WORLD ranked high jumper and current sportswoman for the Year Levern Spencer will lead the St. Lucia’s charge at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada. The championship which starts on Thursday will see Team St.Lucia compete in four sporting disciplines.
St. Lucia will compete as follows athletic: Athletics – Levern Spencer and Jeanelle Scheper, swimming – Jordan Augier, Sailing – Stephanie Lovell; Beach volleyball – Julian Biscette and Joseph Clercent. The team will be under the watchful eyes of Chef de Mission Joyce Huxley.
General secretary of the St.Lucia Olympic Committee Alfred Emmanuel spoke to The VOICE on Saturday about the composition of the team was slashed from its original quota. Emmanuel said, “We have lost some athletes along the way especially in track and field due to the whole process of trying to arrive at the final total of 680 participants for the championship and there is very little we can do at this point in time, but to accept the final decision by the games organizers despite our challenges”
He continued: “I have mentioned to all the athletes that when you go on the international stage you have to meet the qualifying mark. You have to go out and do your best so in the event we find ourselves in a situation like that in the future they will not be the ones on the losing end, but they would have qualified in such good standing that they would find themselves on the list no matter what the situation might be”.
Asked about his expectation s for Team St. Lucia? He said: “Pan Am is a qualifier for Olympics, we would be extremely happy if persons could go out and achieve the qualifying mark for the Rio Olympics next year and secondly, let’s see how many podium calls we can have at this championship”.
Other members of the team includes Sailing – Coach Beth Lygoe, Athletics – Coach Henry Bailey, Swimming – Coach Jamie Peterkin and Beach Volley – Coach Horay Ramos.