3 Gold Medals for Saint Lucia at OECS Champs

Led by 2012 Olympics qualifier Darvin Edwards, Team Saint Lucia picked up three titles at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Invitational Track & Field Championships this weekend at the Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium in Bird Rock, St Kitts-Nevis. The meet was contested on Sunday 10 June, and headlined by former World Champion, Kim Collins, the most decorated track and field athlete ever from the OECS. Kim won the men's 100m on his home turf, but the visitors from the Helen of the West were in charge in the field events in which they were entered.

Darvin, who holds the OECS record for men's High Jump and has made the A standard for participation in his event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, cleared 2.20m to take gold in Basseterre. Opening at 2.00m, the Bocage resident had first-time clearances on his first two heights, passed at 2.08m, then cleared on his first trials at 2.10m and 2.15m, with Brendan Williams of the Commonwealth of Dominica his only real competition. At 2.20m, Darvin had his first miss, but eventually went on to overcome the height and win the competition. 26 this year, he will now look to turn his attention further afield as he seeks higher levels of competition in preparation for London.

In women's Long Jump, Tanika Liburd of St Kitts-Nevis, would have been expected to mount a challenge for the title, but the 2007 Central American & Caribbean Championships medallist in that event was not entered in Basseterre, although she did run the 400m relay. Instead, Saint Lucia's Sandisha Antoine, who set a personal record for Long Jump just last month, cleared 5.95m on her first trial to take the OECS crown. Along the way, the Martinique-based 21-year-old surely solidified her contention for a spot on Saint Lucia's team to the North and Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation Under-23 Championships next month in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Saint Lucia's third OECS title went to Albert Reynolds in men's Javelin Throw. The 24-year-old from Babonneau flung the spear 71.55m on his fourth trial, though he had been leading from the opening round with a throw of 71.48m. The effort was well short of the 72.86m he turned in at February's Independence Invitational, but well ahead of the 66.45m from silver medallist Emron Gibbs of Grenada, and the 64.02m from Andre Basil of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Also representing Saint Lucia in Basseterre was sprinter Joel Jules, who clocked 21.56 seconds to finish fifth in the 200m (Lestrod Roland of St Kitts-Nevis stopped the timer at 20.95 to win) and 10.80 to end fourth in the B section of the 100m.