Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda says the value of their renewed partnership with Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) goes beyond money, as his organization advocates and understands that greater currency is derived from social investment in the human capital and infrastructure of sport, athletes, coaches and administrators.
This, as the extended five-year partnership valued at $75 million represents a significant boost towards the country’s preparations for international competitions, including the Olympic Games in Paris, later this year.
“This five-year cash investment at a value of $75 million will fulfill that purpose and serve to build out the Olympic infrastructure in a substantive way, while facilitating talent in transitioning to the greatest stage, the Olympic stage, where aspirations in sport will be realized, as we at the JOA, engender in stakeholders, responsible citizenship in sport,” Samuda told SportsMax.TV shortly after the signing at the JOA’s headquarters on Friday.
Samuda stated that reshaping the JOA to broaden involvement is the paradigm of the current executive, as he pointed to the SVL’s increased investment, from its previous $45 million agreement over three years, as a testament of their belief in, and by extension, commitment to the movement. Besides athletics, numerous other sporting disciplines will be hunting qualification to the Paris Games.
“The renewal of this multi-million partnership between the Jamaica Olympic Association and Supreme Ventures Limited at a significant increased value, demonstrates corporate confidence in the Jamaica Olympic Association, and SVL’s unwavering commitment to the Olympic movement and indeed sport. But its value goes beyond money,” Samuda shared.
“The activations which will be carried out under this partnership will demonstrate innovation in the delivery of sports, specific skills in areas including education, coaching, business and commerce, governance and management, science and technology, as well as branding and marketing. All this while giving strategic support to events, all with the objective of blueprinting the creation of a local sport industry which is an imperative of economic development,” he added.
Meanwhile, SVL’s Executive Chairman, Gary Peart, said the decision to renew their sponsorship was made as a commitment to Jamaica’s athletes. He also credited the JOA for their efforts and transparency throughout their partnership.
“They sold us on a vision, they updated along the way in terms of what the results have been, and it’s been an exceptional journey. We took the decision 18 months ago that we’d renew, it was just a matter of how the renewal would be," Peart said.
"We sponsor several initiatives in our business on an annual basis and JOA ranks in the top one or two in terms of what the whole process is, the returns, etc. Ultimately, this money helps not just the Olympic movement but athletes and their ability to shine on the international stage, and hopefully get gold when they participate. We at SVL, we’re just happy to assist with that,” he noted.
Peart also announced that SVL will be giving Jamaicans the opportunity to attend the games in France through various promotions to be announced in the coming weeks.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Gardiner, Charlton named flag bearers for The Bahamas ahead of Paris opening ceremony
Reigning 400m Olympic champion Steven Gardiner and World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Devynne Charlton will be flag bearers for The Bahamas at the much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games opening ceremonies on Friday.
Gardiner and Charlton are among the 20 athletes that will represent The Bahamas at the global multi-sport showpiece, which is currently under way and is scheduled to end on August 11.
Track and field and swimming are the two disciplines that the Bahamian contingent will contest at the Games.
Quartermiler Shaunae Miller-Uibo, high jumper Donald Thomas, who is making his fifth Olympic appearance, NCAA and national record holder in the javelin Rhema Otabor, decathlete Ken Mullings, and Charisma Taylor, who contests the triple jump and the 100m hurdles, are also on the team.
Rhaniska Gibbs and Lamar Taylor will represent the Bahamas in the pool.
Meanwhile, quartermiler Lacarthea Cooper finished third in the women’s 400m at the BAAA’s Nationals in 53.38 seconds behind second place finisher Quincy Penn in 53.35 seconds, but did not make the team.
However, Shania Adderley finished fifth in 54.50 seconds and was named to the Olympic team for her contributions as a member of the 4x400m mixed relay team at the World Relays.
Guyana's table tennis star Chelsea Edghill feeling good after 'solid practice sessions' in Paris
By all indications, Guyana’s top table tennis player, Chelsea Edghill is relaxed and ready to go at the Olympic Games as she continues to get acclimatised to conditions in Paris.
Edghill, who is relishing her second Olympic Games appearance, is the only English-speaking Caribbean representative set to compete in table tennis at the global multi-sport showpiece, which got underway with football action on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old, who was eliminated in the first round at the 2020 Tokyo Games, pointed out that she has so far engaged in some solid practice sessions since her arrival in Mulhouse, France, as she hopes to go at least one better on this occasion.
“It was just Guyana in the camp, so we took the time to train with some of the local players and practice with the world master’s bronze medalist and the practice session was good,” Edghill told Chronicle Sport.
“We go back to Paris to settle in for the games but so far we have to train and getting used to the environment. It (table tennis) takes so much skill and practice, I have been doing it for 18 years and it is still very difficult…misconception is that it is easy,” she added.
While her preparation aimed at fine-tuning her skills and focus leading up to the multi-sport event, Edghill has always been self-motivated.
“I am really working on grounding myself and looking inward. If the plan doesn’t work, we just scrap the plan and then start over,” Edghill said in an Instagram post, as she hopes to break barriers and possibly create opportunities for other Guyanese players.
She is joined in Paris by National Coach Idi Lewis, the country’s top swimmer, Aleka Persaud and coach Sean Baksh, as well as track and field star Emanuel Archibald.
Argentina 2-2 Morocco: Medina scores 106th-minute leveller as Albiceleste fight back
Cristian Medina equalised 16 minutes into second-half stoppage time as Argentina fought back for a 2-2 draw with Morocco in their opening game at the Olympic Games in Saint-Etienne.
Morocco looked set to open their Group B campaign with a memorable win when Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi scored twice in a five-minute spell either side of half-time.
However, substitute Giuliano Simeone halved the arrears for Javier Mascherano's men, who twice hit the woodwork before Medina nodded home with the final contribution to an incredible game.
Morocco inched ahead two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Ilias Akhomach bamboozling the Argentina defence with a wonderful backheel that allowed Bilal El Khannouss to cross for Rahimi to tap home.
Within four minutes of the restart, Morocco had a chance to double their lead as the tricky Akhomach was pushed inside the area by Julio Soler. Rahimi stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, stroking his kick into the bottom-left corner.
Mascherano's team dragged themselves back into the contest with 22 minutes to play, though, as Soler's cross-shot was prodded in by the stretching substitute Simeone.
The Albiceleste struggled to carve out clear-cut chances to equalise, but Medina saved the day in dramatic circumstances with 116 minutes on the clock.
Munir Mohamedi spilled Thiago Almada's long-range shot then tipped Bruno Amione's follow-up onto the woodwork. Nicolas Otamendi then looped his header against the crossbar but Argentina made sure at the fourth attempt as Medina nodded into an unguarded net.
Data Debrief: Albiceleste leave it late
Medina's leveller was officially timed at 105 minutes and 24 seconds, the lengthy period of stoppage time a result of several heavy challenges and a number of supporters encroaching on the playing field throughout the match.
Few could argue they did not deserve their point, though, having ended the game with a tally of 2.41 expected goals (xG) to Morocco's 1.46.
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