Eight athletes have qualified to represent Saint Lucia at next month’s NACAC Age Group Championships. The elite eight emerged from a competitive field of nearly 40 athletes at last weekend’s qualifying event at the Soufriere Stadium, with only the top two in each category securing their spots for the regional finals in Nicaragua. There, they will compete for the chance to establish themselves as the most versatile young athletes in the region.
Organised under the auspices of the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), the Age Group Championships, a multi-event competition for athletes under 15 and under 13, have played a pivotal role in the development of stars like Olympic champion Julien Alfred and double CARIFTA gold medalist Jady Emmanuel.
The Saint Lucian delegation, set to travel to Nicaragua on July 5 and 6, includes:
- Under-15 Boys Heptathlon: Randall Monroe (Saint Lucia Sports Academy) and Armani Phillips (Sprint Tech)
- Under-15 Girls Heptathlon: Lovelle Sonson and Aria Andrew (Saint Lucia Sports Academy)
- Under-13 Girls Pentathlon: Kurtege Alfred (Choiseul) and Asia Flood (Abilene Wildcats)
- Under-13 Boys Pentathlon: Christiano Nestor (Choiseul Athletics) and Israel Evans (Survivors)
Heptathlon Highlights
Under-15 Boys:
Monroe started cautiously, placing fourth in the 80m dash (just behind Phillips) but rebounded with a 12m+ shot put and a dominant 1.82m high jump, 15cm clear of his nearest rival. On Day 2, he blazed through the 80m hurdles in 12.15 seconds, while Phillips recovered from an early stumble to finish second (12.60s). Though losing ground in the ball throw, they excelled in the long jump, with Monroe leaping 6.28m and Phillips 5.72m. Monroe sealed his victory with a commanding 1200m win (3:59.67), finishing with 4 939 points, the only athlete to break 4 500, as Phillips took second with 4 545.
Under-15 Girls:
Sonson and Andrew began mid-pack in the 80m dash but surged ahead in the high jump (Sonson winning at 1.45m) and shot put (Andrew leading with 7.36m). They dominated Day 2, sweeping the 60m hurdles (10.69s and 11.18s) and long jump (4.35m and 4.02m). Andrew’s 1000m win (3:44.17) wasn’t enough to overtake Sonson, who claimed the overall title with 3 136 points to Andrew’s 3 099.
Pentathlon Standouts
- Under-13 Girls: Kurtege Alfred (2 242 points) won the 60m dash and ball throw, while Asia Flood (2 085) took second.
- Under-13 Boys: Christiano Nestor (2 605 points) edged Israel Evans (2 512) with wins in the ball throw and long jump, though Evans claimed the 60m dash and 1000m.
Relay Victories
Soufriere Athletics dominated the younger divisions, winning the U-9 4x75m and U-11/U-13 4x300m relays. Morne Stars took the U-13 4x100m, while Saint Lucia Sports Academy (U-15 4x100m) and SprintTech (U-15 4x300m) rounded out the triumphs.
A heartwarming addition was the Special Olympics 100m, won by Kimani Tal of the Vieux Fort Special Education Centre ahead of competitors from the Lady Gordon Opportunity Centre and Dunnottar School.
