Two Castries primary schools kicked off sports activities for Term 2, with a joint track meet at Mindoo Phillip Park on Thursday, January 22. Gordon and Walcott Memorial Methodist School (GWMMS) and Morne Du Don Government Primary School (MDDGPS) combined forces for an exciting showcase of athletic talent.
With just two houses, the battle for supremacy was fierce and close at GWMMS. When the dust settled, Williams had prevailed with 417 points, just 29 clear of George. Hibiscus, meanwhile, returned to MDDGPS with bragging rights, securing 362 points for victory. Flamboyant were second on 321, Rose third with 313, and Marguerite fourth at 283.
Kadyn Louis of Williams House was the top Under-9 athlete for GWMMS, winning the 150m (26.0 seconds) and 60m (10.6). Kitai Noel of George dominated the Under-11 category, sweeping the 300m (55.6) and 600m (2:18.2). And George’s Rohanus Alexander was the top Under-13 boy, with gold in the 300m (52.9) and 600m (2:09.7).
Among the girls, Kissana Paul of Williams topped the medal rostrum in both the Under-9 60m (10.2) and 150m (26.4). Her housemate, Laila Clifton, got three first-place finishes, in the 80m (13.0), 150m (25.3), and 300m (1:04.9). Oriana Simon captured the 80m (12.2) and 150m (23.5) in the Under-13 division for George.
For MDDGPS, Flamboyant’s Chad Henry was the outstanding Under-9 boy, winning both the 60m (10.3) and 150m (26.7). Travonte St Juste took the Under-11 crown for Hibiscus with 80m (12.2) and 150m (23.8) gold, and a second-place finish (2:23.0) in the 600m. Lyndon Callendar got four medals, including first in the 600m (2:14.5) and 1200m (4:56.3) Under-13, second in the 150m (25.3), and third in the 300m (58.7) for Flamboyant.
Rose figured prominently among the leading girls, with wins in the Under-9 and Under-11 classes. Kate Clarke copped the U9 title behind her 60m (10.6) and 150m (27.1) wins. Shian Benjamin was Under-11 victrix ludorum, winning the 300m (1:05.0) and 600m(2:35.9), and ending third (14.1) in the 80m. Marguerite’s Tennisa Polius got U13 600m (2:19.4) and 1000m (4:16.6) gold, and 80m (12.0) and 150m silver (23.2).
GWMMS was unable to have a meet in 2025. Physical education teacher Tori Hippolyte told St. Lucia Times he was pleased to see the kids returning to competition, noting that they were heartbroken last year, having trained hard only to discover that the facility was unavailable.
“I think the sports is a really good thing for the athletes and the young children nowadays,” said Hippolyte. “Because if we look around, if we look at society and what’s going on around us, the children barely have anything to distract them, to get them engaged in a good activity, a good after-school programme.
“So having our sports meet there, I think it really motivates them. It gives them something they can put their hand up and say I have something I can be proud about, I have something I can do. I may not get 90 per cent in math and 100 per cent in English like the others, but I got a gold medal, and I am doing well in sports.”
