Walters impresses in Germany as Grenadian athletes produce strong weekend

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, May 18, 2026 - It was a weekend of contrasting fortunes for Grenadian sportsmen and women across the Caribbean, the United States, and Europe.

Grenadian track and field athletes delivered outstanding performances in collegiate championships across the United States, combining for a total of nine medals — five gold, two silver, and two bronze — while also establishing two national records.

The performances were highlighted by impressive displays at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championships and several NCAA Division I Conference Championships.

Away from athletics, Grenada narrowly missed out on a podium finish at the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees of the Eastern Caribbean (ANOCES) Under-23 Men’s 3x3 Basketball Tournament in the British Virgin Islands.

Grenada lost 17-13 to the host nation in the bronze-medal match, while St Kitts & Nevis defeated St

Vincent & the Grenadines 20-15 to capture the gold medal.

Professional cyclist Red Walters also enjoyed an impressive weekend in Europe during competition at the Bahnen-Tournee Singen in Germany.

Walters finished second in the Men’s Elite Scratch race, third in both the Elimination and Omnium events, and fourth in the Points Race.

However, it was another disappointing outing for Grenada’s national football team, which suffered a 5-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly in Spain on Saturday.

The result continued a difficult run for the national side, which has now lost all four international matches played this year. Grenada previously suffered defeats to Jamaica (1-0), Rwanda (4-0), and Kenya (3-0).

At the NJCAA Championships in New Mexico, Suerena Alexander of South Plains College captured Grenada’s lone gold medal at that level after winning the Women’s Javelin Throw with a personal best and stadium record of 49.57 metres.

Jaylon Calder of Barton County Community College secured silver in the Men’s Discus Throw with a personal best of 53.72m, while Devonni Ferguson of Indian Hills Community College also claimed silver after placing second in the Men’s 400 metres in 46.41 seconds.

Among the NCAA Division I athletes, Jamora Alves of St John’s University produced one of the standout performances of the weekend after winning double gold at the Big East Championships in Connecticut.

Alves captured the Women’s Shot Put with a season’s best throw of 15.46m before returning to break her own Grenadian national record in the Women’s Discus Throw with a winning mark of 55.89m. Her efforts earned her the Most Outstanding Field Performer award.

Jamara Patterson of Louisiana Tech also struck gold at the Conference USA Championships in Tennessee after storming to victory in the Women’s 400 metres in a personal best and meet record time of 51.43 seconds. Patterson later added another gold medal after helping Louisiana Tech win the Women’s 4x400m relay.

At the Big Ten Championships in Nebraska, Nazzio John of Ohio State University clocked wind-aided times of 9.90 seconds in the Men’s 100 metres and 20.23 seconds in the Men’s 200 metres, finishing fourth in both events. He also secured a bronze medal in the Men’s 4x100m relay as the Buckeyes clocked 38.72 seconds.

Meanwhile, D’Angelo Brown of Indiana University established a new Grenadian national record in the Men’s 800 metres with a time of 1:47.69, surpassing the previous record of 1:48.28 held by Nathan Hood since 2022.

Several of Grenada’s collegiate athletes will now shift focus to the NCAA Division I East and West Preliminary Rounds later this month as they continue their quest for qualification to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Alves, Patterson and Alexander strike Gold as Grenadians deliver Big Performances

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, May 17, 2026 - Grenadian track and field athletes produced an outstanding series of performances across the United States this weekend, highlighted by five gold medals, two national records, and several personal best performances.

There were impressive results at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Track and Field Championships in New Mexico, as well as NCAA Division I Conference Championships in Connecticut, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Alabama.

At the NJCAA Championships, where several Grenadian athletes produced personal best performances, Suerena Alexander of South Plains College emerged as the lone gold medallist after capturing the Women’s Javelin Throw title with a new personal best and stadium record of 49.57 metres. She also placed fifth in the Shot Put with a best effort of 13.45m.

Devonni Ferguson of Indian Hills Community College secured Grenada’s first silver medal after finishing second in the Men’s 400 metres in 46.41 seconds. Ferguson had earlier produced a personal best of 45.77 seconds in the preliminary round.

Joshem Sylvester of South Plains College also registered a personal best of 46.16 seconds in the preliminary round before placing fifth in the final in 47.00 seconds.

Jaylon Calder of Barton County Community College collected another silver medal for Grenada after finishing runner-up in the Men’s Discus Throw with a personal best mark of 53.72m. His teammate, DeAndre Bristol, was fifth with a personal best throw of 49.48m.

Both Calder and Bristol also competed in the Shot Put and produced personal best performances. Calder was sixth with 16.29m, while Bristol finished 12th with 15.24m.

In the Men’s Javelin Throw, Rayvohn Telesford of South Plains College recorded a personal best of 62.41m to finish sixth. Bristol also competed in the event and placed 12th with another personal best of 51.69m.

Shaquane Toussaint of Monroe University also delivered strong performances in the Men’s 200 metres. He clocked a personal best 20.26 seconds in the preliminary round and later finished fifth in the final in 20.37 seconds.

Shantay Augustine of Iowa Western Community College finished sixth in the Women’s 100m Hurdles in a personal best time of 13.67 seconds. She also anchored her team to sixth place in the Women’s 4x100m relay in 46.47 seconds.

In NCAA Division I competition, Jamora Alves of St John’s University emerged as one of the standout performers of the weekend after capturing double gold at the Big East Championships in Connecticut to secure the Most Outstanding Field Performer award.

Alves won the Women’s Shot Put with a season’s best throw of 15.46m before returning on Saturday to break her own Grenadian national record in the Women’s Discus Throw with a winning mark of 55.89m.

Her performances secured qualification to the 2026 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round scheduled for May 27-30 in Lexington, Kentucky.

At the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championships in Alabama, Kelsie Murrell-Ross of the University of Georgia placed third in the Women’s Shot Put with 18.02m.

Jamara Patterson of Louisiana Tech continued her impressive season at the Conference USA (CUSA) Championships in Tennessee. After clocking 52.56 seconds in the Women’s 400m preliminary round on Thursday, Patterson returned on Saturday to win the title in a personal best and meet record time of 51.43 seconds.

She later secured a second gold medal after running the second leg on Louisiana Tech’s victorious Women’s 4x400m relay team.

At the Big Ten Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, Nazzio John of Ohio State University registered fast sprint times in wind-aided conditions.

John finished fourth in the Men’s 100 metres in 9.90 seconds (5.6 m/s) and later placed fourth in the Men’s 200 metres in 20.23 seconds (7.5 m/s). He also secured a bronze medal in the Men’s 4x100m relay as the Buckeyes clocked 38.72 seconds.

This marked the second sub-10-second performance of John’s collegiate career. In 2023, while competing for Butler Community College, he ran a wind-aided 9.96 seconds (4.3 m/s) at the Region VI Championships in Kansas.

Meanwhile, at the same championships in Nebraska, D’Angelo Brown of Indiana University established a new Grenadian national record in the Men’s 800 metres with a time of 1:47.69, surpassing the previous record of 1:48.28 held by Nathan Hood since 2022.

Several Grenadian athletes will now turn their attention to the NCAA Division I East and West Preliminary Rounds scheduled for May 27-30 in Lexington, Kentucky, and Fayetteville, Arkansas, respectively.

Walters continues strong international form with podium finish in Czech Republic

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, May 10, 2026 - Grenadian professional cyclist Red Walters continued his impressive run on the international cycling circuit this weekend with another podium finish during competition at the GP Framar in Prague, Czech Republic.

Competing against a strong international field at the Prague Velodrome, Walters secured third place in the Men’s Elite Scratch race on Saturday and narrowly missed another podium finish after placing fourth in the Elite Points Race.

In the 30-lap Elite Scratch event, Walters finished behind Switzerland’s Alex Vogel and Argentina’s Mateo Duque Cano in a highly competitive contest featuring several European and world champions.

The Grenadian rider also produced a commendable performance in the Elite Points Race, finishing fourth behind Germany’s Moritz Augenstein, Ireland’s Kieran Riley, and Poland’s Dominik Ratajczak.

Walters’ busy weekend also included participation in the demanding Omnium event, where he finished seventh on Friday and improved to fourth on Sunday. The Omnium, often described as the “decathlon on wheels,” tests riders across multiple disciplines, including the scratch race, tempo race, elimination race, and points race.

The performances continue a strong season for Walters, who has consistently represented Grenada on the international stage while competing against some of the world’s top professional cyclists.

No host yet for CARIFTA Games 2027 as NACAC awaits Government guarantees

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, May 9, 2026 - The host nation for the 2027 CARIFTA Games remains undecided as NACAC continues to await formal government guarantees from the two countries interested in staging the region’s premier junior athletics championships.

President of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), Mike Sands, provided the update during a brief appearance on the latest edition of TalkSports on Saturday, explaining that both Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago had expressed interest in hosting the 2027 Games, but neither federation has yet secured the required letter of guarantee from its government.

Speaking while in transit, Sands first praised Grenada for what he described as one of the most exciting editions of the CARIFTA Games in recent history after the country stepped in to host the 2026 championships.

“I again say thank you to the government and the people of Grenada for stepping up to the plate and making the CARIFTA Games one of the most exciting CARIFTA Games ever,” Sands said. “CARIFTA is our foundation, and we have to continue to build on that foundation if we want our programmes to progress throughout the region.”

He also highlighted the increasing competitiveness across the region, noting that more member federations earned medals at the 2026 Games, including smaller territories.

“At the end of the day, even the smaller ones medalling says a lot about the work that the coaches are doing with their programmes,” he added.

Sands explained that following discussions at the NACAC Congress, member federations interested in hosting the 2027 Games were asked to submit bids accompanied by letters of guarantee from their governments.

However, despite an initial target to announce the host by the end of April, the process has been delayed.

“The deadline has passed and gone,” Sands revealed. “Neither of the member federations has been able to secure the letter at this time. We understand from both that it’s under consideration or with the cabinets, and we all know how our central governments work.”

While admitting to being “a little disappointed,” Sands stressed that he remains confident a decision will soon be made.

“Hopefully this week it will come through, and we’ll be able to make the official announcement based on our discussions with our council members and what is on offer from the respective member federations,” he stated.

Asked whether there would still be enough time for the eventual host to organise the Games, Sands expressed no concern, pointing out that both countries have previous experience staging CARIFTA.

“The answer to your question is yes,” he said. “I am not in the least concerned. They both have experience in doing it, so it’s not something new to our member federations.”

He noted that NACAC has adopted a more hands-on approach in supporting host nations.

“We have committed ourselves as a NACAC Council to be much more involved as opposed to just giving the event to the member federation,” Sands explained. “We stay very close to them. We have weekly meetings and information sessions to provide guidance, support, manpower, and whatever assistance we can lend to the local organising committee.”

Sands also used the opportunity to raise broader concerns about the growing challenges of sports financing and sponsorship across the region and internationally.

“We have to look outside the box when we’re doing these things because sponsorship is not easy to come by,” he said. “It’s not just for track and field or CARIFTA; it’s worldwide. We have to start thinking a little differently.”

During the exchange, TalkSports host Michael Bascombe reiterated Grenada’s strong connection to the championships, describing the island as “the spiritual home of the CARIFTA Games,” especially after its successful hosting of the 2026 edition at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium.

Electoral Reforms and Good Governance in Grenadian Sports

by Michael Bascombe

Another election season in Grenadian sports has come and gone, and once again, questions have surfaced about governance, transparency, and the credibility of electoral systems within some sporting organisations.

The latest discussions surrounding the elections of the Grenada Football Association (GFA) should serve as a wake-up call for sporting bodies across the country. While congratulations are certainly in order to Marlon Glean and his team on being returned unopposed for a second term at the helm of the association, the circumstances leading up to the elections also highlighted the urgent need for stronger electoral systems and governance reforms within sport.

There is absolutely no reason why disputes within sporting organisations should consistently end up requiring legal intervention or public controversy. Elections should be clear, transparent, credible, and guided by constitutions that are modern, properly interpreted, and understood by all stakeholders.

Time after time, allegations emerge whenever elections are due, concerning voter eligibility, club representation, constitutional interpretation, membership status, or the fairness of the process. Recommendations are often made afterwards, but very little changes.

One of the major challenges is that many sporting organisations in Grenada still lack strong and functional club structures. In some instances, clubs are inactive except during election periods. Without vibrant year-round club participation, there is little pressure for accountability, reform, or constitutional modernisation.

The issue is not isolated to football alone. Over the years, there have also been lingering concerns and tensions involving veteran sports administrator George “Goatie” Robinson and the Grenada Olympic Committee (GOC).

Robinson, who previously served on the GOC executive between 1984 and 1994, has maintained a long-standing and adversarial relationship with the organisation’s leadership. In recent years, he has openly challenged aspects of the committee’s governance structure and constitutional operations, even calling for restructuring within the organisation due to what he alleges are constitutional breaches.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Robinson’s position, the broader issue remains relevant. When experienced administrators, former executives, athletes, clubs, or stakeholders consistently raise governance concerns, sporting organisations should not simply dismiss them as personal disagreements or political rivalry. Such concerns should encourage dialogue, constitutional review, and greater transparency.

Good governance in sports is not simply about elections. It is about protecting the integrity and future of organisations that are responsible for developing athletes, managing public funds, attracting sponsors, and representing Grenada regionally and internationally.

Strong governance creates confidence among athletes, coaches, sponsors, parents, supporters, and international partners. Sponsors are more willing to invest when organisations are stable and transparent. Athletes feel more secure when selection policies, disciplinary procedures, and developmental programmes are clearly established and fairly administered.

Good governance also reduces internal conflicts that often divide sporting disciplines and distract from athlete development. Far too often in the Caribbean, valuable energy is spent on administrative disputes instead of building programmes, improving facilities, and supporting athletes.

Sporting organisations must understand that they are no longer simply community clubs operating informally. Modern sport is now deeply connected to business, tourism, youth development, education, broadcasting, and national identity. That requires professionalism.

There must be regular constitutional reviews, clear electoral guidelines, independent electoral committees where necessary, proper membership records, financial transparency, and stronger communication with stakeholders.

Sporting bodies should place greater emphasis on succession planning and leadership development. Healthy organisations should encourage participation, fresh ideas, and healthy competition for leadership positions, not confusion, division, or uncertainty whenever elections arise.

Grenada has made significant progress in sports over the years, from athletics to football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, swimming, and other disciplines. However, if the administrative structures are weak, the overall development of sport will eventually suffer.

Perhaps the time has come for a broader national discussion involving sporting organisations, the Ministry of Sports, the GOC, legal minds, and governance experts on establishing minimum governance standards for national sporting associations.

Because in the end, good governance is not only about who wins elections. It is about protecting the future of Grenadian sport.