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31st January 2012
FIELD EVENTS TOP SLAA AWARDS
Anthony De Beauville

World ranked high jumper Levern Spencer presently in Germany preparing for the 2012 London Olympics heads a list of four elite athletes named by the St.Lucia Athletics Association on Saturday evening at the Palm Haven Hotel when that association held its annual sports awards for its sports personalities for 2011.
The four standouts – namely Junior male javelin thrower Denzel St.Marthe, Junior female high jumper Jeannelle Scheper, senior male high jumper Darvin Edward and senior female high jumper Levern Spencer dominated their event during the past season, were chosen by the technical committee of the SLAA.
Danzel St.Marthe is the reigning 2011 National Junior Track and Field Champion after having thrown 49.06 metres in the boys Javelin. At the 2011 Inter Secondary School Track and Field Championship he not only earned himself a gold medal but also earned the right to represent St Lucia at the 2011 Carifta Games. At the Carifta Games held in Jamaica St.Marthe made it on the medal podium after throwing 58.91 metres to win the silver medal in the boy’s javelin, he also earned the distinction of being the youngest athlete to hold a javelin record.
Jeannelle Scheper had a very impressive start to the 2011 track and field season. By the end of March she had already earned herself 3 gold medals in the ladies high jump. At the National Individual Championship she won herself the gold medal after clearing a height of 1.60 metres. Scheper also had the distinction of representing St Lucia regionally and at two International meets. Regionally, at the Carifta Games in Jamaica she secured her second consecutive bronze medal in the ladies High Jump. Scheper continues to maintain St Lucia’s ranking in the ladies High Jump. She won a total of 10 medals in 2011 and upon going to press she has qualified for the 2012 World Junior Championship in Athletics.
For Darvin Edwards one could not have asked for a better start to the 2011 track and field season than with a gold medal in the month of January after clearing 2.20 metres, he had not only earned for himself three other gold medals, but also two national high jump records after clearing heights of 2.27 metres and 2.28 metres respectively. Regionally, he was able to secure a podium finish at the Caribbean and Central America Championship in Puerto Rico. On the International circuit Edward made all St. Lucians proud when at the IAAF World Championships he cemented his position as one of the top twenty IAAF male athletes in the world after clearing 2.31 metres to not only establish another national record but also to be the leading qualifier in his heat. Edward went on to establish national high jump records three times in 2011 and in so doing will represent St.Lucia at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
 
 

Levern Spencer - This prolific high jumper continues to ensure that the St Lucian flag is being flown at almost every track and field meet that she competes in. In May after clearing a height of 1.94 metres she not only defeated two top world ranking athletes but also secured the gold medal. Regionally Spencer was able to continue her dominance in the ladies high jump when she secured once again the gold medal at the Caribbean and Central America Championship in Puerto Rico. Despite sustaining an injury at the Pan American Championship she was able to have a fantastic International Season by being the only female to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in Korea and the Olympic Games in London 2012.
Addressing the gathering was SLAA President Cornelius Breen who gave a synopsis of the associations achievements for 2011 when he said, “The St Lucia Athletics Association experienced numerous challenges in 2011, including a significant decrease in financial assistance from sponsors. However, the Association was able to rise above these challenges and deliver a quality product of sports that is expected by our affiliates.
In the year under review the executive decided to focus on the developmental aspect of the sport. In so doing we introduce the under 15 age group along with our regular Under -17 and Under - 20.That allowed persons in this category to compete with their peers and receive the necessary training that will enable them to move up to a higher age and competition bracket.
The SLAA also trained new coaches to assist in this development thrust. We believed that our role as Administrators is to prepare policy that will benefit the sport. With that in mind we formed the Event Management Council, which is charged with responsibility of managing the events planned by the association. The thing was, we needed to treat the sport as a business and let the administrators focus on the technical aspect of the sport.

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