Under the warm Jamaican sun, Olympian Aleen Bailey and her now-husband Joseph Taylor tied the knot in a heartwarming ceremony at the St Andrew Scotts Kirk United Church on Duke Street in Kingston, surrounded by family, friends, and the love of the athletic community that brought them together.
They celebrated the union at a reception held at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston.
The wedding, presided over by Aleen's longtime friend Zara Northover and Reverend Nigel Nusey was a celebration of love, faith, and the powerful journey that brought two outstanding athletes together. Northover, who had been Aleen's roommate at the 2008 Beijing Games, expressed her gratitude for being entrusted to officiate the union, emphasizing the significance of God's blessing in their marital journey.
"The power of a God-ordained couple spreads a light and energy that is not just seen but felt," Northover proclaimed during the ceremony.
She drew parallels between the worlds of track and field and American football, highlighting the synchronization of effort, grace, strategy, and execution that defined both sports. Aleen's journey from the Beijing Games to the altar with Joseph mirrored the discipline, sacrifice, and perfect timing that characterize a sprinter's best race.
Northover shared a touching revelation about the divine intervention in Aleen and Joseph's love story. She revealed that Joseph was the answer to the prayers of Aleen's late Auntie Carmen (Clarke), who had fervently prayed for Aleen to find a God-fearing, intelligent, caring, tall, dark chocolate, strong protective man. Joseph, according to Northover, embodied all these qualities.
That prayer was answered when the two met in September 2022. He proposed on New Year’s Eve.
Close friends and colleagues in attendance also shared their joy and heartfelt messages. Andrea Bliss, a fellow athlete, expressed, "Aleen has been a big sister to me and so many other athletes since junior days. To see her so happy makes me happy."
Aleen's mother, Maud Bailey, welcomed Joseph into the family with pride. "I'm overwhelmed and proud of Aleen. I welcome Joseph as my son. May the Lord bless and keep them," she said.
Fellow Olympian and friend Yohan Blake thanked Aleen for her sustained support through good times and bad, saying, "It was an honour to celebrate you. Congratulations and I hope you have a fairytale life."
Bridesmaid, Elva Goulbourne, also an Olympian, conveyed her love and pride for Aleen, thanking her for always having her back through thick and thin. “To my sister. I have loved you from high school and I still love you now,” said the long jumper, who attended Dinthill Technical while Aleen was at Vere Technical.
“I am very proud of you. To the woman you have become and always having my back through thick and thin. Thank you for letting me a part of your celebration. May God continue to bless both of you richly.”
In his message to Aleen, Joseph expressed his gratitude, saying, "I am so humbly grateful that she is part of my forever. It’s a blessing to take her hand in marriage here in her home country of Jamaica in front of all of our family and friends. I love you with all my heart."
As the day concluded, the newlyweds, Aleen and Taylor, embarked on their journey together, symbolizing a union grounded in love, faith, and the shared experiences of two exceptional athletes who found their perfect match on and off the field.
Longtime friend Freddie James summed it all up when he remarked, “I’ve known Aleen since she was a child and this is the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”
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.
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Jamaica and France sign landmark MOU for bilateral sports cooperation
As the world eagerly anticipates the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Jamaica and France have marked the occasion with a significant step towards enhancing their bilateral relations in the field of sport. On July 24, the Honourable Olivia Grange, Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and His Excellency Olivier Guyonvarch, the Ambassador of France in Jamaica, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Bilateral Cooperation in Sport.
Minister Grange highlighted the symbolic timing of the agreement, stating, “It is certainly significant that it is happening at the time of the 2024 Olympics in the French capital, Paris. It embodies the importance of sport in establishing cooperation and friendship between the two countries."
The agreement outlines several areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing both nations' sports capabilities. One key aspect of the MOU is the sharing of experiences and the development of joint initiatives in sports. This includes promoting common standards for organizing major sporting events and developing high sports performance through the exchange of best practices, coaching training, and research.
Additionally, the agreement focuses on boosting the sports economy and sports tourism in both countries by sharing valuable information and insights. A significant emphasis is also placed on promoting sports ethics, with both nations committing to collaborate in the fight against doping.
Minister Grange commended the diligent efforts of Ambassador Guyonvarch and the teams from both the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in finalizing the MOU. She also referenced the ongoing friendship between Jamaica and France, demonstrated by events like the "2024 Road to Paris Olympics," which featured a symbolic relay baton passed globally and included French students from schools across Jamaica.
The MOU also aims to facilitate exchanges in seminars, conferences, and symposia involving experts in various sports disciplines such as fencing, rugby, handball, athletics, canoe-kayak/sprint, sailing, and skateboarding, among others.
Ambassador Guyonvarch expressed his enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “On the eve of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the signing of this MOU on sports cooperation is a milestone in our bilateral relations, being the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement between our two countries in a strategic field of excellence. The implementation of this agreement, initiated by the Centre for Research on Sports Performance of Guadeloupe and the Faculty of Sports of UWI, will allow us to develop sports science, new practices, and more intense human exchanges between our two countries.”
The follow-up on the cooperation outlined in the MOU will be ensured by a Bilateral Steering Committee, which will meet annually in either of the two countries, ensuring that the goals and initiatives set forth are actively pursued and achieved.
This agreement not only strengthens the bond between Jamaica and France but also paves the way for enhanced sports performance, education, and ethical standards in both nations, promising a bright future for sports collaboration and excellence.
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.
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