Sport in Sint Maarten
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten only came into existence as a country after the dissolution of Netherlands Antilles in 2011, so for information about sport in this area before this time see the page for Netherlands Antilles. Sint Maarten is one of the four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands, together with the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Aruba.
However, the relatively small size of the country does not reflect the love of sports by its population. As with most Caribbean countries, Sint Maarten views football as the most popular sport in the island. Everything football in Sint Maarten is controlled by the Sint Maarten Soccer Association. Sint Maarten is not a FIFA member which means they have never been to any World Cup but they do compete internationally like in CONCACAF. They have also played in the Gold Cup and Caribbean Cup but, due mainly to a lack of proper training facilities; they are considered as lamb among the wolves.
Athletics is another popular sport in Sint Maarten, track and field to be specific. The Raoul Illidge Sports Complex is where most sporting events are held which can hold up to 3,000 people. For a country of Sint Maarten's size, it is considerable large. Some of the most recognizable athletes who came from Sint Maarten are footballers Mickaël Mazzoli and Elvis Fléming. Another sport that one can enjoy in Sint Maarten is sailing. For an island country, this is however expected.
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Popular sports of Sint Maarten
- Football (Soccer), Sailing, Track and Field, Rugby
Sint Maarten Sporting Success
Great athletes from Sint Maarten
- Mickaël Mazzoli - footballer, played with FK Slavija in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Elvis Fléming - footballer, played as midfielder in France for Jeunesse Villenavaise.
Sint Maarten Sports trivia
- Athletes from the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles were able to compete in 2012 as Independent Olympic Athletes after it was dissolved in 2011. None of the three athletes who represented he region came from Sint Maarten.
Sint Maarten at major events
Past sporting events hosted in Sint Maarten
Upcoming sporting events in Sint Maarten
Annual sporting events held in Sint Maarten
- Sint Maarten League is the top association football league in Sint Maarten.
- St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is an annual yacht race
Sporting Facilities in Sint Maarten
- Raoul Illidge Sports Complex is a multi-use stadium in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, currently used mostly for football matches
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