Olympian Natoya Goule smiles with Dr Damien King, Chairman of Recycling Partners of Jamaica during a signing of an agreement on Wednesday under which Goule will become an ambassador for the company.
Eight-time national 800m champion Natoya Goule was announced as a second brand ambassador for Recycling Partners of Jamaica at the company’s offices on Retirement Road in Kingston on Wednesday. Veteran entertainer Sasco is RPJ’s other ambassador and he continues in that role but Goule, the Olympic and World Championships finalist in 2019 and 2021, respectively, will be the face of the company at sporting events.
The announcement was made by RPJ Marketing and Communications Manager Candice Ming, who explained what Goule’s role will be during the initial one-year agreement.
“We decided to partner with Natoya for sporting events in particular,” Ming said, “she will be our face in sports as we expand our reach from having the bins and having Sasco’s jingle on the radio. We have been at sporting events. We have been at sporting events, I am not sure if you are familiar with us partnering with the Carifta Games earlier this year for the collection of plastic bottles and so we are expanding the initiative off the success of the Carifta Games including to the National trials this weekend.
“All four days we will be collecting plastics so as we move further into the field of sport you will be seeing a lot more of us, particularly through Natoya and her efforts.”
RPJ Chairman Dr Damien King explained that selecting Goule to be a brand ambassador was a straightforward decision.
“Our proudest moments as a nation have to do with what we have achieved on the track. We want Jamaica to be known just as well for environmental management. We want all Jamaicans and the entire rest of the world to know that Jamaica is serious about having a clean and inviting, beautiful environment. It is natural that our ambitions to be number-one on the track and number-one on the environment come together,” he said.
The 31-year-old Goule, who is on the island for the 2022 National Senior Athletics Championships where she will go for a ninth consecutive title, expressed her delight at being selected for such an important role.
“It is a great pleasure that I am a part of this and I am going to be here to do my part and contribute as much as I can,” said Goule, who RPJ will engage in a number of initiatives islandwide that they intend to roll out. Some of those initiatives will unfold in Goule’s home parish of Manchester, Ming disclosed.
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.
Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy (45.27), Holmwood Technical’s Rickiann Russell (51.26) run personal bests to win 400m titles at ISSA Boys and Girls Championships
Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy brought the curtain down on Thursday’s day three of the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships with a gold medal in the Class 1 Boys 400m final at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The 19-year-old World Under-20 finalist secured nine points for the Clarendon-based school with a personal best 45.27 to win gold ahead of Jamaica College’s Malique Smith Band (45.74) and St. Elizabeth Technical’s Jasauna Dennis (45.87). Smith Band and Dennis also ran personal bests.
In the Girls Class 1 event, Holmwood Technical’s Rickiann Russell produced an excellent personal best 51.26, narrowly missing out on Sonita Sutherland’s record of 51.13 done in 2006, to win gold ahead of Hydel’s Oneika McAnuff (52.11) and Edwin Allen’s Kacian Powell (52.76).
KC’s Tahj-Marques White, the pre-race favourite in Class 2, made good on the promise he showed throughout the rounds to comfortably take gold in 47.73 ahead of JC’s Omary Robinson (48.49) and Calabar’s Nickecoy Bramwell (48.88).
Jody-Ann Daley of Hydel won the Girls Class 2 final in 53.61 ahead of Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery (54.12) and St. Catherine’s fast-finishing Kitania Headley (54.13).
Calabar’s Christopher Ellis produced a mild upset in the Class 3 final when he ran 50.49 to defeat the KC pair Jordan Rehedul (50.67) and Eshanee Porter (50.69).
Hydel were once again winners in Class 3 through Nastassia Fletcher’s 53.99 effort. Excelsior’s Breana Brown ran 55.58 for second while Rhodes Hall’s Rhianna Lewis was third in 56.15.
In the field, Edwin Allen’s Dylan Logan threw 16.03m to win the Class 2 Boys shot put ahead of Petersfield’s Ranaldo Anderson (15.15m) and KC’s Jaeden Williams (15.05m).
The Class 1 Boys discus was won by JC’s Racquil Broderick with an impressive 62.94m ahead of Calabar’s World Under-20 shot put silver medallist Kobe Lawrence (60.41m) and Clarendon College’s Ricardo Hayles (60.15m).
KC’s Isaiah Patrick, who missed Champs last year through injury, produced a record 6969 points to win the boys decathlon ahead of JC’s Dorian Charles (6579 points) and Calabar’s Kevin Brooks (6202 points).
On the Girls’ side, Hydel’s Zavien Bernard cleared 1.77m for victory in the Class 3 high jump ahead of Edwin Allen’s Asia McKay (1.71m) and Rhode Hall’s Aaliyah Williams (1.68m).
St. Jago’s Jade-Ann Dawkins jumped 6.12m for gold in the Class 2 long jump ahead of St. Catherine High’s Rohanna Sudlow (5.90m) and Edwin Allen’s Deijanae Bruce (5.75m).
Immaculate Conception’s Ashley Barrett took the crown in Class 4 with 5.25m. St. Mary High’s Sackoya Palmer took second with 5.22m and Hydel’s Arrian Nelson third with 5.10m.
Edwin Allen took gold in the Girls Open javelin throw through Sheniela Williams’ 42.40m ahead of Hydel’s Natassia Burrell (41.82m) and Immaculate Conception’s Zoelle Jamel (39.70m).
As far as points go, Kingston College leads the Boys standings after 15 events scored with 124 points. Jamaica College finds themselves second with 121 while the top five is rounded out by Calabar with 70, St. Elizabeth Technical with 41 and St. Jago High with 32.
Hydel lead the standings on the Girls side after 16 events scored with 98 points, one more then defending champions Edwin Allen while the top five is completed by Holmwood Technical with 73.50, St. Jago High with 70 and Immaculate Conception with 44.
“It will only get better from here,” says KC’s Nkrumie after historic 9.99 performance
March 29, 2023 is a day that fans of Jamaican track and field will never forget.
The stage was set at the National Stadium in Kingston on Wednesday night for the Class One boys 100m final where Kingston College star Bouwahjgie Nkrumie was aiming to secure his first gold medal since moving up to class one two years ago.
Not only was he expected to easily win the race, he was expected to become the first Jamaican Under-20 athlete to break the 10-second barrier.
After coasting to 10.51 to win his heat on Tuesday, the World Under-20 silver medallist heightened the expectations of the many watching on at the Stadium and at home when he sped to 10.08 in the semi-finals, breaking the record set in 2014 by Zharnel Hughes.
Then, with everyone’s eyes glued to the Stadium track, Nkrumie did it. He produced a special 9.99, breaking his own national junior record 10.02, and becoming only the third Under-20 athlete to break 10 seconds.
The other two are Botswanan Letsile Tebogo who ran 9.91 to defeat Nkrumie at the World Under-20 Championships last year and American Trayvon Bromell who ran 9.97 in 2014.
That time also makes Nkrumie the current world leader in the event.
“I can’t explain the feeling right now. I can tell you, now, it was not easy to do. It will only get better from here,” Nkrumie said after the race.
“Felt good throughout the rounds but I wasn’t pleased with the execution in the final again. That’s what affected me last year but I promise you I will get it together at the right time,” he added.
As previously stated, this was Nkrumie’s third 100m final since making the transition to Class One in 2021.
That year, Nkrumie took bronze while, in 2022, his finished sixth after stumbling out of his blocks.
He reacted to finally claiming that elusive gold medal.
“The journey has been rough to be honest but if only some athletes in high school had the mindset that I have, they’d be so fantastic but, as I said, I’m happy to achieve this time and it’s only going to get better from here,” Nkrumie said.
As for what comes next for the three-time Kingston College team captain, he says wait and see.
“Let’s see. The season is long. With the way my coach planned out this season, you will definitely see me run faster down the line.”
Olympics chief Bach labels politicians 'deplorable' over calls to deny Russian athletes right to compete
Olympics chief Thomas Bach has attacked politicians pushing for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be prevented from returning to international sport, saying their attitude is "deplorable".
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Bach launched a tirade on Thursday at the "negative reactions" to plans to allow competitors from Russia and Belarus to compete in global sporting events as neutral individual athletes.
There has been no final decision taken yet on whether those athletes can take part in next year's Olympics; however, there will be potential pathways for them to qualify for the Games, and it could yet mean there are Russians and Belarusians taking part in the Paris Games while war continues in Ukraine.
Government figures in the UK, Germany and beyond have expressed opposition to such athletes being allowed to take part, although IOC guidance on Tuesday potentially opened that door.
For those politicians there was a fierce rebuke from Bach.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bach said: "Today the IOC executive board discussed the reactions to our recommendations issued on Tuesday.
"There we have taken note of some negative reactions by some European governments in particular. I can only reaffirm there what the Olympic movement and all the stakeholders have made very clear before: that it is deplorable to see some governments do not want to respect the majority within the Olympic movement and of all stakeholders, nor the autonomy of sport which they are praising and requesting from other countries in countless speeches, UN resolutions, EU declarations, and at every other opportunity.
"It is deplorable that these governments do not address the question of double standards with which we have been confronted in our consultations.
"We have not seen a single comment from them about their attitude towards the participation of athletes whose countries are involved in the other 70 wars and armed conflicts in the world.
"It is even more deplorable that they grossly neglect the very clear statement of the two special rapporteurs from the UN human rights council. While in other issues they are always highlighting their firm request for the respect of human rights
"Discussions and reactions from the Olympic movement are making it very clear, that these government interventions have strengthened the unity of the Olympic movement.
"All stakeholders make it very clear again: it cannot be up to the governments to decide which athletes can participate in which competition. This would be the end of world sport as we know it today.
"The Olympic movement stakeholders are very concerned about this politicisation of sport. They are very concerned about the attitude of these governments wanting to take over the participation and the decision of participation in sport events in their country or even in other countries."
Bach pointed to a letter from the presidents of the five regional groupings on national Olympic committees, representing all 206 NOCs, in which he said it was stated that "international sports competitions welcome athletes from all countries".
Asked why it was only athletes from Russia and Belarus that were being asked to compete as neutrals, rather than those from other conflicts and wars to which he referred, Bach said that was "because this was a blatant violation of the Olympic truce and happened between the Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Games".
That was a reference to the timing of the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
With regard to Germany and the UK, Bach said: "Both NOCs have made it very clear they do not boycott, and we will not punish athletes or an NOC for the position of their governments.
"We will always make every effort not to punish athletes for misbehaviour of their national governments."
Bach, who is German, said "a vast, vast majority of all stakeholders of the Olympic movement" supported the IOC putting in place conditions for the possible return to international competition of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports.
He added: "I can only reaffirm the entire Olympic movement strongly stands by its values and by its mission to unite the world in a peaceful competition."
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