TRACK and Field heads the Saint Lucia contingent for next month’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by Commonwealth Games Saint Lucia at Olympic House in La Clery.
Saint Lucia’s athletes will compete in the Gold Coast across three disciplines: track and field, boxing and swimming.
Levern Spencer multi-sportswoman of the year, who won bronze in the high jump in Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014, will spearhead Saint Lucia’s challenge at the Games, which takes place from 4 to 15 April 2018, while compatriot JeanelleScheper, the local high jumper who finished 4th in Glasgow, will be seeking for a podium finish this time around.
Other members of the track and field squad include: Nick Joseph, 100 metres and 4×100 metres; MarvricPamphille 400 metres and 4×100 metres; Stephen Charles 100 metres and 4×100 metres; Michael James 800 metres; Jonathan Celestin 200 metres and 4×100 metres; and current senior male athlete of the year Albert Reynolds in the Javelin event.
This is Reynolds second CWG; he threw 69.10 metres in Glasgow 2014.
Swimmer and senior nominee for sportswoman of the year Katie Kyle, along with Jean Luc- Zephir, will both compete in the 50 metres fly and 100 metre freestyle events.
The three boxers, who recently returned to Saint Lucia from an eight week preparation boxing camp in Trinidad and Tobago, are set for a podium finish. Junior boxer of the year Nathan Ferrari will compete in the 64kg, Marvin Anthony in the 75 kg and senior boxer of the year Lyndell Marcellin will battle it out in the 69 kg.
While in the Gold Coast, the team will be under the watchful eyes of Chef de Mission Trevor Hunte, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer of the Commonwealth Games Saint Lucia and 1st Vice President Lyndon Cooper who will serve as Team Manager for the Games.
Also travelling to the Gold Coast – Coaches Henry Bailey and Titus Elien for Track and Field, David Peterkin – swimming, and Conrad Fredericks – Boxing.
SLOC President Fortuna Belrose said, “We are quite elated to be able to present a team for Saint Lucia, a number of athletes are overseas and some of them are here. What we want to do is celebrate these associations who have been making an effort to ensure that their athletes continue to prepare.
“Earlier the SLOC made another financial commitment to the development of sport and in a short time we continue to give and support our athletes across the country and across the world, so it’s very important for us to go out there this year and continue to create that impression that we are an organized country and we are prepared to deliver good when the times comes.”
Belrose called on the athletes to give of their best.
She said, “Based on what we have seen we have persons who have met the standards that have been set. We believe in the young people we have in the country and we must go out and perform”.
