The University of the West Indies will host its first UWI Games since 2019 from May 21 to 29, with the St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago serving as the venue. According to Antigua.news, the UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua will make its debut appearance among the five participating campuses in the long-awaited return of the regional academic sporting tournament.
More than 575 athletes and officials representing UWI's seventeen contributing countries will compete across ten sporting disciplines at seven venues. The Games were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making this year's edition a milestone reunion for the institution. The theme chosen for the occasion — "Reunited, Reignited, Ready" — reflects the spirit of that resumption.
Professor Rose-Marie Belle-Antoine, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of the UWI St Augustine Campus, described the Games as carrying significance well beyond athletic competition. The event will draw 300 volunteers and will feature national-level athletes among its competitors.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles underscored the Games' importance to the university's broader identity. "For generations, these inter-campus Games have been the heartbeat of our student experience," Sir Hilary said. He also pointed to the establishment of the Faculty of Sport a decade ago as a recognition that the Caribbean is "extremely rich, not only in sport and talent, but in the love of sport."
Professor Derek Chady, Deputy Principal of the UWI St Augustine Campus and Chair of the Organising Committee, confirmed that preparations have been underway for several months across all campuses. "The UWI Games are not only about competition and organisation, but about what they shape within our students," Chady said.
Six of the ten disciplines will be team sports, including cricket, football, basketball, hockey, volleyball, and netball. Lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming, and track and field complete the programme.
