Port of Spain, Trinidad, Monday, January 12, 2026: Hot on the heels of his championship performance at the Welcome to the Gayelle competition in Moruga on January 3, former five-time National Stick Fighting Competition champion, O’Neil Odle once again bested all opponents to take the first prize at the NCC Welcome to the Gayelle at Debe Junction on Saturday, January 10.
Saturday’s standalone competition featured 15 stick fighters from across the nation, including reigning King of the Rock, Anderson Marcano, who placed second, all vying for a chance to take the top prize of $10,000 and the title of Welcome to the Gayelle Debe Junction Champion.
The pavilion at Debe Junction was abuzz with hundreds of eager patrons, Traditional Carnival Character performances, and entertainment segments featuring Orlando Octave, Imran “GI” Beharry, Ravi B., and Dubraj Persad.
Despite inclement weather at the start of the evening, fans were treated to a top-tier and fast paced stick fighting competition.
At the end, O’Neil Odle stood tall as the champion, with Anderson Marcano placing second, and Glenturner Bridgelal securing the third spot.
Designed to further strengthen the national stick fighting circuit, Welcome to the Gayelle is a single-round competition hosted in various communities, featuring attractive prizes for participants and a variety of entertainment and cultural offerings for patrons.
Welcome to the Gayelle action continues with its final leg this Saturday, January 17 at 7 pm at Constantine Park, Macoya Road, Tunapuna where the $10,000 top prize is again on the line.
Admission to Welcome to the Gayelle is free and the bouts will be livestreamed on NCC’s YouTube channel, and on the NCC’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The NCC sincerely thanks last Saturday’s participants and their loyal supporters for their roles in preserving and promoting stick fighting in Moruga and eagerly looks forward to more top-flight competition on January 17 at Constantine Park.
For more information on Welcome to the Gayelle, please contact the NCC via email at info@ncctt.org, or visit online at ncctt.org or via Facebook and Instagram.
