From children to the elderly, the Olympic spirit brings people together
Although Olympic Day is officially celebrated on 23 June, the Territorial Olympic Committee of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin (CTOS SBSM) and its partners chose to extend the celebrations over three days. The aim was to remind people that sport is accessible to everyone, whatever their age, and that the values of the Olympic Movement can be applied in everyday life.
It was on Friar’s Bay beach that the senior citizens kicked off the Seniors Games on Monday morning. In partnership with Maison Sport-Santé, the CTOS SBSM had approached the various neighbourhood councils, and the idea of these sporting events appealed to the Sandy Ground council. Always keen to organise activities for its community, the Nature is the Key association organised the morning’s events for around fifteen people, who were clearly delighted to get into the water. Starting with aqua aerobics as a warm-up, followed by a tug-of-war and a choreographed routine in the spirit of synchronised swimming, the morning was filled with good humour and a friendly atmosphere, and above all allowed everyone to exercise at their own pace … because, as Pierre de Coubertin said, the important thing is to take part!
Children showing solidarity
The youngest children were not to be outdone, and it was for a good cause that the Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 classes at Elie Gibbs School in Grand Case took part in a charity cross-country run organised in partnership with the USEP (Primary School Sports Union). First the girls, then the boys, were tasked with running for 15 minutes and completing as many laps of the track as possible to collect sticks, which represent points for the Handynamique charity; thanks to these, children with sickle cell anaemia (an inherited blood disorder) will be able to enjoy a day out on a boat. Whilst this was a symbolic gesture – as the day will be funded by the Committee – the children themselves gave it their all, and it was with pride that they all received a medal to remind them of the values of the Olympic spirit and, above all, of mutual support and pushing oneself to the limit for the benefit of others.
Protection: a new value
This Olympic Day concluded at the Tennis Club de l’Ile de Saint-Martin with an evening dedicated to the 18 member associations of the Committee. Cédric Monpierre, the DRAJES’s liaison officer for combating violence, had travelled to the event to emphasise just how important it is now for club leaders to remain vigilant regarding these issues, which are becoming increasingly common. The statistics are indeed damning: nearly a thousand sports coaches (mostly men) were implicated last year; in a club with 30 members, three people have been or are currently facing sexual or sexist assaults, and so on. In 2025, 872 reports were received via the Signal-Sports platform and led to an administrative investigation, representing an increase of 64 per cent compared with 2024 and 140 per cent compared with 2023. The DRAJES is working in collaboration with the police and gendarmerie at federal level, cross-referencing information from clubs, to ensure that such situations are no longer a daily reality within clubs.
These three marathon days came to a close on Wednesday in Saint-Barthélemy with free activities for the public on Lorient beach, including introductory surfing sessions with Marco Mignot, France’s number one surfer and 11th in the world rankings. A fitting finale!
