Usain Bolt says he is placing greater emphasis on cultivating business ventures.

During a press conference on Monday, Bolt committed $1 million support to Special Olympics Jamaica ahead of their participation at the World Games in United Arab Emirates in March, only the latest in a string of charity work undertaken by his foundation.

“Sports life is over so I’m moving into different businesses,” the 32-year-old told journalists in reference to life since retiring in 2017.

Inevitably, the 100-metre (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19) world record holder was questioned whether he has given up the pursuit of transitioning to a football career — a move he often spoke about, even before his athletics retirement, but one that seemingly went down the drain for good last year.

Though not providing detail, he admitted that the process could have been managed differently.

“I don’t want to say it wasn’t dealt with properly, but I think we didn’t go about it the way we should [have],” said Bolt, widely accepted as the greatest ever sprinter.

“We learned a lesson — you live and you learn, but for me it was a good experience. I really enjoyed it, just being in a team. It was much, much different from track and field,” he added.

Bolt had trained with multiple football clubs, with German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund the biggest among them. His greatest opportunity came with Australia’s A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners.

But that deal failed, with the multiple Olympic Games champion reportedly turning down the Mariners’ contract offer.

The Mariners had announced that, despite having been in discussions with potential commercial partners to help fund the deal, the club and Bolt had agreed one would not be struck.

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Alfred

(SNO) — Saint Lucia’s champion Julien Alfred has received a full scholarship from the University of Texas in Austin and began her academic career last weekend.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, in a Facebook post, wished Alfred all the best in her future endeavours.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Saint Lucia I wish her much continued success and want to remind her that the entire nation is rallying behind her,” Chastanet wrote.

She created history when she captured for Saint Lucia its first-ever Youth Olympic Games medal in Buenos Aires on October 15, 2018.

However, her victory was bittersweet as her aunt died days before her win.

The former Leon Hess Comprehensive and St. Catherine High School (Jamaica) student, a multiple national record holder, and the Commonwealth Youth Games women’s 100m champion, ran 11.23 seconds in the girls’ 100m finals at the Parque Polideportivo Roca.

She is the reigning Junior and Senior Sportswoman for 2017.

Julien attended the Ciceron Infant and Primary School, Leon Hess Comprehensive High School.

She holds multiple national records and is the Commonwealth Youth Games 2017 100 meters champion. That competition was held in the Bahamas.

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Allana Paul

(SNO) — Reigning GPAC and Hauff Mid-America Sports Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, Allana Paul, continued her strong start to her first-ever indoor track and field season, with two podium finishes at the Dennis Young Classic last weekend.

Paul was fresh off two first-place finishes and a second-place run at the Chelsey M. Henkenius Open the weekend prior. A freshman from Gros Islet, Paul hit two NAIA B qualifying marks (60 and 200 metres) ranking her in the top 20 of the NAIA in all three events she competed in.

This past weekend, she continued her debut indoor season with a win in the 60m, running 7.91 seconds in the final. This came after she had had the second-fastest run in the preliminaries. In the 600m, meanwhile, the former Castries Comprehensive School student ran 1:44.69 for second place.

Allana Paul

Paul is presently a student athlete at Briar Cliff University, whose track squads tallied eight top-three finishes at the Saturday meet in Storm Lake, Iowa. The Chargers topped the podium in three events. The Briar Cliff men’s and women’s teams both finished sixth in the team standings. Dordt claimed both the men’s and women’s titles.

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(SNO) — The Saint Lucia Squash Association will be marking the occasion of the nation’s 40th Anniversary of Independence with the staging of the Independence Squash Tournament on Sunday, February 17, 2019 at the Saint Lucia Yacht Club (SLYC).

This team-based tournament has long been a signature event for the local squash fraternity, with players being ranked and assigned prior to the commencement of proceedings.

This tournament is always interesting and exciting as players are allocated to represent their sponsored team and each participant competes in their sponsor’s t-shirt. Teams comprise players of mixed competitiveness levels and ages. Players win points for each game they win during their match to determine the winning team.

One of the outcomes of the event will be the selection of a team for the 2019 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Squash Tournament. Saint Lucia finished third in last year’s competition in St Vincent and the Grenadines, with Saint Lucia set to play hosts in 2020.

The Saint Lucia Yacht Club boasts two fully air-conditioned glass-backed squash courts with sprung floors and a viewing gallery. The SLYC has long been the home of the Saint Lucia Squash Association.

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Stephen Marcelle

(SNO) — A local tennis coach is developing his skills with a months-long course in the United Kingdom.

Stephen Marcelle, who operates Marcelle’s Tennis Academy in the south of Saint Lucia, and who has worked as a professional coach at Coconut Bay Resort in Vieux Fort, is presently in Exeter, England, where he is pursuing the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) Level 3 coaching qualification.

Marcelle has been coaching for over 40 years, and in 1989, he was trained at the Nick Bollieterri Tennis Academy. And now, with the LTA Level 3 course, he is expecting to be in an even better position to give back to the sport, and to help evolve the skills of young players in Saint Lucia.

Says Marcelle: “The course is quite in-depth and extensive. It is a very rich learning environment, with experienced instructors, and my colleague coaches also bring a wealth of knowledge to the table. So we are sharing and pooling our information, with a view to becoming better coaches.”

LTA Level Tennis 3 coaches in Exeter, UK — Stephen Marcelle

The Level 3 Coach Qualification is for people who want to work full time within the tennis coaching profession. On successful completion of the coach qualification, candidates will be able to coach beginners and improvers in groups and as individuals, understand the basics of business management, and understand the competitive structure in the UK. They will be able to manage the work of level 1 and 2 coaching assistants.

The course is over 14 days split into 4 modules of 3 days each and 2 assessment days, running until June of this year. There is a gap between modules to allow coaches to experience 27 hours of coaching on before moving through the course. Candidates must attend and pass all modules on the course to be successful.

Eligible candidates must hold the Level 2 Coaching Assistant Qualification, be LTA-registered, or have an enhanced DBS check, have (or have had) a rating of 6.1 or play-test-grade of 1 and hold a valid First Aid Certificate.

LTA is the National Governing Body for tennis in Great Britain, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

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