Saturday, September 27, 2025

Boldon Urges Kirani James to Look Toward Leadership in Global Athletics

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, September 27, 2025 - NBC Track and Field analyst and four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has called on Grenada’s Sir Kirani James to consider channelling his influence and legacy into leadership roles within world athletics once his competitive career concludes.
Speaking on the weekly TalkSports programme on Saturday, Boldon reflected on James’ showing at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo—where the three-time Olympic medallist failed to reach the men’s 400 metres final—and admitted he was surprised.
“Well, imagine my—I don’t want to say horror—but imagine my shock when Kirani did not make the final in Tokyo. That for me was like, wow,” Boldon said. “I was there in Grenada after he won the world title, and oh my gosh, every conversation with every Grenadian was Kirani and the world record. I remember thinking, he has won your first world title, he probably has a really good chance to win in London next year, but stop with the world record pressure.”
Despite the setback, Boldon insisted that James still appeared capable of medaling this year. However, he emphasised that the decision to step away from competition is a personal one.
“When Kirani’s time comes, whether it is sooner or later, and I believe that’s a very personal decision… I know he is one of the most beloved people in our sport,” Boldon explained. “I know he’s a man of great principle, and I know he is somebody whom a lot of people have admiration and respect for.”
According to Boldon, James’ global reputation extends far beyond Grenada’s borders.

“I know people who could not point to Grenada on a map, but because of the sort of example and bright light that Kirani has been for so long for the Spice Island, they would follow anything with Grenada because of Kirani,” Boldon said.
For Boldon, that influence makes James an ideal candidate to take up leadership in world sport.
“I think Kirani needs to translate that into seeking some sort of high office in the IOC or in World Athletics. Because I think he is the kind of person that a lot of people—who might disagree on other things—they could agree on Kirani. And I, for one, would vote for Kirani for anything he wanted to do in a leadership role in our sport.”
Drawing a comparison, Boldon recalled how former New Zealand shot put star Valerie Adams successfully transitioned into public sporting leadership. He believes James is cut from the same cloth.
“I would encourage Kirani to go in that direction,” Boldon concluded.

Friday, September 26, 2025

Walters to Fly Grenada’s Flag at Cycling Worlds in Kigali

by Michael Bascombe

KIGALI, Rwanda, September 26, 2025 — Grenada’s Red Walters, a UK-based professional cyclist and Pan-American Continental Championships silver medallist, will line up among the world’s best on Sunday when he competes in the Men’s Elite Road Race at the 2025 UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Kigali.
Walters, Grenada’s only professional cyclist, continues to carry the nation’s flag on the global stage. He will join two other Caribbean riders — Briton John of Guyana and Jyven Gonzalez of Belize — in the gruelling 267.5-kilometre (166-mile) event, which starts at 3:45 a.m. Eastern Time and features a peloton of 164 riders.
The 26-year-old Grenadian already tested the course in last Sunday’s Men’s Elite Individual Time Trial,
finishing 32nd with a time of 59 minutes, 52.98 seconds in a field of 54 competitors. John placed 39th
in 1:05:32.40, while Gonzalez focused his preparations on Sunday’s road race.
Walters, who has steadily built a reputation in Europe’s cycling circuits, is aiming to further stamp Grenada’s presence on the international scene in Kigali — a historic first for Africa as host of the UCI Road World Championships.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

Grenada’s Lindon Victor Forced to Retire from Decathlon at World Championships

by Michael Bascombe

TOKYO, Japan, September 21, 2025 – Grenada’s hopes at the World Athletics Championships came to an early end on Sunday when Lindon Victor, the nation’s only remaining competitor, was forced to withdraw from the Men’s Decathlon due to injury.
The Olympic and World bronze medallist had positioned himself well for a potential medal push. Earlier in the competition, Victor produced a strong performance in the Shot Put, finishing second with a throw of 52.34 metres that earned him 919 points. That effort propelled him into sixth place overall with just two events left — the Javelin Throw, his strongest discipline, and the 1500 metres.
With his reputation for dominating the Javelin, Victor still had a realistic shot at climbing into the medal standings. However, while contesting the Pole Vault, he suffered an injury that forced him to retire from the competition to avoid further aggravation. He concluded his campaign with 5,930 points.
At the top of the standings heading into the final stretch are Kyle Garland of the United States, Leo Neugebauer of Germany, and Ayden Owens-Delerme of Puerto Rico. Notably, two of the pre-championship favourites — Canada’s Pierce LePage, the defending World Champion, and silver medallist Damian Warner — were also sidelined by injury, highlighting the physically demanding nature of the ten-event competition.
Grenada leaves Tokyo with one podium finish: Anderson Peters, who secured silver in the Men’s Javelin Throw. Veteran sprinter Sir Kirani James reached the semi-final stage of the Men’s 400m, while Kelsie Murrell-Ross concluded her campaign with a 35th-place finish in the Women’s Shot Put.
PHOTO CREDITS: Haron Forteau Media

Friday, September 19, 2025

Walcott vs Peters – A Caribbean Javelin Rivalry Reignited in Tokyo

Commentary by Michael Bascombe

The men’s javelin final at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships once again highlighted the Caribbean’s remarkable presence in a field traditionally dominated by Europe. Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago claimed a historic gold medal, edging past Grenada’s Anderson Peters, who secured silver, with American Curtis Thompson completing the podium.
This was no ordinary showdown—it was the latest chapter in a rivalry that had been years in the making. Walcott and Peters are not strangers to each other. Both men honed their craft in the crucible of regional competition, rising through the ranks of the CARIFTA Games. Walcott captured four consecutive CARIFTA titles between 2009 and 2012, setting the stage for his meteoric rise that culminated in Olympic gold at the London 2012 Games. That same year, he also swept the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships and the World Junior Championships, underlining his prodigious talent.
When Walcott stood atop the Olympic podium in 2012, Peters was just beginning his CARIFTA journey. The Grenadian prodigy went on to win five straight titles across the Under-17, Under-18, and Under-20 divisions, carving out his own reputation as a future star. Their careers have since intertwined—two javelin greats from small Caribbean nations who continue to defy expectations on the world stage.
Walcott’s Tokyo triumph is the crowning moment of persistence. Despite his Olympic success, he had often struggled at the World Championships, failing to advance past qualification in four of his last five appearances. His perseverance paid off this year, with a career-best performance in his sixth attempt at the global stage.
For Peters, the silver medal in Tokyo was less a setback than a reminder of his extraordinary consistency. After a difficult 2017 season, he regrouped and built an enviable résumé, highlighted by a Commonwealth Games bronze (2018), CAC silver (2018), NACAC and Pan American titles, back-to-back world championships, Diamond League victories, and an Olympic bronze in Paris 2024.
The balance sheet of achievements tells its own story. Walcott now owns both Olympic and World Championship gold medals, as well as an Olympic bronze. Peters counters with two World Championship titles and an Olympic bronze. Together, they have elevated the Caribbean to unprecedented heights in a technical event that requires not only strength but also precision and mental fortitude.
Thursday’s final in Tokyo was more than a medal ceremony—it was a celebration of resilience, rivalry, and regional pride. Walcott’s resurgence and Peters’ sustained excellence prove that the Caribbean continues to produce world-class talent capable of competing with, and conquering, the best in the world.
In the end, whether it is Trinidad and Tobago’s Walcott or Grenada’s Peters, both men have etched their names in athletics history. More importantly, they have inspired a generation across the region to believe that no stage is too big, no discipline too specialised, for Caribbean excellence to shine.

Coach Phillip Urges Greater Support for Technical Events in Athletics

by Michael Bascombe

TOKYO, Japan, September 19, 2025 — As Grenada’s athletes continue their campaign at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, the country’s most decorated coach, Paul Phillip, is renewing his call for increased investment in technical disciplines, stressing that sustained success requires greater financial commitment.
Phillip, mentor of two-time Javelin World Champion and Tokyo 2025 silver medallist Anderson Peters, explained that athletes in technical events such as the javelin, shot put, and decathlon face significantly higher costs than those in track races.
“The expenses, as I explained earlier, are more for those technical events,” Phillip said in an interview with GrenadaSports in Tokyo. “A decathlete has ten events that he must provide equipment for and spend more time preparing, yet there are fewer funds being allocated because of the event’s popularity.”
He emphasised that without adequate support, Grenada’s ability to consistently compete among the world’s best could be undermined.
“That is why I am explaining that those athletes need more support to continue in the events and meet our mission,” Phillip noted. “I hope that sheds some light on the importance of financial support for those athletes.”
Grenada’s campaign in Tokyo highlights both the promise and the challenges of competing at the highest level. Alongside Peters’ silver medal in the javelin, attention now turns to Kelsie Murrell-Ross, who takes on the Women’s Shot Put on Saturday, and Lindon Victor, who begins his gruelling Men’s Decathlon on Saturday and Sunday. Both events represent technical disciplines where the costs of preparation, training, and equipment are considerable.
Earlier this week, Grenada’s most celebrated athlete, Sir Kirani James, made his seventh appearance at a World Championships when he competed in the Men’s 400 metres. Despite a valiant effort, the 2012 Olympic champion did not advance to the final. His participation, however, demonstrated Grenada’s enduring presence on the global stage of athletics.
Phillip pointed to these examples as proof that Grenada continues to produce talent across multiple disciplines, but warned that the athletes’ futures depend heavily on sustainable investment.
“Grenada has the talent,” Phillip concluded. “What we need now is the commitment to support those athletes so they can keep bringing pride to the nation.”
Coach Phillip will share more insights as a special guest on the TalkSports programme this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
PHOTO CREDITS: Haron Forteau Media