In a landmark moment for Caribbean athletics, St. Lucia will make its inaugural appearance at the prestigious Penn Relays in the United States this April, with full financial backing from Hamilton Reserve Bank. To commemorate the occasion, Michael Barrett, Chairman of Penn Relays USA, will make a historic visit to St. Lucia between April 8th and 10th at the invitation of Prime Minister Philip J Pierre and Sports Minister Kenson Casimir.
The Penn Relays, taking place in Philadelphia from April 23 to 25, is the oldest track and field competition in the United States and is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), a prestigious Ivy League institution. Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB)—the largest global bank headquartered in the Caribbean with over $6 billion in assets—is covering all travel expenses and uniforms for several St. Lucian student-athletes and their coaches.
The team proudly representing St. Lucia will feature Terrick Plummer, Ethan Doxerie, Joshua Mathew, Zayne Henry, and Tai La Force. All five athletes are students at St. Mary’s College, a school widely recognized for its academic excellence and strong athletic tradition. Competing at the Penn Relays will provide these young athletes with valuable exposure to elite-level competition and direct access to U.S. collegiate recruitment networks, creating new pathways for both athletic and academic advancement.
Minister of Sports Kenson Casimir emphasized the importance of this global exposure, stating, “We hope to expose our talented St Lucian student athletes to U.S. university admissions and athletic recruitment programs by being present at Penn Relays”. Casimir noted that youth sports give St. Lucians a significant advantage on the world stage, pointing to St. Lucian Olympic gold medalist Julian Alfred as a shining example. Because UPenn has a highly selective admission rate of less than 3%, direct visibility at the Penn Relays could open up extraordinary educational doors for the participating students.
Michael Barrett, who serves on UPenn’s Board of Trustees and acts as the President of its 330,000-member alumni association, praised St. Lucia’s dedication to youth development and thanked Hamilton Reserve Bank for being a driving force behind the initiative. Barrett, whose distinguished background includes serving as Vice Chairman of GE Capital Asia, noted that this upcoming trip will be his first visit to St. Lucia and Dominica.
Hamilton Reserve Bank maintains a robust community development program dedicated to youth and education. Several St. Lucian natives currently hold leadership roles at the bank, including Senior Relationship Banker Lauaina Dupres and Senior Private Banker Phillipa James, who expressed her excitement to “cheer our athletes at Penn Relays and bring home the gold”. As St. Lucia prepares to showcase its athletic talent internationally, Hamilton Reserve Bank is actively expanding its workforce, encouraging St. Lucian citizens to apply for new career opportunities within the bank.