A thirteen member team and three officials left the island yesterday under the St.Lucia Athletics Association banner to participate in the inaugural Caribbean Under – 16 Games in Forte De France, Martinique starting today.
The event is the brainchild of the Ligue de Martinique d’Athletisme which is the governing body for athletics in the French island.
Athletes from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, USA, Curacao, Guyana, Dominica, St. Martin, Barbados, Trinidad and host Martinique will participate.
St.Lucia Athletics Association’s Treasure Cornelius Breen said with the exception of Desray who recently participated at CARIFTA Games in Grenada, and Antonio Maynard, Sanjay Jean and Tyler Toussaint who has represented St.Lucia at the Caribbean and Central America Age Group Championships, it will be the first for the remaining athletes representing the island.
Breen said, “ The objective for SLAA attending these games is to expose our athletes to regional competition in preparation for our participation in the Commonwealth Youth Games 2017 in the Bahamas and the 46th CARIFTA Games 2017 as all the athletes selected will be eligible for these games”.
Leading St. Lucia’s charge over in Martinique will be Desray Desir, who will compete in the – 100m and 4x100m Relay. She will have alongside side her Zoe Dorville – 100m, 200m 4x100m relay, Lizzie Alexander 200m, 4x100m relay, ThomykaValcent – 400m, 1000m, Andrea Gittens – 1000m, Aaliyah Estephor – Long Jump and Nysa Pierre – 400m.
In the boys category – Antonio Maynard will do battle in the long jump, high jump 4x100m relay, Tyler Toussaint – 100m, Sanjay Jean – 200m, 400, 4x100m relay, JlanDantes – 100m, 200m, 4x100m, Garvin Inglis – 1000m and JayeedNorbal -1000m.