It was welcome home on Friday for St Lucian athletes, who competed at the CARIFTA Track and Field Championships in Jamaica and the CARIFTA Swimming Championships in Barbados.
In a brief but meaningful Recognition Ceremony inside the conference room at the NIC Building, officials which included Permanent Secretary, Department of Youth and Sports, Donovan Williams; his Deputy Permanent Secretary, Joanna Raynolds Arthurton; Director of Youth and Sports, Victor Reid; and President of the St Lucia Athletics Association, Cornelius Breen.
The track and field team came away with two silver and two bronze medals. Silver medals went to Denzil St Marthe (Under-17 Boys Javelin) and Marbeq Edgar (Under-17 Boys 1500 metres). Bronze medals came of Janelle Scheper (Under-20 high jump) and Shem Edward (Open Pole-vault).
Junior Sportswoman of the Year, Siona Huxley, was the lone medal winner among a group of swimmers who set national records and personal best times. Huxley though was the cream of the crop. She won gold in the girl’s 15-17 50 metre backstroke, setting a new CARIFTA record.
In her welcoming remarks, Arthurton reinstated the ministries commitment to youth development in sports and said: “While resources are not abundant, we have a number of programs to which we can render assistance to athletes and associations.”
She was referring to the Elite Athletes Program and Talent Identification Program which looks at the overall development of athletes.
While congratulating the medal winners, Breen told the non medal winners: “We urge you not to be disheartened at not winning a medal, but to use this as a platform to put in the required training, so the next time around you will be on the podium carrying the flag of
St Lucia.”
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