Saint Lucia - Joint Windward Islands Secondary Schools Champions

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Saint Lucia emerged joint winners in this year’s Windward Islands Secondary School Championships after tying with Grenada on points.

This success is the first for Saint Lucia and according to Manager of the 40-member team, Theophilla Charles, there were some outstanding performances by the Saint Lucian athletes.

“La Verne (Spencer) captured gold in the high jump and she also set a new games record one – 1.84 metres.   (We won) gold in the one and the two (hundred metres) female with Jeneil Vitae from Soufriere, gold in the shot put by Sarah Alexander, gold and second place in the high jump male and also gold in the female javelin by Emma Jean Evans,” Charles said.

Minister for Education, Human Resource Development, Youth & Sports Honourable Mario Michel who was on hand to meet part of the team at the George F. L. Charles Airport on Saturday explains that a lot of emphasis has been placed on the development of school sports.    “That is the level where we have to start that real development of our sports and we at the ministry have been putting a lot of emphasis on that .  For us it’s a very proud moment when you have justified the efforts and resources that we have out into it by coming away as the winners of Windward Islands championship,”  Minister Michel said.   

During the July 25 to August 02 event held in Grenada, Saint Lucia won in the netball category for the first time, and according to Minister Michel this success speaks volumes for the efforts of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.  “Netball is an area a lot of work has been done in the past few years and again moments like this vindicate the efforts of your coach and the other people who are putting so much work in netball,” Mr. Michel ended.

The minister also commended the island’s Sportswoman of the Year La Verne Spencer for the new games record in high jump and the team for their cooperative spirit during the games.

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