There’s an energy in Caribbean swimming that the stands of Le Lamentin captured every April evening. When the finals began, the stands filled and the flags of twenty-four nations mingled above the pool, the XXXIXth CARIFTA Aquatics Championships ceased to be a mere competition. They became what they have always been in essence: a gathering, a promise to the youth of the Caribbean.
From April 4 to 8, more than 480 swimmers and a hundred staff from 24 countries converged on Martinique for three disciplines: swimming races in Le Lamentin, artistic swimming and the 5 km open water event in Anses d’Arlet. Ten years after the previous edition, the organizing committee led by Alex Badian mobilized 150 volunteers, 60 officials per day and some 40 partners. Giant screens and 500 mobile bleacher seats, a first for the event, gave this edition a unique character, with packed stands every evening.
Coralie Balmy, Olympic medal-winning swimmer from Martinique and director of Coco An Dlo, was this year’s godmother. For her, the CARIFTAs are “like mini-Olympic games”, a springboard to international competitions. Her message to the athletes: “Write history, sublimate yourself, find that little bit of magic that will make the difference.”
In the basin: the Caribbean confirms its vitality
The four days of competition produced 117 events of a remarkable standard. The Bahamas finished first on points (795), followed by Jamaica (754.5), Trinidad & Tobago (747), Barbados (638.5), Cayman Islands (547.5) and Martinique (489). In the gold medal table, Barbados leads with 23 titles, ahead of the Bahamas (21), Trinidad & Tobago (20) and Jamaica (15).
Individual performances gave the CARIFTAs their texture. Liam Carrington (Trinidad & Tobago, 17) dominated the sprint and backstroke, winning the 100 m freestyle in 49.75s. Christon Joseph (Bahamas, 14) won five individual titles in the boys’ 13-14 age group. Heidi Stoute (Barbados, 16) won a quadruple in the girls’ 15-17 freestyle. Reagan Uszenski (U.S. Virgin Islands) was the most successful 13-14 girls. Christian Jerome (Haiti) gave his country two gold medals in the butterfly, proving that talent is blossoming throughout the Caribbean. Young Sapphire Parks (Saint Lucia, age 12) collected six medals, flying the flag for a delegation that was modest in number but remarkable in quality.
Artistic swimming: a fast-growing discipline at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships
Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Cayman Islands competed in a full program of solos, duets and team events in three age categories. The Cayman Islands shone at CARIFTA, winning solo gold in all three categories, thanks to Isabelle Young, Ava Crâne and Maureen-Catherine Kohler. Guadeloupe took the title of Best Nation in the 12 and under age group, while Martinique, crowned Overall Champion, dominated the 13-15 and 16-19 age groups. The discipline now benefits from a genuine Caribbean development plan, with the prospect of a 2027 edition in Coral Springs (Florida) supported by USA Artistic Swimming.
Open water: the Anses d'Arlet 5 km race
The 57 swimmers took to the turquoise waters of Martinique’s south coast. In the 16-18 age group, Enzo Doussot (Martinique, 1 h 05 min 24 s) beat Arubais’ Matthew Gobert by two seconds in a three-way final of rare intensity, while Maylis Lestrade (Martinique) won the girls’ race. In the 14-15 age group, Antoine Pertuzon (Guadeloupe) and Marena Martinez (Trinidad & Tobago) took first place.
An emerging future
The CCCAN Congress, chaired by Stephen Joachim (Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines), took a number of key decisions: adoption of the new CARIFTA Manual, designation of the Bahamas as host for 2027 (confirmation is expected at the end of June) and election of Jamaica for 2028, and tightening of requirements for the protection of young athletes. The possibility of an 18+ category test has been opened up for the 2028 edition, the Olympic year.
Stephen Joachim was enthusiastic about the future of the event, pointing out that several countries had applied to host future editions, a sign of the good health of Caribbean swimming. For Alex Badian, the wish is clear: that the CARIFTA come back to Martinique every four or five years, to capitalize on the expertise acquired.
From Anguilla to Trinidad & Tobago, from Bermuda to Suriname, each federation, whatever its size, contributes to this collective dynamic. CARIFTA Aquatics is more than just a championship: it’s a space where young people from twenty-four nations, speaking French, English or Dutch, come together around a pool and a sea that unite them. As Coralie Balmy sums up, the CARIFTAs are a springboard. And this year, in Martinique, that springboard did its job.
The next editions of CARIFTA Aquatics will be held in the Bahamas in 2027 and in Jamaica in 2028.
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships are a major swimming competition for young Caribbean athletes. They include several disciplines such as pool swimming, artistic swimming and open water, and serve as a springboard to international competitions.
CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 took place in Martinique, mainly in Le Lamentin for the pool events, and in Anses d’Arlet for the open water competitions.
The Bahamas topped the overall rankings, followed by Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados. This hierarchy confirms the dominance of the great historical nations of Caribbean swimming.
Over 480 swimmers and around 100 supervisors from 24 Caribbean countries took part, confirming the growing importance of the event in the region.
The next editions are scheduled for the Bahamas in 2027 and Jamaica in 2028, with the aim of further strengthening the development of swimming throughout the Caribbean.
After two days of competition in Fort-de-France, CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 already confirms the region’s strongest output in junior swimming: density, minimal gaps in the overall standings and several swimmers capable of turning an evening on its head. The Bahamas are in first place overall, but Jamaica is still in touch, while Trinidad & Tobago is relying on a very strong men’s base to stay in the race. Behind this trio, Barbados, the Cayman Islands and Martinique continue to advance in a championship where every final, every relay and every point counts.
First day kicks off tight duel
On the first day of the CARIFTA Aquatics 2026, Saturday, April 4, 2026, the Bahamas took the lead in the combined standings with 196 points, ahead of Jamaica with 191 points.a gap of just five units. Trinidad & Tobago followed with 152 points, just ahead of Barbados at 150, then the Cayman Islands at 145. Martinique, buoyed by a solid start at home, was already in sixth place with 114 points. This hierarchy reflected a clear trend: nothing was decided yet, neither for the title nor for the podium.
On this first day, several names stood out. Liam Carrington, for Trinidad & Tobago, excelled in the 50 m freestyle and also took a podium in the 100 m butterfly. The men’s 100 m butterfly was won by Christian Jérôme, representing Haiti. On the girls’ side, Heidi Stoute for Barbados and Reagan Uszenski for the US Virgin Islands stood out, while Sapphire Parks, for Saint Lucia, had a particularly outstanding day, with three races contested, two victories and a third place.
Martinique holds its own in front of its home crowd
In this first review of the CARIFTA Aquatics 2026, Martinique didn’t just benefit from the basin advantage. Several results immediately weighed on the rankings: Jade Bering won gold in the 200 m breaststroke, Malia Soroman took bronze in the 100 m butterfly, Lucas Patron silver in the 200 m breaststroke and Lucas Wato bronze in the 50 m backstroke. In such a tight competition, these medals enabled the Martinique squad to stay in touch with the extended leading group.
The second day of CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 confirmed the pressure at the top
The second day of the CARIFTA Aquatics 2026On Sunday, April 5, 2026, the positions became clearer, but the gap did not really widen. After 56 events, the Bahamas retained first place overall with 386.5 points. Jamaica follows with 375 points, then Trinidad & Tobago with 357 points. Barbados remains fourth with 318 points, the Cayman Islands fifth with 282.5 points, and Martinique sixth with 211.5 points.
The detailed rankings also show a balanced battle by gender. Jamaica leads in the girls’ category with 189 points, ahead of the Bahamas at 186, while Trinidad & Tobago dominates in the boys’ category with 208 points, ahead of the Bahamas at 200.5 and Jamaica at 186. This second day was not one of absolute domination by a single territory. On the contrary, several nations shared the podiums, confirming the very homogeneous level of this edition of CARIFTA Aquatics 2026.
Christon Joseph, Liam Carrington and Reagan Uszenski set the pace
The evening of Sunday April 5 established Christon Joseph as one of the great faces of this early competition. The 14-year-old Bahamian won the boys’ 13-14 200 m freestyle in 2:00.27, then the 50 m butterfly in 26.07, before also winning the 400 m medley in 5:03.73. He then took part in the Bahamian victory in the boys’ 13-14 4 x 100 m medley, winning in 4:12.92. Few swimmers have weighed so much in a single session.
In the 15-17 age category, Liam Carrington confirmed his status. The Trinidadian won the 200 m freestyle in 1:50.99, followed by the 100 m backstroke in 54.93, two performances that reinforced Trinidad & Tobago’s lead in the men’s rankings. He has already established himself as one of the most memorable names of the first two days.
Reagan Uszenski, for the U.S. Virgin Islands, also had a top second day. She won the 200 m freestyle 13-14 in 2:09.35, the 50 m butterfly in 28.67, then the 100 m backstroke in 1:06.97. Her name keeps cropping up among the best performances of this early championship, proof of a rare consistency at this level.
Relays that already count
The relays also redistributed vital points on this second day. The Bahamas won the girls 11-12 4 x 100 m medley in 4:56.41 and the boys 13-14 4 x 100 m medley in 4:12.92. Barbados won the boys 11-12 age group in 4:44.41, Jamaica the girls 13-14 age group in 4:43.08, Bermuda the girls 15-17 age group in 4:33.17, while Trinidad & Tobago finished strongly with gold in the boys 15-17 age group. In such a tightly-packed championship, these relays are never secondary: they have a direct impact on the overall ranking.
Competition still wide open
On the evening of Sunday April 5, 2026, CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 remains wide open. The Bahamas have the advantage, Jamaica refuses to give in, Trinidad & Tobago is asserting itself, and Martinique remains firmly established in the top third of the standings. The competition continues in Fort-de-France until April 8, 2026, with artistic swimming starting on Monday April 6.
After two days, one thing is already clear: CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 is not just a succession of results. It’s also confirmation that Caribbean junior swimming relies on a structured, ambitious up-and-coming generation capable of raising the level of the championship race after race.
After two days of competition, the Bahamas occupy first place in the combined ranking with 386.5 points. Jamaica follows close behind with 375 points, while Trinidad & Tobago completes the provisional podium with 357 points.
CARIFTA Aquatics 2026 takes place from April 4 to 8, 2026 in Fort-de-France, Martinique. The first two days, April 4 and 5, have already revealed the first trends in the rankings.
A number of swimmers made their mark at the start of the competition, including Christon Joseph (Bahamas), Liam Carrington (Trinidad & Tobago) and Reagan Uszenski (US Virgin Islands), all of whom scored multiple individual victories.
Martinique is in sixth place in the combined ranking after two days, with 211.5 points. The local team relies on several podium finishes to remain competitive with the region’s big nations.
Relays play a key role in the overall standings, as they allow a significant number of points to be scored in a single race. On the second day, several nations consolidated their positions thanks to their collective performances.
Some days are like no other. Days when an entire island holds its breath, opens its arms, and lets in the entire Caribbean Sea. On Friday, April 3, 2026, the Georges-Gratiant stadium in Le Lamentin was one of those days, as the opening ceremony of the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026.
The 39th edition of the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 opened under a Martinique sky. Ten years after its last stopover on the island, this major Caribbean swimming competition returned to Martinique. Five hundred young swimmers from twenty-four nations trod the same turf, dreamed the same dreams and sang the same songs. And for a few hours, before the starting-blocks of the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 lit up and the pools went wild, sport gave way to something even greater: the culture, pride and shared identity of an archipelago that all too often looks at itself from afar.
The opening ceremony of the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 got off to a fitting start, led by the master of ceremonies, with the official speeches. The mayor of Le Lamentin, the prefect and the president of the Collectivité territoriale de Martinique were all represented, a sign that the event was a success. Carifta Aquatics Championships called for more than just sporting protocol. The speeches alternated French and English with a welcome fluidity: it’s as much a political gesture as a human one to speak the other’s language, and Martinique did so naturally. In a Caribbean where colonial legacies have sometimes erected walls where geography has created bridges, hearing the two languages respond on the same stage is already a sign of reconciliation.
Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026: when culture takes the lead
It was when the music took over that something changed in the air.
A steel pan band got the ball rolling, and not just any old way. These singing steel blades, an instrument born in the back alleys of Trinidad and now a symbol of the entire Caribbean, resonated here, tinged with local Martinican rhythms. A gentle, bold way of saying: we’re different, and that’s precisely what unites us. Tambou Bô Kanal Junior Then came the drums, the voices of Martinique that have been beating since ancient times, since the maroons, since the resistance. The traditional music of the island invaded the stadium, and the young Caribbean athletes discovered, perhaps for the first time, the deep heart of the island that welcomed them.
And then there was Paille. The artist from Martinique set the place alight – that’s the only word for it. Wandering through Caribbean musical genres as one crosses the sea from island to island, he took the audience from Jamaica to Trinidad, from reggae to soca, re-adapting the great hits of the region with infectious generosity. Alternating between French and English, with the help of a friendly interpreter, he watched hundreds of young athletes from all over the Caribbean, making them dance, laugh and share. This moment was not to be found in any ranking or list of records. Yet it was the most precious moment of the day.
Twenty-four flags, one horizon
Then came the parade. To the notes of Nou pa sa nation after nation, flag after flag, the delegations took to the track with the quiet, luminous pride of young people who know they represent something beyond their own performance. From eleven-year-olds to seventeen-year-olds, they all had the same thing in their eyes: impatience, seriousness, and that lightness typical of those who have not yet learned to be afraid of dreaming big. To see the colors of twenty-four Caribbean territories marching down the same runway, on the same island, is one of those spectacles that remind us why sport, at its best, remains a school of humanity.
From Saturday April 4 to Wednesday April 8, the Centre Aquatique Communautaire Pierre-Samot will be the venue for the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026. The Bahamas, the undisputed masters of Caribbean swimming for the past decade, will have their work cut out. Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and their prodigies, including the redoubtable Heidi Stoute, multiple Carifta Aquatics Championships record-holder, promise top-flight competition. Martinique, on the other hand, swims at home. And at home, with the public, the family and ten years of waiting in the legs, you don’t swim the same. In 2016, when the last edition was held here, the locals came third overall. The goal is there, written in the memories, burning in the corridors of Le Lamentin.
Coralie Balmy, Olympic medallist and official ambassador for this edition, remembers being ten years old when she first took part in the Carifta Aquatics Championships. Today, a new generation is writing its first lines. And if the Carifta Games deserve more media attention than they are getting, this Friday evening at the Georges-Gratiant stadium was a reminder of why they count: because they are one of the rare spaces where the Caribbean sees itself as a whole, recognizes itself, and chooses to applaud itself.
The competition starts tomorrow. But perhaps the most important part has already taken place.
The Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 is one of the Caribbean’s major sporting events for young swimmers. The competition brings together delegations from numerous Caribbean territories to compete in a number of aquatic events, in a setting that goes far beyond a simple sporting confrontation. It provides an opportunity to measure the level of the region’s up-and-coming swimmers, to showcase emerging talent and to strengthen ties between islands that share a common history, geography and ambitions. In this 2026 edition, Martinique becomes both host country, sporting stage and cultural showcase.
Martinique not only hosts a competition, it also welcomes the entire Caribbean youth community in a rare moment of regional visibility. Ten years after a previous edition was held on the island, this return gives a special significance to the event. The region is demonstrating its ability to welcome international delegations, mobilize its institutions and offer an opening ceremony that links sport, culture and identity. For Martinique, hosting the Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 is also a way of asserting its Caribbean roots, recalling its place in the region and promoting its image far beyond its immediate borders.
The opening ceremony left a lasting impression, giving the sport a strong cultural and symbolic dimension. Official speeches in French and English set a framework for regional unity, while musical performances embodied the richness of the Caribbean in all its diversity. The steel pan, Martinican drums and the presence of artist Paille gave this opening a depth that went beyond protocol. The parade of delegations then reinforced this sense of common belonging. This kind of moment is extremely important, as it gives meaning to the competition and reminds us that behind each swimmer, there is also a territory, a memory and a collective pride.
The sporting stakes are high, as this competition brings together delegations renowned for their level of Caribbean swimming. The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados arrive with solid reputations and eagerly-awaited athletes. For Martinique, the stakes are even higher, as it will be competing on home soil, with all the pressure and energy that this entails. The memory of the previous edition held on the island is fuelling local ambitions. The Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 are a high-level test for young swimmers who want to shine individually, improve their country’s ranking and follow in the footsteps of the great figures of regional swimming.
The Carifta Aquatics Championships 2026 are important because they offer the Caribbean a concrete space where it can see itself as a whole. In a region often fragmented by languages, colonial legacies and institutional realities, this type of event creates a direct encounter between island youth. It’s not just about breaking records, but also about sharing a common experience, getting to know each other better and building positive regional references. The event puts the spotlight on an ambitious, talented Caribbean capable of organizing major events. It also gives valuable visibility to young athletes, who already represent the sporting and symbolic future of their territories.
April 2, 2026 provided the first concrete indication of the scale of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026. In just one day, 426 people checked in, divided between 21 delegations, 9 airlines and 4 accommodation sites. Even before the start of the competitions, the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 already boasts a major regional dimension.
A busy day of arrivals from morning to night
The sequence began at 9:05 a.m. with Caribbean Airlines and ended at 9:30 p.m., again with Caribbean Airlines. Between these two times, 27 arrivals were recorded. This time span, spread over more than twelve hours, shows an organization already fully mobilized, capable of absorbing successive flows without concentrating on a single slot. The reception was built up in waves, with high points in the late morning, mid-afternoon and evening.
In the early hours, Barbados and Trinidad set the scene with 36 then 33 people on flight BWA474. At 11 a.m., the Bahamas marked the first day with 61 arrivals, the largest contingent of the day. At 12:15 p.m., Cayman confirmed the level of commitment to these championships with 50 people. The rest of the day maintained this high rhythm, with 24 arrivals from Guadeloupe at 3 p.m., 19 from Antigua at 4.10 p.m., 39 from Jamaica at 4.45 p.m., 22 from Aruba at 7 p.m. and finally 24 from Bermuda at 9.30 p.m.
The most important delegations already on site
At the end of this first day of arrivals, the Bahamas dominate the table with 61 people. Cayman follows with 50, ahead of Jamaica with 42 people spread over two flights. Barbados has 38 arrivals, also spread over several routes, while Trinidad has 33. Behind this leading group come Guadeloupe and Bermuda with 24 people each, Aruba with 22, then Antigua with 20. This panorama already gives a clear indication of the logistical scale of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 on a Caribbean scale.
Some delegations arrived in a single block. This was the case for the Bahamas, Cayman, Guadeloupe, Aruba, Curacao and Bermuda. Others were spread over several flights, revealing a more fragmented organization. Antigua arrived in two stages, with 1 person at 2:18 pm, then 19 at 4:10 pm. Saint Kitts was recorded on two separate movements, with 5 then 5 people. Jamaica recorded 3 arrivals at 2:18 pm, then 39 at 4:45 pm. Barbados was present at three different times during the day.
A broad Caribbean geography
The list of delegations already welcomed to the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 reflects the diversity of the Caribbean basin gathered around these championships. On this day alone, Barbados, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Saint Kitts, Sint Maarten, Cayman, St Vincent&Grenadines, Guyana, Haiti, Antigua, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Turks&Caicos, US Virgin Island, Guadeloupe, Anguilla, Dominica, Aruba, Curacao, Bermuda and Suriname were registered. By bringing together 21 delegations in this first phase, the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 immediately demonstrates its regional scope.
This diversity is also reflected in the companies involved. Caribbean Airlines occupies a central place in the scheme, but it is not alone. Bahamas Air, Air Caraïbes, Cayman Air, Air Adelphi, Air France, Air Canada, American Airlines and Liat Air also feature in this first day of arrivals. This variety of carriers alone shows that the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 is not based on a single air route, but on a network of connections covering a large part of the region.
Four accommodation sites already mobilized
The distribution across the hotels sheds further light on the organization in place. Karibea Sainte-Luce has the highest volume, with 223 people. Pierre et Vacances follows with 164 guests. Cayalines welcomed 27, while the Centre International de Séjour welcomed 12. This breakdown confirms that the delegations were not welcomed at a single point, but at several hubs capable of absorbing distinct volumes according to group size.
Karibea Sainte-Luce is home to the Bahamas, Guyana, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Aruba, Curacao, Dominica and parts of Antigua and Turks&Caicos. Pierre et Vacances is home to Barbados, Trinidad, Cayman, Anguilla, Bermuda and Suriname. Cayalines welcomes Saint Kitts, Sint Maarten and Haiti. As for US Virgin Island, the delegation is directed to the Centre International de Séjour. This distribution reflects an already structured system, with a clear allocation logic according to contingents.
A start that heralds the scale of the event
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 already boast an impressive volume of visitors, even before the sporting launch. With 426 people registered in a single day, arrivals spread out from morning until night, 21 delegations already on site and a spread over four accommodation sites, this first phase of hosting confirms that the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 is immediately entering a concrete, dense and regional dimension. The stakes are no longer simply those of future performances: they are already those of a visible, coordinated and massive Caribbean mobilization.
On April 2, 2026, 426 people checked in. This total includes all the movements listed for the day, from the first flight at 9:05 a.m. to the last flight at 9:30 p.m. This figure already gives a clear idea of the logistical scale of the event, even before the start of the competitions.
The Bahamas top the list with 61 people, followed by Cayman with 50. Jamaica has 42 arrivals, Barbados 38 and Trinidad 33. Next come Guadeloupe and Bermuda with 24 each, then Aruba with 22 and Antigua with 20. This hierarchy shows that several territories have already mobilized large contingents on the first day.
Twenty-one delegations appear in the arrivals registered on April 2, 2026. This single day already brings together a wide range of Caribbean territories, immediately underlining the regional scope of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026.
Four accommodation sites have already been mobilized. Karibea Sainte-Luce accommodates 223 people, Pierre et Vacances 164, Cayalines 27 and the Centre International de séjour 12. This breakdown shows that the organization is based on several accommodation hubs, with a capacity to distribute delegations according to their size and arrival.
Nine airlines feature in the April 2, 2026 arrivals: Caribbean Airlines, Bahamas Air, Air Caraïbes, Cayman Air, Air Adelphi, Air France, Air Canada, American Airlines and Liat Air. This diversity of carriers illustrates the wide range of routes used to bring delegations to Martinique.
On Saturday March 28, at the Centre Aquatique Pierre Samot in Le Lamentin, the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 press conference was more than just an information meeting. Over the course of an hour and a half, organizers, athletes and partners presented much more than just the sporting program: from April 3 to 8, Martinique will host the 39th edition of the Caribbean’s leading junior aquatic event, ten years after the first edition was so memorable. Twenty-four nations. Three disciplines. A home territory that knows it.
A bid driven by collective memory
In 2024, at the Caribbean Aquatics Association Congress held in the Bahamas, two bids were put forward to host the 2026 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships: Saint Lucia and Martinique. The vote was clear-cut: some thirty votes for Martinique, ten for Saint Lucia.
Behind this result is a story. The 2016 edition, the first ever to be held on home soil, left its mark on the minds of all those who were there: coaches, delegation leaders, officials. In 2024, when it came time to vote, many still remembered that week.
"It was a beautiful edition, and one that will always be remembered."
The other factor was more concrete: Sainte-Lucie did not yet have its own pool. Martinique, on the other hand, can count on the Centre Aquatique Pierre Samot in Le Lamentin, with its ten-lane Olympic pool, 800-seat grandstand and 25-meter warm-up pool. One of the best facilities in the Caribbean.
The organization also emphasized its capacity to welcome delegations from outside the basin, with several accommodation solutions mobilized in the south of the island, supplemented by other structures if necessary. This logistical aspect, rarely secondary in this type of event, reinforced the credibility of Martinique’s bid.
Three disciplines, 24 nations, a demanding format
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 will bring together 24 countries: 21 English-speaking Caribbean nations, plus Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana. The swimming races will take place over four days: heats in the morning, finals in the afternoon, from Saturday April 5 to Tuesday April 8. Artistic swimming gets underway on Monday during the lunch break, with solos followed by technical events. The duets and teams round off the program on Wednesday morning. On the same Wednesday, the open water event takes place over five kilometers in the Anses d’Arlets.
Competitors: Benjamins (11-12 years), Minimes (13-14 years), Cadets (15-17 years) do not enter as individuals. They are national selections, with the best swimmers from each territory. To enter the Martinique selection, swimmers must satisfy a time grid established over the previous two seasons, which only selects swimmers capable of reaching the finals.
In the minds of the organizers, selection is based on a simple logic: to score points, you have to enter the final, and to enter the final, you have to be among the top eight times in the morning heats. In other words, the swimmers selected are supposed to have a level that enables them to play a real role in the competition, and not just participate.
The Martinique delegation at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 has 61 swimmers: 36 in racing, 12 in open water, five of whom also race, and 18 in artistic swimming. The team is led by five captains: Jean-Naël Zozime and Maxime Auguste-Charlery for boys’ racing (15-17 age group), Cyrielle Manin and Sayanne Guivissa for girls’ racing, and Nohemy Marajo for artistic swimming.
Water as starting point and destination
When asked how he got started, Jean-Naël Zozime, captain of the boys’ selection, answers straightforwardly: “I was introduced to swimming so that I wouldn’t drown. Cyrielle Manin, captain of the girls’ selection, tells much the same story: she almost drowned as a child, and that’s what led her to learn to swim.
These two testimonies, heard just a few minutes apart, say something important about this territory. Two young Martiniquans, initially frightened by the sea, who are now representing their island against twenty-three Caribbean nations. This is more than just a sporting achievement.
"Swimming is a tough sport. You can't expect it to be easy, but with a lot of perseverance, anyone can do it."
Nohemy Marajo, artistic swimming captain, has been practicing for ten years a discipline that the public still knows little about. She explains it concretely: learning choreographies on dry land, rehearsing them in the water, controlling your breathing under the surface while your legs draw figures above. It’s a sport that’s as technically demanding as it is physically demanding, and has as much to do with ballet as it does with endurance.
"You have to know how to endure, how to save every last breath to finish the choreography."
The conference of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 also pointed out that artistic swimming is still a confidential discipline in the Caribbean, due to the infrastructure it requires and the level of preparation required. It requires three-dimensional work and very thorough technical preparation, as well as the support of outside professionals, particularly in dance and gymnastic preparation. For the supervisors, the challenge of CARIFTA is twofold: to support those who are already practising and to encourage new vocations.
What the coaching team observes in these youngsters is a constant: they train, take their exams, compete at weekends, and do it all over again. “Generally, swimmers perform well in their studies too, because they’ve worked on this rigor on a daily basis.” What you learn in the pool also applies elsewhere, and the organizers insist on this daily requirement: it’s not enough to qualify, you have to be able to show up on the day, in a sport where regularity and discipline count as much as talent.
Medals from the hands of the island
The way an event rewards its champions often says a lot about what it stands for. At the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026, the medals were made in Martinique from noble woods: pearwood for gold, mao bleu for silver, mao ghani for bronze. A craftsman from the Nord-Atlantique region produced them, Joseph Galliard signed the engravings, and a local seamstress made the pouches in the three colors of the Martinican flag.
The initiative was spearheaded by the event’s godmother, Coralie Balmy, a former top-level swimmer who had taken part in the CARIFTA four times in her career. An eco-responsible and identity-affirming initiative, hailed as a first on the Caribbean scale.
Every Caribbean athlete who reaches the podium at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 will leave with a piece of Martinique, a unique medal made by local craftsmen, unlike any other.
The conference also specified that trophies would accompany these awards, and that the medals had yet to receive their lanyards before the competition opened. Here too, the aim is clear: to make each award a sporting, local and symbolic object.
A week that mobilizes the whole territory
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 won’t just be played out in the pools. Between 1,500 and 1,800 people are arriving in Martinique: swimmers, staff and families spread out over several hotels in the south of the island. Every day, around 150 volunteers ensure the smooth running of the event: former swimmers, parents, locals who sometimes have no direct connection with swimming, but who wanted to get involved.
Among them, the officials play a decisive role: some 26 officials from the Caribbean will reinforce the Martinique officials, bringing the number of people around the pool to around fifty for each morning and afternoon meeting. In addition, there will be first-aid attendants, reception teams, people in charge of awards, delegation escorts and areas open to the public.
Welcoming delegations to the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 was also thought through in detail. They all had to arrive on April 2, at different times of the day, sometimes very early in the morning, sometimes late at night. In conjunction with the transport company and SAMAC, a precise plan was drawn up at the airport to ensure smooth exits, transfers to buses and settling into accommodation, with particular attention paid to meals depending on the time of arrival.
The opening ceremony of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026, on Friday April 3 at the Georges Gratiant stadium, is free and open to all: 2,800 seats to fill. The group “Nou Pa Sav” will accompany the parade of delegations. On Saturday, April 4, Les Hommes d’Argile will be on hand as the delegations arrive on site, offering a strong cultural backdrop intended as a symbolic first encounter with Martinican identity. Throughout the week, Martinican cultural groups will be on hand to ensure that visitors leave with a living image of the region, not just competition results.
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 ceremony is scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 p.m., and will be broadcast on a giant screen, as well as relayed by media partners and via YouTube for wider distribution in the Caribbean. The ambition is clear: to make Martinique the center of the Caribbean for the duration of the event.
In addition to sport, the organizers of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 also have an economic and cultural objective. Bringing in up to 1,800 people means filling accommodation, generating consumption, encouraging car rentals and putting the hotel and restaurant sectors to work. It’s also a way of showcasing Martinique’s culture, notably through the entertainment planned for the opening ceremony and the arrival of the delegations.
The open water event at Anses d’Arlets also serves as a reminder that the sea is a living, fragile environment that deserves protection. The association’s representative at the conference sums up its mission simply: “learn to swim to discover the seas and protect them.”
This educational dimension goes beyond drowning prevention. It also touches on the appropriation of water by the people of Martinique, the discovery of the discipline by the youngest and the broader desire to reinforce the region’s aquatic culture in the long term.
An assertive island
A phrase uttered at the end of the conference sums up the general mood: “We’re ready, and we’ll make the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 a collective success and a great source of pride for our region.”
What the delegations take away with them on the evening of April 8 is more than just a ranking. It’s an image of Martinique, a territory that knows how to welcome, organize and assert its identity. For six days, the whole Caribbean will be there. It’s up to Martinique to show what it can do.
But the organizers of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 also want to leave their mark after the event. The Ligue de Natation de Martinique ended the 2024-2025 season with some 2,540 members, around ten affiliated clubs and, generally speaking, 7 to 8 clubs involved in competition. With this in mind, the CARIFTAs are not intended as a parenthesis, but rather as a possible catalyst to encourage vocations, boost membership and establish swimming as a permanent fixture on the Martinique sports scene.
The organizers of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 have also chosen not to reproduce the large village of 2016. In 2026, the activities surrounding the competition are to be more focused, with one day in particular being highlighted, in order to concentrate energy and attendance rather than scattering the highlights.
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 is the 39th edition of the Caribbean’s leading junior aquatic event, held in Martinique from April 3 to 8. Twenty-four nations are taking part in racing, artistic and open water swimming, in categories ranging from 11 to 17 years of age.
The swimming race and artistic swimming events take place at the Centre Aquatique Pierre Samot in Le Lamentin. The 5-kilometer open water event takes place in Anses d’Arlets on Wednesday April 8.
Tickets are available on cariftamartinique2026.com and on the Ligue de Natation de Martinique social networks. Prices: €10 in the morning, €20 in the afternoon for adults, 4-day pass at €125. The opening ceremony at the Georges Gratiant stadium is free of charge.
Twenty-four countries are taking part: 21 English-speaking Caribbean nations, plus Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana.
The Martinique squad is led by five captains: Jean-Naël Zozime and Maxime Auguste-Charlery for boys’ racing, Cyrielle Manin and Sayanne Guivissa for girls’ racing, and Nohemy Marajo for artistic swimming.
From April 3 to 8, 2026, Martinique will host the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships,a major event on the Caribbean sporting calendar. For six days, the island will become the meeting point for the region’s best young swimmers. Over 500 athletes from 24 territories are expected to attend, along with officials, coaches and supporters. Since its announcement, CARIFTA 2026 has been regarded as a major event, both in terms of the number of participants involved and the place it occupies in the world of Caribbean swimming.
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships, a milestone for the region's young swimmers
The CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships are part of a well-established dynamic in the Caribbean sporting landscape. Year after year, the CARIFTA Championships have established themselves as an important milestone for swimmers progressing towards the international level. Organized within the framework of Caribbean sports cooperation, the event plays a structuring role across several disciplines. In swimming, it represents the highest level of competition for youth categories, making it a decisive step in the progression of athletes.
The program confirms this scope. Pool competitions will be held from April 4 to 7 at the Centre Aquatique du Lamentin. Artistic swimming events are also scheduled, while an open water race will take place on April 8 at Anse d’Arlet. Together, these elements form a comprehensive program, spread over several days and several formats, reinforcing the sporting density of the event.
A benchmark Caribbean event with a regional scope
The CARIFTA championships occupy a central place in Caribbean sport. They bring together the region’s best young talents in a competitive environment recognized even beyond the Caribbean. A highlight of the regional calendar, the event contributes directly to the development of swimming in the Caribbean region, and is an important milestone for athletes committed to elite performance.
Organized each year in a different territory, the competition is based on a rotation system that strengthens the links between the islands. In 2026, Martinique will play an active role in regional sporting cooperation by hosting the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships.
"CARIFTA is a meeting place for our brothers and sisters from the Caribbean. Beyond the competition and the demands, it's a moment of sharing, respect and fraternity that brings us together."
Martinique in the spotlight at CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships
Hosting the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships goes far beyond the sporting arena. The event offers Martinique strong visibility as a Caribbean destination, combining sport, culture and natural surroundings. For the duration of the competition, the island becomes a meeting place for athletes, delegations and visitors.
The venues chosen for this event are a perfect fit. The Centre Aquatique du Lamentin will host the pool and artistic swimming events, while Anse d’Arlet will be the venue for the open water event. This balance between sports infrastructure and natural sites gives CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships an identity firmly rooted in Martinique.
A large-scale organization supported by the Martinique Swimming League
The organization of the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships represents a major challenge for the Ligue de Natation de Martinique, which is hosting the competition for the second time. This responsibility reflects a recognized level of organizational maturity, as well as a significant mobilization of the teams involved. Preparations for the event were spread over several months, in order to meet the logistical, sporting and human requirements of a competition of this scale. With this edition, Martinique confirms its ability to organize major Caribbean sporting events and to meet international standards.
Key dates and highlights of the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships
The CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships schedule is structured around a number of key events. Delegations are due to arrive at Martinique Aimé Césaire international airport on April 2. The official opening will take place on April 3 at the Stade Georges Gratiant, in Le Lamentin, from 4pm to 6pm, with a parade of delegations, cultural performances and the official launch of the competition.
Ahead of the event, an official press conference is scheduled for Saturday March 28 at 10 a.m. at the Centre Aquatique du Lamentin, alongside the Martinique team gathering. This upstream and downstream organization structures the event over time and underlines the overall preparation of the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships.
A collective mobilization around the athletes
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships is based on a collective dynamic that goes far beyond performances in the pool or in open water. Around the athletes, an entire ecosystem is mobilized: committed parents, coaches, club leaders, volunteers from all over the Caribbean and passionate supporters. This mobilization gives the event a strong human dimension. It’s a time for meeting and sharing, rooted in shared regional values, where solidarity and collective commitment go hand in hand with sporting competition.
Young swimmers at the heart of a demanding discipline
Swimming is a demanding sport. Discipline, rigor and perseverance structure the athletes’ daily lives. Every performance is the result of years of training, a strict lifestyle and constant commitment. The swimmers taking part in the CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships embody these high standards. The competition thus becomes a showcase for emerging Caribbean talent. The Martinique team, comprising 35 swimmers, will represent the region throughout the championships.
The presence of Olympic swimmer Coralie Balmy as godmother reinforces this dimension. Her career at the highest level illustrates the values of perseverance and excellence that underpin the event, and provides a concrete reference point for young participants.
A symbol of Caribbean unity and responsible commitment
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships is part of a process of Caribbean unity. The event promotes exchanges between territories and highlights a shared regional identity, based on respect, dialogue and encounters between delegations. This year’s event also has a strong environmental dimension. Awareness-raising initiatives have been put in place for participants, promoting eco-responsible behavior, supporting local sustainable initiatives, paying attention to the overall impact of the event and supervising waste management.
The experience extends beyond the pool. An entertainment village will accompany the competition, with stalls selling local produce, a varied range of food and drink, an official boutique and cultural activities highlighting the Martinican identity. The public, expected in large numbers, will help create an atmosphere of Caribbean energy and culture.
Practical information to follow CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships will take place from April 3 to 8, 2026 between the Centre Aquatique du Lamentin and Anse d’Arlet beach. The Instagram accounts @cariftamartinique2026 and @liguenatationmartinique, as well as the Facebook pages CARIFTA Aquatics Championships 2026 and Martinique Swimming League, will be used to follow the event. Additional content will be broadcast on Richès Karayib’s networks. Accreditation requests and media coordination for international media will be handled by Sabrina Ajax (by whatsapp +596 696 115 091)
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships is a major Caribbean swimming competition to be held in Martinique from April 3 to 8, 2026. It brings together over 500 young athletes from 24 territories, accompanied by coaches, officials and supporters. The event includes pool events, artistic swimming and an open water race.
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships takes place mainly at the Centre Aquatique du Lamentin for pool events and artistic swimming. The open water event is held at Anse d’Arlet. The official opening ceremony takes place at the Stade Georges Gratiant in Le Lamentin, marking the launch of the competition.
CARIFTA 2026 Aquatics Championships plays an essential role in the development of Caribbean swimming. It brings together the region’s best young swimmers in a high-level competitive setting, and represents an important step in their progression towards the elite. The event also fosters exchanges between territories and strengthens sporting cooperation in the Caribbean.
