Olympic gold medalists Elaine Thompson-Herah and Hansle Parchment have been named among the nominees for the 2021 RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards set for January 21, 2022.
Due mainly to the ongoing pandemic, the Awards will be a made-for-television event instead of the usual gala.
Thompson-Herah will likely be the favourite to add to the award she won in 2016 when she became the first woman to win an Olympic sprint double since 1988. At the Tokyo Olympics, Thompson-Herah won three gold medals (100m, 200m and 4x100m).
She won the 100m in an Olympic record of 10.61 and the 200m in a national record of 21.53, the second-fastest time in history. Following the Olympics, she ran 10.54, the second-fastest time ever run by a woman, at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon on her way to winning the Diamond League title.
However, she is among a stacked field of women who also performed at exceptionally high levels through the year, up to the end of November.
Chief among them is her perennial rival Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was second in the 100m in Tokyo and was also a member of the gold-medal-winning 4x100m team. The Pocket Rocket also created history of her own in Tokyo when she became the only woman to win medals in the 100m at four consecutive Olympic Games.
She also ran a personal best of 10.60 which made her the third-fastest woman in history.
Shericka Jackson is also among the nominees for winning bronze in the 100m in Tokyo, gold in the 4x100m and a 4x400m bronze. She also ran a personal best 10.76 in the 100m.
Megan Tapper, another nominee, created history as the first woman from the Caribbean to win a medal in the Olympics 100m hurdles. This, after she surprisingly won her second national title in June.
Last, but definitely not least of the five female nominees of West Indies Women cricketer Stafanie Taylor, whose consistent performance with bat and ball saw her ranked among the best female cricketers in the world. She also became one of only three women to score 5000 ODI runs in the history of women’s cricket.
Parchment, who stunned the world to defeat American Grant Holloway and win gold in the 110m hurdles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, leads the male nominees, that also includes fellow sprint hurdler and national champion Ronald Levy, who won bronze in Tokyo.
Also among the male nominees are West Indies and Jamaica batsman Nkrumah Bonner and Rally Cross driver Fraser McConnell.
The nominees for People’s Choice Performance of the Year include Mikhail Antonio’s wonder strike against the United States at the national stadium in Kingston and McConnell’s historic win in the Nordic Rally Cross in February.
The other nominees are Tapper’s surprise bronze medal in the 100m hurdles in Tokyo, Parchment’s golden run in Tokyo and Thompson-Herah’s blistering 10.54 run in Oregon on August 21.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Concacaf to introduce new formats for region’s U-17 Men’s and Women’s Qualifiers
Concacaf on Thursday announced new formats for the Confederation’s U-17 Men’s and Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.
The announcement follows FIFA’s confirmation earlier this year that it will increase the frequency of the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Both will become annual competitions with expanded participation to 48 and 24 teams, respectively.
The new Men’s Qualifiers will consist of a single round. The participating Concacaf Member Associations will be divided into eight groups, with the number of teams per group varying depending on the total number of participants.
After round-robin play, in which each team will play against each team in its group once, the group winners (eight teams in total) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The first edition of the Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers under the new format will take place between February 7 and 16, 2025.
The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers official draw will take place on October 24 at the Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, FL. Fans will be able to follow on the Confederation’s YouTube channel starting at 11 am ET.
The new Women’s Qualifiers will consist of two rounds, with the four highest-ranked participating Concacaf Member Associations (based on the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Rankings) receiving a bye to the Final Round.
For the Round One, the Member Associations ranked fifth and below will be split into six groups, with the number of teams per group varying depending on the total number of participants. After round-robin play, the six group winners and the two best second-place finishers (eight teams in total) will advance to the Final Round, joining the four top-ranked teams (twelve in total).
The Final Round will also be played in a group format, consisting of three groups of four teams each. After round-robin play, the three group winners and the best second-place finisher (four teams in total) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The first edition of the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Qualifiers under the new format will take place between January 27 and February 1, 2025 (Round One) and March 31 and April 6, 2025 (Final Round).
The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Qualifiers Round One official draw will take place on October 16 at the Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, FL. Fans will be able to follow on the Confederation’s YouTube channel starting at 11 am ET.
Jamaican Olympian Aleen Bailey and husband Joseph Taylor expecting first child, celebrate with baby shower with family and friends
Jamaican Olympian Aleen Bailey and her husband Joseph Taylor are celebrating an exciting new chapter in their lives as they prepare to welcome their first child. The couple marked the occasion with a heartwarming baby shower on Sunday, attended by close family and friends, including collegiate coach and close friend Soyini Thompson, and former Jamaican thrower Zara Northover, who presided over the couple’s wedding in November 2023.
Bailey, a decorated athlete, has had an illustrious career on the track. A seven-time Carifta Games gold medalist, Bailey rose to global prominence when she won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team. Her relay success continued, with another gold medal at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany. Throughout her career, Bailey represented Jamaica with distinction, earning numerous accolades in the national colours, making her one of the country's most celebrated sprinters.
(Soyini Thompson Facebook)
Aleen and her husband Joseph are all smiles with their dear friend Zara Northover on Sunday.
The baby shower was a joyful gathering filled with love and anticipation for the couple’s impending parenthood. Surrounded by their support system, Bailey and Taylor celebrated the next step in their journey together, a journey that began when they tied the knot under the warm Jamaican sun in a beautiful ceremony at the St Andrew Scots Kirk United Church in Kingston.
Their wedding, officiated by Reverend Nigel Nusey and longtime friend Northover, was a heartfelt celebration of love, faith, and the powerful bond shared by two outstanding athletes. Northover, Bailey’s former roommate during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, expressed her gratitude for being a part of the couple’s journey, reflecting on the significance of God’s blessing in their marriage.
The couple’s reception at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston was a further testament to the love they share, surrounded by family, friends, and members of the athletic community that has played such an important role in their lives.
Now, as they prepare to welcome their first child, Bailey and Taylor are entering a new chapter, continuing their journey of love and family. The support from their friends and loved ones was palpable at the baby shower, a day filled with happiness, excitement, and anticipation for the new arrival.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce reflects on the sixth anniversary of her statue at Independence Park
Two-time Olympic 100m champion and five-time World 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, has marked the sixth anniversary of the statue erected in her honour at Independence Park in Kingston. The statue, which was unveiled on October 14, 2018, stands as a symbol of her incredible achievements and contributions to athletics.
On Monday, the legendary sprinter took to Facebook to reflect on the momentous occasion, posting, "Growing up, statues represented important people who were no longer alive. October 14, 2018, was a monumental feeling to see yourself larger than life with your very own eyes."
The unveiling of Fraser-Pryce’s statue, which took place six years ago, drew government officials, diplomats, and loyal fans to the National Stadium, despite heavy rain associated with a broad trough across the western Caribbean. The ceremony lasted over two hours, with various speakers praising Fraser-Pryce, the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic 100m gold medallist, for her remarkable career and her inspirational journey.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness unveiled the statue during the special ceremony at Statue Park, where other Jamaican sporting greats are also immortalized.
Back then, Fraser-Pryce, reflecting on her journey, remarked, "Early in my journey, I wasn’t a model athlete. However, once I found out the power I had in my legs and was convinced that hard work is the key to success, I bought a stake into my own vision for my future."
She shared a message of encouragement for those chasing their dreams, emphasizing resilience and perseverance: "We all have our dreams, and sometimes we do not get to pursue them. However, if you are alive, you can still be able to achieve them. A delayed dream doesn’t mean a dream denied."
The 37-year-old sprinter remains one of the most iconic figures in global track and field, and the statue commemorating her legacy stands as a testament to her enduring impact on Jamaican and world athletics.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
