Neah Mortley and Aiden Biscette were among the first track gold medallists at the 2026 Island Champs. They won the 1000m and 1200m finals on Wednesday, March 18, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Titles in the 1500m were also decided in four divisions – under-16 boys, under-16 girls, open boys and open girls. Semifinals in sprint events were run ahead of Sunday’s grand finale at the same venue.
Competing for Leon Hess Comprehensive, Mortley clocked 3:37.8 to edge Hailey Charles of Vieux Fort Comprehensive in the Under-14 girls’ 1000m. Biscette of Saint Lucia Sports Academy responded with a 4:01.6 run in the 1200m boys, beating out Railey Thomas of Corinth Secondary.
In the Under-16 division, Aniyah George won the 1500m for St Joseph’s Convent in 5:46.8. Schoolmate Leneese Robinson claimed the Under-18 girls’ title in 6:00.2. McKayla Olivier led Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in the Under-20 women’s 1500m, clocking 5:54.6.
Jaelen McDonald ran 4:53.7 to win the Under-16 boys’ 1500m for St Mary’s College. Soufriere Comprehensive’s Chaz Alexander, still undefeated over the distance, clocked 4:40.4 in the same division. Taking the win in the Under-20 boys’ 1500m, SALCC’s Omarion Edwin finished in 4:44.6.
Defending boys’ champions SMC will dominate the finals. Back-to-back girls’ title holders SJC, 2024 boys’ winners VFCSS, SCSS, and SLSA will also contend.
An epic confrontation is brewing in the Under-18 girls’ 100m finals, between Barbara-Marie Maximin of Beanefield Comprehensive, who ran 12.4 in the semis, and Destinee Cenac of SJC, who was next-fastest in that round. Maximin led the 200m with a 26.9 run, ahead of what should be an exciting final. Ackaiha Weeks ran 1:02 to lead the 400m for Leon Hess Comprehensive.
Dominating the Under-16 girls’ 100m and 200m, Mylee Chaddie of Micoud Secondary clocked 12.5 and 26.8 seconds in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Aria Andrew turned in a 1:02.5 to top the 400m as the faster of two SLSA runners.
Skai Sammy of SJC led the eight athletes advancing to the Under-14 girls’ 80m final, running 10.8 seconds. Sammy was second-fastest in the 150m, finishing behind Merkisha St Catherine of Choiseul Secondary’s 20.4 run. Aminta Didier of SCSS ran 47.7 to edge out Jenniah Albert of SJC in the 300m.
Jermario Actille of Beanefield won his heats in the Under-18 boys’ 100m and 200m, but Curtis Auguste of the Anse Ger TVET Institute had leading times of 10.8 and 22.7 to set the tone. Elijah Isidor of VFCSS ran 52.0 seconds for the 400m.
Four Under-16 boys are the ones to watch: Renard Bernard, Randall Monroe, Armani Phillips and Leonel Mathurin. VFCSS’s Bernard led the 100m in 11.6, just ahead of Phillips from Sir Ira Simmons Secondary. SLSA’s Monroe topped the 200m with a 23.50, besting Phillips and Mathurin from VFCSS. Already boasting long jump and high jump titles, Monroe also posted 52.8 in the 400m to lead Mathurin.
In the Under-14 boys, Kerfann Alexander, Nasri Edwin, Jesse Joseph, and Christiano Nestor form a competitive field. Alexander of Micoud Secondary leads the 80m with a time of 10 seconds flat, followed by Edwin of VFCSS and Joseph of LHCSS. Edwin set the pace in the 150m with an 18.5-second run, finishing ahead of Alexander, Joseph, and long jump winner Nestor of Choiseul. Meanwhile, in the 300m, a 42.8-second dash from Evan Sankar of SMC marks him as the runner to beat.
