Sammy House held on to the title they captured in 2025, as the Saint Lucia Sports Academy (SLSA) held its 2026 Track Championships on January 29 at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Sammy House got 383 points, whilst former back-to-back winners Jean were second on 358, and Spencer third on 275.
Sammy was strongest in the Under-16 boys category, whilst Isabella Emilienne of Jean stood out in the open girls, and Giovanni John of Spencer in the Under-20 boys. Due to its small student population, SLSA only has one division for girls, and two for boys, compared to bigger schools with three categories for each sex. At least three of the school’s stronger athletes were also on national duty with the Under-17 girls’ football team.
Emilienne, a two-time CARIFTA athlete, did an unusual double, winning the 100m in 13.2 seconds and the 400m, her pet event, in 1:04.4. Spencer’s Lovelle Sonson, who claimed silver in the 100m, ran 27.3 to win the 200. 400m silver medallist Laila Nicholas of Spencer ran 2:54.5 for 800m gold. Cathy-Ann Lucien ran 6:05.8 to take the 1500m open for Jean. Jean also won the girls’ open 4x100m in 54.7 seconds, with Emilienne on anchor. Spencer was able to turn the tables in the 4x400m, finishing in 4:47.6 and just holding Jean off for gold.
Among the Under-20 boys, John won the 100m in 11.7 and the 200m in 25.2 for Spencer, whilst housemate Clint Dickson finished in 5:23.2 in the 1500m. Jake Roberts covered the 800m in 2:27.7 for Sammy, and the winning house also got a 400m win from Anthony Theophilus in 58.4 seconds. John led Spencer to a strong finish in the 4x100m, crossing in 48.9 ahead of Jean. Dickson’s 4×4 team did just enough to keep Sammy at bay, and 4:09.5 was the time for the triumphant Spencer team.
Sammy got six gold medals in the Under-16 class. Tai Joseph got them top spot in the 1500 (5:20.6) and 800 (2:39.4). Stephen Abbot gave Sammy victory in 57.6 seconds in the 400m, and Evan Gilbert in 25.6 seconds for the 200m. The only gold medal that eluded the grasp of the Sammy boys went to Leon Vidal, running 12.0 in the 100. Normal service was restored in the relays, however. Glenroy Bartlett combined with Abbot and Gilbert to lead Sammy to a clear win over Jean in the 4x100m, clocking 51.2 for gold. Bartlett, Abbot, and Joseph swept to victory by a huge margin in the mile relay, finishing in 4:16.6.
