Top 5 — Barbados Bets $30M on Sports Development
PLUS: Turkey lands Jamaican Olympians, Trinidad seeks World Cup backing, and more
Whatsup Squad,
Here’s what’s making waves in Caribbean sports this week:
⭐️ FEATURE STORY
Barbados Bets $30M on Sports Development
Barbados is investing $30M in a new wave of multi-purpose sports facilities across the island.
The investment spans nine different sports, including cricket, basketball, beach volleyball, and beach wrestling.
A key focus is combining multiple disciplines at shared venues to maximize usage and reduce cost.
The centerpiece of the plan is a new facility designed for beach volleyball and beach wrestling, with capacity for roughly 500 spectators.
Bottom Line - For a small island, $30M is a major commitment. That said, officials believe it’s a necessary long-term investment in youth development, multi-sport access, and sports tourism growth.
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🇸🇽 Sint Maarten
St. Maarten Advances to FIBA 3x3 World Tour
Sint Eustatius (Statia), a tiny Dutch Caribbean island with fewer than 4,000 residents, hosted the first-ever FIBA 3x3 Quest in the Lesser Antilles this past weekend.
Part of the official qualifying circuit for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, the tournament drew teams from Guyana, Suriname, Bonaire, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Statia itself.
It was organized through a partnership between the Sint Eustatius Basketball Federation and the Netherlands Basketball Federation.
St. Maarten’s Team Philipsburg came out on top, clinching the tournament title and earning a coveted berth in the Edmonton Masters, one of the elite global events on the FIBA 3x3 calendar.
Bottom Line - St. Maarten’s win shows how 3x3 basketball is becoming a global equalizer. With support from FIBA and the Caribbean Basketball Confederation, the format is helping unify the region and elevate talent on a global stage.
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🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad’s World Cup Dream Comes with $9M Price Tag
With the Soca Warriors now on the cusp of a World Cup berth, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), Kieron Edwards, has issued a passionate appeal for significant financial support.
Edwards acknowledged that while there has been a governmental commitment of $1M, that’s a fraction of the $6-9M they need.
The funds would cover comprehensive training regimens, personal coaches, performance resources, and the infrastructure required to compete at an elite level.
To emphasize the disparity in support systems, Edwards cited Costa Rica, which spent $12M to qualify for the last World Cup.
Bottom Line - The TTFA president’s statements are a call to action for the government, corporate partners, and football stakeholders. Without proper investment, a once-in-a-generation World Cup opportunity could slip away.
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🇯🇲 Jamaica
Four Jamaican Olympians Switch Allegiance to Turkey
Turkey is making a strong push to bolster its Olympic medal chances through naturalization, and now four Jamaican athletes have submitted formal transfer requests to World Athletics.
The athletes are:
Roje Stona, 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the discus throw
Rajindra Campbell, 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in the shot put
Wayne Pinnock, 2024 Olympic silver medalist in the long jump
Jaydon Hibbert, World Under-20 record holder in the triple jump
Each athlete is set to receive a minimum $500K signing bonus, along with generous monthly stipends and six-figure bonuses for medals earned at global championships.
Reports also suggest that the athletes have agreed to eight-year contracts, effectively committing to Turkey through the 2032 Olympic cycle.
Bottom Line - Track and field, unlike football or basketball, does not guarantee long-term wealth. For that reason, I don’t blame the athletes. They are at the top of their sport and are trying to earn a living. It’s not betrayal; it’s business. It should create a sense of urgency among the Jamaican government and its sports governing bodies to invest in their athletes.
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🇧🇸 The Bahamas
Bahamian Youth Team Earns AAU Status
This week, Bimini native VJ Edgecombe is projected to be a top-3 pick in the NBA Draft.
Like many Bahamian prospects before him, he moved to the U.S. early in search of better visibility and competition. But that may be starting to change.
Hoopers U, a boys’ club drawing 24 players from Exuma and Nassau, secured full Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) membership after years as a travel team.
The upgrade was made possible by a $250K donation from Bob Coughlin, developer of Exuma’s Turtlegrass Resort. His contribution also covered uniforms, travel costs, and campus visits to schools like the University of Miami and St. Thomas University.
Bottom Line - Hoopers U’s AAU status gives Bahamian players a new path to exposure without having to leave home. It’s a model other islands can replicate, and a reminder that one person’s investment can reshape the grassroots landscape.
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Until next time ✌🏾
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