Antigua and Barbuda’s quest for a fourth straight OECS Swimming Championship title is officially on. A 34-member national team, featuring nine overseas-based athletes, has been selected to represent the twin-island nation at the 2025 edition of the regional meet scheduled for November 7–9 in St. Vincent.
Leading the charge for the defending champions are international standouts Jadon Wulliez, Stefano Mitchell, Manav Sindhi, Jai Sindhi, Ethan Stubbs-Green, Nathaniel Gold, Charlotte Gold, Whittaker Gold and Kasi Sheppard. The squad was chosen following strong performances at the Antigua and Barbuda Swimming Federation (ABSF) Invitational Championships last weekend.
Vice President of the ABSF, Kem Warner, highlighted several young swimmers who impressed during the qualifiers.
“Isabel Nicholas would have done well in her age group. Kaylee Warner dominated the 11 to 12 girls, Anya Degannes in the 13 to 14 girls. In the boys 11 to 12 was Alessandro Bazzoni and of course, Madisson MacMillan dominated the 15 to 17 girls. Those were the top outstanding performances and Ruben as well in the 13 to 14,” Warner said.
Antigua and Barbuda have been the team to beat in recent years, clinching their third consecutive OECS title last year with a commanding performance that earned them more than 900 points at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre in St. Vincent.
Warner acknowledged that the path to a fourth title won’t be easy. “We’re competing against the four top countries in the OECS in terms of competition, which would be, and I’m calling them by order of who would have won the most titles: Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua and then St Vincent,” he explained. “We also now have participation coming from Saint Kitts & Nevis and BVI, so the competition will be tight this year.”
The national team is scheduled to depart for St. Vincent on November 6, with head coach Nelson Molena Fojo leading preparations.
Full Squad
Girls 8 & Under: Whittaker Gold, Mila Bento
Boys 8 & Under: Kasi Sheppard, Toby Bento, Levi Ince (Alternate)
Girls 9–10: Isabel Nicholas, Charlotte Gold, Anna Sukumaran, Jordan Howell
Boys 9–10: Jalen Weste, Major Emmanuel
Girls 11–12: Kaylee Warner, Keziah Joseph, Willow Zreibi, Alyssa Watkins
Boys 11–12: Alessandro Bazzoni, Christopher Walter, Tristan Nicholas, Nathaniel Gold
Girls 13–14: Anya Degannes, Paradise Carlisle, Tori Hosam (Alternate)
Boys 13–14: Reuben Edwards, Antoine Christian, N’yriq Weste, Jamie Tranter (Injured)
Girls 15–17: Madisson MacMillan, Eliana Spencer
Boys 15–17: Ethan Stubbs-Green, Neil Noronha, Jai Sindhi, Espriit Shaw
Girls 18 & Over: Anisa Lewis
Boys 18 & Over: Stefano Mitchell, Jadon Wulliez, Manav Sindhi, Yacine Williams (Alternate)
With a blend of experienced overseas-based talent and promising local swimmers, Antigua and Barbuda’s team is determined to keep its championship streak alive. The federation and coaching staff are confident that the athletes are well prepared to deliver another standout performance on the regional stage.
“We’ve built a team that’s strong across every age group,” Warner said. “If everyone swims to their potential, Antigua and Barbuda will be very hard to beat.”
