One of the athletes that will be representing St Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten National Athletics Federation announced on Saturday that the community has already raised $10,000, covering more than half of the $17,400 needed to send the island’s athletics athletes and officials to the 53rd CARIFTA Games in Grenada from April 4–6, 2026.
On Thursday, The Daily Herald published the Federation's call on the community for urgent support to help send the athletes and officials to the prestigious CARIFTA. By Saturday, more than half the goal had been met.
The federation expressed heartfelt thanks to community members, including ministers, business owners, and the public, for their generosity, encouragement, and willingness to support the young athletes. According to the post on the federation’s social media page, “Because of your support, we have already raised enough to cover half of the cost of our ticket from St. Lucia to Grenada. This is a major step toward making this opportunity possible for our athletes, and we could not have reached this point without you.”
The CARIFTA Games, held at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, are among the Caribbean’s premier youth track and field competitions. Participation provides athletes with the chance to compete at a high level while proudly representing St. Maarten.
The federation noted that while community support has been critical, their team is also taking all possible measures to ensure the journey is completed. “Your support is helping open doors and create opportunities for them to compete and represent themselves with pride. Thank you for believing in our athletes and standing with us on this journey,” the federation said.
The athletics athletes representing St Maarten are Carlos Brison (currently in Jamaica), Joleen Tomlin, Nahjah Wyatte, Nessiah Wyatte, Marlon Prince, Michael Van De Veer, Adio Williams, and Sebastiana Reyes. They will be accompanied by coaches Abdule Wattley and Cameron Hyman, delegation leader Javea Clarke Wattley, and safeguarding officer Alain Richardson.
The total fundraising goal is $17,400, with $7,400 remaining. Donations can be made via WIB account number 82110708 (XCG) or through a GoFundMe page set up to help raise funds at: https://gofund.me/f2b983af7
