President of the Saint Lucia Aquatic Federation (SLAF), Eddie Hazell, says he is overwhelmed with pride following confirmation that Saint Lucia will host the 2027 Carifta Aquatic Championships, a dream he says has been a long time coming.
Hazell’s emotional reaction came shortly after the announcement was made during the just-concluded 38th edition of the region's prestigious swimming competition in Trinidad and Tobago, as it capped an historic moment for Saint Lucia’s swimming fraternity. The championships are scheduled for March 27–31, 2027, at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC), which is currently under construction in Beauséjour.
"I’m leaving Trinidad more elated than anything because we won the bid to host the Carifta Aquatic Championships in Saint Lucia in 2027. And with the construction of our new National Aquatic Centre already underway, it’s going to be a phenomenal thing for Saint Lucia. We are looking forward to it. That’s been a long time coming," Hazell told St. Lucia Times.
Though Hazell will not seek re-election as SLAF president, he will remain on the executive as immediate past president and is expected to play a key role in what is expected to be the island’s largest aquatic event ever. More than 500 swimmers, coaches, officials, fans, and parents from 24 territories are expected to descend on Saint Lucia for the championships.
Construction has begun on the NAC after years of delays. The facility will feature an Olympic-standard 50-metre pool and is projected to take approximately 18 months to complete, weather permitting. If all goes according to plan, it could also serve as host for the 2026 OECS Swimming Championships, which would serve as a key test event ahead of CARIFTA 2027.
Hazell acknowledged the road to this point has not been easy. The NAC project broke ground in August 2015, and since then, Saint Lucia has expressed its interest to host the championships on numerous occasions. A modular pool was imported in early 2023 but remained unused as delays continued. SLAF had initially targeted 2021 and later 2026 to host the regional showcase.
Now, with 2027 secured, Hazell is calling on national stakeholders to rally around the effort.
"We have to make sure we are on our game. I am pleading and I am begging, in the national interest, that this game due for 2027 must come off and put Saint Lucia on a real sporting map. It is all about logistics; it's all about meeting with our federation, meeting with the authorities, meeting with National Lotteries, the minister, and everybody that is supposed to be involved," Hazell stated.
Interestingly, Saint Lucia also celebrated its best-ever Carifta showing at this year's championships, as swimmers captured 13 medals, including four golds from 11-12 standout Sapphire Parks. As hosts, Saint Lucia is expected to field its largest-ever team, as Hazell revealed that the 18-and-over division, which was previously removed, will be reinstated for the 2027 edition.
That decision opens the door for senior swimmers like Karic Charles, Ethan Hazell, Jayhan Odlum-Smith, and Olympian Mikaili Charlemagne to return to the Carifta stage. Rising stars such as Parks, Antoine Destang, Tristan Dorville, and Naima Hazell are also expected to lead the charge in front of a home crowd.
"So what you’re going to see is a lot of our CCCAN athletes — all our 18-year-olds based overseas — now have the opportunity to participate in Carifta. So Saint Lucia will have one of the largest contingents ever because of that inclusion. It’s going to be amazing,” Hazell said.
Despite the celebrations, Hazell also reflected on the team’s journey. While Parks had the benefit of training in a 50-metre pool in Trinidad, many of Saint Lucia’s top swimmers trained in short-course yards, including Destang and Dorville, who are based at the Bolles School in the U.S.
"Swimming long course after training in yards isn’t easy, but they performed. I could not ask for more. All I could say is that it was a lot of grit," he ended.