Guadeloupe, a land of champions

With year-round sunshine, magnificent landscapes, a vast coastline and numerous infrastructures, Guadeloupe is particularly ideal for practising all sorts of sports on a daily basis. In fact, our archipelago is a land of athletics which, over time, has asserted itself as a “land of champions”. Many Guadeloupean athletes have stood out at the regional, national and international levels thanks to exceptional performances. Guadeloupe counts on a plethora of current or future champions in multiple disciplines. Our region also hosts major and prestigious athletic events that allow local competitors to confront those coming from other parts of the globe.

A propitious climate, numerous infrastructures along with a strong athletic culture has helped develop a wide range of activities: from track and field to sailing, from tennis to horse-riding or cycling. Guadeloupe is thereby rightfully known as both a “land of athletics” and a “land of champions”. Indeed, Guadeloupe showcases its athletic excellence in multiple disciplines and countries, thanks to all those athletes proudly representing the archipelago.

A myriad of champions

Our archipelago counts a myriad of athletes that have stood out in their own discipline, on the national and even the international stage.

Edmond Roger Maurice Carlton, born on November 20th, 1913, a 100 metres specialist and a French military and university champion in 1935, was the first Olympian Guadeloupean athlete, as he competed in the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.

Some of the most famous Guadeloupean athletes include:

• track and field athletes : Marlène Canguio (1st Guadeloupean in participating to the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games), Roger Bambuck, Marie-José Pérec, Patricia Girard, Christine Arron, Muriel Hurtis
• judoka Teddy Riner
• fencer Laura Flessel
• soccer players: Marius Trésor, Jocelyn Angloma, Lilian Thuram, Thierry Henry, William Gallas
• tennisman Gaël Monfils
• boxer Jean-Marc Mormeck
• track cyclist Grégory Baugé
• handball player Didier Dinart
• basketball players Mickaël and Florent Piétrus, Mickaël Gélabale, etc.

Numerous athletic events

Thanks to its athletic excellence and numerous infrastructures, Guadeloupe attracts international athletes willing to train or compete.

Major athletic events include:

• The legendary “Route du Rhum” regatta
• The international “Tour de Guadeloupe” cycling competition
• The international track and field meeting of the Greater Caribbean
• Guadeloupe’s Traditional Sailing Race (TGVT)
• International offshore jetski competition “Karujet”
• The Guadeloupe Region international Golf Open, in Saint-François

Present day Guadeloupe is a land of world-famous champions. Our athletic excellence is a considerable asset that must be promoted and magnified. Nonetheless, given the strong demand, the sector lacks sufficient athletic infrastructures. The Guadeloupe Regional Council invests significantly in view of filling those gaps. Committed to the promotion of athletic excellence for many years, the Guadeloupe Regional Council hosts athletic events and holds numerous competitions on its soil.

Key figures of the athletic sector

• More than 70 000 sports licences delivered by 54 leagues and regional committees.
• Nearly 16% of the population practices an athletic activity in clubs

Guadeloupe is a land of champions, based on the large amount of Guadeloupean athletes who have performed extraordinarily over the years, and given the major athletic events it continues hosting.