What started out as a dream debut for Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell, ended in disappointment, as he was unable to express himself in the men’s shot put final on Saturday’s opening day of the World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Campbell, the Jamaican national champion and record holder at 22.22m, made the final with a mark of 20.83m on his third attempt during qualifying, but again struggled to get going.
However, unlike he did in qualifying, Campbell was unable to recover and failed to register a mark when it mattered most.
The event was won by American defending champion Ryan Crouser, who launched the instrument to a Championship Record 23.51m on his final attempt to stamp his authority on the event. He had earlier registered 22.98m in the second round, which already had the gold medal won.
Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, with a new personal best 22.34m, snatched silver from the other American Joe Kovacs (21.59m).
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
Dina Asher-Smith believes she is racing in the “golden age” of women’s sprinting.
The 27-year-old is ready to start her World Championships campaign in Budapest.
Asher-Smith, who finished fourth in the 100m at the Worlds last year despite equalling her British record of 10.83 seconds, and Daryll Neita race in the 100m heats on Sunday.
They are aiming to challenge Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson, who completed a clean sweep of the medals in Eugene 13 months ago. Asher-Smith took 200m bronze behind Jackson and Fraser-Pryce.
“I definitely do think we’re in like a golden age,” said Asher-Smith. “It will be remembered as kind of like a (Usain) Bolt era but on the side of the women’s, and far more competitive. There are a lot of women in that arena.
“You say Shelley-Ann and Elaine would be like, ‘ah?’ Then even this year, Shericka will be like, ‘er?’ There are just so many.
“I feel like when there’s so many people running fast, there’s no point thinking about other people. You’ve just got to focus on yourself.
“If you start focusing on one or two, you’ll forget about the other seven, who are also incredibly quick. There’s lots of very, very talented and very experienced women racing.
“I think we have one of the strongest and what will hopefully be the most exciting events of this World Championships.
“There’s a lot of depth. All you can do is focus on yourself, right? That’s all I can do. I can only control myself. So that’s kind of what I am doing.”
Neita, who along with Asher-Smith is also running in the 200m and 4x100m relay, goes into the Championships ranked seventh in the world in both individual events.
She said: “I’m feeling very confident. It’s going to be the first time I’m doing two events and then onto the relay as well. So it’s very different this year, because I’m normally going for the 100 metres, which is we know is stacked.
“Failing to make the final at worlds last year was very bittersweet, running the fastest ever semi-final not to make it.
“The 200m is still a pretty new event for me but I’m feeling very confident and I’m just going there this year, very relaxed, not putting too much pressure on myself, but just really want to have fun and execute and just achieve as well as I can.”
It was mission accomplished for Jamaica’s middle-distance runner Adelle Tracey, who booked her spot in the women’s 1,500 metres semi-finals following an efficient execution in the heats on the opening day of the World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday.
The Great Britain-born Tracey, running in the final of four heats, finished fifth in 4:03.67 to take one of the six automatic spots through to the semi-final scheduled for Sunday at 10:05am.
Tracey, 30, ran her usual patient race in mid-pack of the 13-athlete field, before gradually pushing closer to the leaders and remained comfortable from there.
Though she ran into traffic problems which forced her wide on the bell lap when the top six was tightly bunched, Tracey said it didn’t affect her much, as she was always focused on taking the safest route.
“It was just that everybody was trying to run to make sure they are safe so there was a little bit of hustling. I think sometimes you just have to play it safe, and I have been training well, so I knew that going wide was okay to do if it meant that I had a clear run and could really work into the line to make sure I got that spot,” Tracey explained.
“I am happy to go through easily and qualify to the next round, it was great, very happy to tick a box and get that qualifying spot,” she added.
Due back on the track in several hours for what will an event more competitive semi-final run, the cheerful athlete is intent on making the most of the short break.
“Now it’s just about recovery and getting as much rest as I need, get some treatment and ice bath until the next round,” Tracey noted.
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell is off to a dream start on debut, as he secured his spot in the men’s shot-put final on Saturday’s opening day of the World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Campbell, who earlier this year became the first Jamaican man to go beyond 22m when he launched the instrument to a national record of 22.22m, took his time to get going in Group A of qualifying, but eventually found his rhythm.
Though he missed the automatic qualifying mark of 21.40m, Campbell’s 20.83m on his third attempt, was good enough to make the final as it ranked him 10th across the two groups.
Prior to achieving the mark which placed him sixth in his group, the 27-year-old Campbell, opened with an underwhelming 19.83m and registered no mark on his second attempt.
Campbell rued a lack of warm up and the wet conditions for his slow start.
"I didn't get through the complete warm up, the rain poured so I didn't get to warm up around the back because there was lightning and all that, so I came out here and tried to force it. the ring was very slippery, so that caused a lot of downhill performance today, but as we progressed the ring got dryer and I could actually feel the grip and that is how the last one came together," the vibrant thrower shared.
While his national record ranked him fourth coming into the championships, Campbell remains grounded where his medal prospects are concerned.
"Honestly, I don't want to start getting into that right now because later on (the final is to come). So, the job is not done yet, for now I am holding it together, I want to get some food in my system, take a nap and then I will be back," he said.
"It is a level playing field...that's the thing about competition, anything can happen on the day. So, I am confident in myself, I believe when it is necessary, I can pull something together just like I did with this last throw. It's something I have been doing consistently all season, so anything is possible," Campbell added.
Brazil’s Darlan Romani headlines the finalist with a big season’s best of 22.37m. The big American pair of two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs (21.59m) and Olympic Champion Ryan Crouser (21.48m) are also in the mix for the final scheduled for later this evening at 1:35pm Jamaica time.
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
The ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup is almost over with only the final left to play.
A new winner will be crowned when England and Spain do battle in Sydney on Sunday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what we learned from this tournament.
USA dominance over
USA have been the leading force in women’s football for the past few decades, winning the previous two World Cups and claiming three gold medals at the Olympics, but they suffered a shock defeat to Sweden in the last 16 in Melbourne.
A number of other nations made early exits, including Olympic champions Canada going out in the group stage along with Euros runners-up Germany, but it was USA’s penalty shoot-out loss which caused the most astonishment.
With Megan Rapinoe retiring and other stalwarts Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara and Alyssa Naeher unlikely to play at another World Cup, it finally feels safe to say USA’s glittering era is over despite the excitement around Sophia Smith.
Year of the underdog!
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Along with USA leaving the tournament early on, a number of emerging nations made their mark in Australia and New Zealand with South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco and Jamacia all making the knock-out stages.
Morocco qualified through Group H at the expense of Germany, who had thumped the African outfit 6-0 at the start of the World Cup. The Moroccan players were crowded around a phone watching the final seconds of Germany’s draw with South Korea before erupting in celebration.
Their journey only lasted until the last-16 stage and it was the same for South Africa and Nigeria but never before had three African countries all made the knock-out phase. Meanwhile, Jamaica were able to send Brazil packing in the group stage. It helped to highlight the growing depth in the women’s international game.
England’s golden generation
England were close to exiting this World Cup against Nigeria after Lauren James’ red card, but Mary Earps and heroic defending was followed by shoot-out success to send them through to the quarter-finals.
The European Championship winners would have always hoped to go deep in this tournament, but a tricky draw on paper and injuries to Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Leah Williamson alongside the retirement of several key players last summer could easily have resulted in a poor showing.
In serial winner Sarina Wiegman and a group of players with incredible resolve and belief, England have managed to break new ground to reach a first World Cup final and given so many of this squad are in their twenties, it feels whatever happens on Sunday the Lionesses are ready to be the country to beat over the coming years.
Glass ceiling smashed!
Records have tumbled during this tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The bigger than usual format of 32 teams has resulted in more games and while plenty of drama has followed, the quality of football on show has helped to ensure ticket sales and TV viewing figures continue to go through the roof.
A whopping attendance of 75,784 has been recorded three times at Sydney’s Stadium Australia and according to FIFA, the average crowd across the 10 venues has been 28,900. A big increase from the previous edition in France or any other World Cup, but the world has also tuned in.
Despite matches usually being played outside of prime-time slots, Fox still had 2.52 million viewers watch USA’s last-16 defeat on penalties to Sweden, which kicked off at 5am in the Eastern time zone of the United States. BBC One had 7.3 million viewers watch England’s semi-final win over Australia and millions also turned on the TVs in Brazil, Colombia and China for matches containing their respective countries.
Room for improvement
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There is still plenty of work to achieve in the women’s game though, with the build-up to this World Cup dogged by controversy and several countries playing amid the backdrop of internal tension, which should not be the case when players get the chance to perform on the biggest of stages.
FIFA faced criticism for its ‘Unite’ armbands, which were similar to the OneLove armband banned, but did not promote LGBTQ+ communities. The governing body also found itself in a storm for almost allowing Saudi Arabia to sponsor the tournament and president Gianni Infantino’s peripheral role at this World Cup compared to the men’s edition in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Spain’s presence in the final will conjure mixed emotions after several of their own players threatened to quit international football if head coach Jorge Vilda did not leave his position, citing the impact his regime had on their “emotional state” but he remained. Hati and Zambia’s participation in this World Cup occurred amidst sexual misconduct allegations against staff to highlight the hurdles still facing elite women footballers.
Jamaica missed out on the cut for the final of the Mixed 4x400 metres relay, as they could only manage fifth in heat two of the event on Saturday's opening day of the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The Jamaican quartet of Demish Gaye, Natoya Goule-Toppin, Malik James-King and Stacey-Ann Williams, running in that order, struggled from the off and was at the back of the pack for the first two legs.
In fact, it was on the third leg that James King tried to force the initiative and gradually made progress, but faded in the latter stages, leaving Williams with much to do on anchor.
Despite facing an uphill task, Williams showed grit and determination to bring Jamaicans from eighth into fifth and ninth across the two heats in a season’s best 3:14.05.
They finished behind the Femke Bol led Dutch team, who won in 3:12.12, followed by France (3:12.25) and Czech Republic (3:12.52), with fourth-placed Germany taking one of the non-automatic qualifying spots.
United States with a World lead 3:10.41, Great Britain, with a national record 3:11.19, Belgium (3:11.81) and Ireland (3:13.90), are the other finalists.
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
Trinidad and Tobago’s impressive run at the Central American and Caribbean Confederation (CCCAN) Swimming Championships, continued on the penultimate day of action, with the in-form Liam Carrington leading the way in El Salvador on Thursday.
Carrington’s exploits in the boys’ 13-14 age group, saw Trinidad and Tobago in third position as the highest ranked Caribbean Island with seven gold, three silver and 11 bronze medals, followed by Haiti with three gold, two silver and one bronze, while Jamaica, who also had some decent performances in patches, comes next with three gold and six bronze. Dominican Republic (one gold, three silver and seven bronze), are next.
Mexico with 69 gold, 62 silver and 31 bronze, head the medal standings ahead of El Salvador (eight gold, six silver and nine bronze).
Carrington continued his impressive vein of form, as he topped the boys’ 13-14 400m individual medley (IM) in a new personal best 4:42.35, which saw him become the third fastest Caribbean athlete in the event.
It was Carrington’s third gold medal of the five-day championship at that point, as he won ahead of the Mexican pair of Hector Zamora Monzon (4:46.34) and Fernando Rodriguez Cuevas (4:48.95).
The Jamaican pair of Kia Alert and Noland Barrett also showed fine form, as both extended the Caribbean celebrations with back-to-back gold medal performances in the girls’ and boys’ 11-12 50m freestyle.
Alert, who entered the final with the fastest time of 28.05s, justified favouritism, as she outclassed rivals to win in 27.79s, not too far off the record of 27.46s held by Jillian Crooks of Cayman Islands since 2018. Mexico’s Carolina Romero Ojeda (28.01s) was second, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Breanna Belmar (29.09s) third.
In the boys’ event, Barrett, who earlier clocked a personal best of 2:07.21 for bronze in the 200m freestyle – Jamaica’s first medal in the age-group event in 20 years –proved more formidable in the shorter format. He stopped the clock in 26.29s, ahead of Mexico’s Bernardo Gomez Gonzalez (26.44s) and Felipe Alvarez (26.58s).
Jamaica had another bronze in the girls’ 13-14 event courtesy of Rianna Scott, who touched in 27.71s, behind the Mexican pair of Valeria Tarin (27.22s) and Sylvanna Luna Casillas (27.31s).
Darren Belfon (24.33s) and Carrington (24.52s) then secured a one-three finish for the twin island republic in the boys’ 13-14 50m freestyle, with Mexico’s Carlos Moreno Sarmiento (24.48s), separating them.
Trinidad and Tobago had more success in the girls’ 15-17 50m freestyle where Amari Ash, left rivals in her wake to win in 26.71s, bettering Mexico’s Valeri Villarreal Rodriguez (26.95s) and Habbi Abrin Vargas (27.04s).
The boys’ 15-17 50m freestyle was won by Panama’s Julio Rodriguez Rosales (23.43s), ahead of Haiti’s Raphael Grand Pierre (23.68s) and Javier Nunez Barreras (23.75s) of Dominican Republic.
Carrington was again the Caribbean’s top performer in the 100m backstroke sequence, as he won the 13-14 event in 59.21s, again denying a Mexican duo in Oliver Lund Centelles (59.36s) and Matt William Flores Mora (59.47s).
The Caribbean’s next best performances came in the boys’ 11-12 event where Zion John Baptiste of Virgin Islands Swimming placed third in 1:05.66, behind Matias Rojas (1:04.91) of Costa Rica and Felipe Alvarez (1:05.66).
Trinidad and Tobago’s Johann-Matthew Matamoro (58.83s) was also third in the boys’ 18 and over event, behind Costa Rica’s Guido Montero (58.33s) and Diego Angel Montoya Arias (58.70s) of Mexico.
Haiti’s Christian Jerome was the Caribbean’s lone medallist in the 200m butterfly sequence. He topped the boys’ 13-14 event in 2:10.51, turning back the challenge of another Mexican duo Franco Santiago Soria Marquez (2:12.13) and Erick Raul Villalpando Frausto (2:14.95).
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago brought the curtains down on the penultimate day of action with a bronze medal finish in the boys’ 13-14 4X200m freestyle relays. The team of Carrington, Anpherne Bernard, Liam Roberts and Belfon, clocked 8:28.03, behind Mexico (8:08.99) and Costa Rica (8:24.33).
After months of hard work and training, a number of the Caribbean’s young swimming sensations will put their preparation to the test when they dive into action at the 27th staging of the much-anticipated Goodwill Swimming Championships, which gets under way on Friday.
In fact, Jamaica’s Head coach Gillian Millwood believes the highly competitive three-day meet represents an opportunity for swimmers to not only improve, but also to learn valuable lessons to take with them as they prepare to transition to next level competition.
Over 200 swimmers from Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks and Caicos are expected to join their Jamaican counterparts in action at the National Aquatic Centre.
“I’m excited for our athletes and I anticipate that they will go into each race with enthusiasm and more importantly, purpose. They are filled with incredible abilities and have worked extremely hard to get where they are today and we expect to see that on display across the three days,” Millwood told Sportsmax.tv.
“Goodwill this weekend provides an opportunity for them to rise to the occasion and put forward their best race together and also to make memories with their teammates and the new friends they’ll make from the other countries, as they prepare to move to a next level,” she added.
Friday’s schedule will be highlighted by the 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 4x50m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m freestyle relay, all after an opening ceremony at 4:30pm.
Action for Saturday and Sunday is scheduled to begin at 9:00am and end at 1:00pm.
The Jamaicans will be seeking to surpass last year’s massive haul of 92 medals (33 gold, 37 silver, 22 bronze), which bettered their previous best tally of 65 medals from the 2019 staging in Suriname.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago, though missing some of their better swimmers to CCCAN duties in El Salvador, are favoured to once again top the points standing, as they topped last year’s event with 1,442 points. Jamaica (1,002 points), with Barbados (723 points), third.
Each National Federation has a maximum of 40 swimmers - four boys and four girls in the age groups eight and under, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14 and 15 to 17.
The member countries of the Goodwill Swimming Championship host the meet on an annual rotation basis. Trinidad and Tobago were last year’s hosts.
The Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) will host the 27th Goodwill Swimming Championship in Kingston, at The National Aquatic Centre from Friday, August 18 - Sunday, August 20. Three hundred swimmers from the national federations of Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks and Caicos are expected to participate in the regional meet alongside hosts Jamaica.
The Goodwill Swimming Championship is a premier swim meet in the Caribbean, and it is also seen as a launching pad toward higher levels of competition.
Friday will begin with an opening ceremony starting at 4:30 pm followed by five events in the pool. The 100m freestyle will lead off the action in the water, followed by the 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 4x50m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m freestyle relay. Action will begin at 9:00 am and end at 1:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Each National Federation has a maximum of 40 swimmers - four boys and four girls in the age groups eight and under, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14 and 15 to 17. The member countries of the Goodwill Swimming Championship host the meet on an annual rotation basis. Trinidad and Tobago were last year’s hosts.
Patrons can expect an exciting three-day meet with fierce competition. At last year’s staging, Jamaica’s team of 25 swimmers surpassed expectations by winning 92 medals (33 gold, 37 silver, 22 bronze), setting new meet records and two age-group high point trophies.
Prior to the 26th edition, Jamaica’s highest tally was 65 medals at the 2019 staging in Suriname. The team amassed a total of 1,002 points to finish 2nd behind Trinidad and Tobago who won with 1,442 points and Barbados was 3rd with 723 points last year.
"It has been a real honour for Jamaica to have been asked to host this year's Goodwill especially when we were only ratified as a Goodwill country in 2022. I am delighted to be welcoming the various participating countries and we now wait with bated breath for the exciting competition” said Georgia Sinclair - VP Swimming ASAJ and Chairperson of Goodwill, LOC.
Jamaica’s National Swim Team Head Coach Gillian Millwood also added "The swimmers are ready to go and excited to welcome our visitors for a fun cultural exchange. It’s going to be a truly treasured Meet as over the past 5 years of our participation we’ve witnessed swimmers continuing their swimming journey. Some are headed to college in August, others are preparing for the World Junior Championship in Israel in September, while some are in El Salvador preparing for CCCAN. We are ready for more swimming!"
Jamaica's hosting the championships was made possible by the support of sponsors that include the Sports Development Foundation, Main Event, Gatorade, SportsMax, Rosh Marketing, Island Smiles, Wynlee Sportswear, Grace Kennedy, Sterling Asset Management Ltd, Everything Creative Ltd, iPrint Group, Cari-Med Group, The Herald Printers, Medical Disposable Supplies Ltd, Leo Hudson Photography, Iron Rock Insurance, Amazing Concrete Finishes Ltd, National Water Commission, National Road Operating & Construction Company Ltd, National Works Agency, Rainbow Awnings, Transport Authority, Caribbean Broilers, Scotia Insurance, Pure National Ice, Armbands Plus, Digicel and Recycling Partners of Jamaica.
The 2023 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship wrapped up on Sunday with the United States claiming the League A title with a 4-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The duel for Third-Place in League A saw an all-Caribbean affair end in a 3-1 victory for Haiti over Jamaica, also at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez.
Nicaragua are champions of League B after edging Saint Lucia 2-1 at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca in Willemstad, Curacao.
In the League B Third-Place Match at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca, Martinique defeated Bermuda 7-6 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.
In League C in the Dominican Republic, Saint Martin claimed the title thanks to a 4-1 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Final.
Meanwhile, in the Third-Place Match that was completed on Saturday, Turks and Caicos Islands topped Dominica 1-0.
The best young cricketers in the West Indies are assembling in Trinidad & Tobago for the West Indies Rising Stars Boys’ Under17 Regional Tournament that features both 50-Over and two-day formats and will run from August 12-31.
For this 2023 edition, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is introducing a two-day red ball format to add to the pre-existing 50-Over format for the Rising Stars Under 17s Regional Championships. Teams will compete for the West Indies Rising Stars U17s 50-Over Cup and the West Indies Rising Stars U17s 2-Day Championship.
Graeme West, CWI’s High-Performance Manager said: “The introduction of the Two-Day component at the Under 17s level is a significant step forward in the development of multi-format cricketers for the future. It is essential that our young talent enjoy the challenge of the red ball format, igniting their ambitions to play Test Cricket.”
The West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Tournament will feature five rounds of 50-over white ball matches from August 12-20 and three rounds of two-day red ball matches from August 23-31 to be played at the National Cricket Centre (NCC), Inshan Ali Park, PowerGen Sports Ground and Gilbert Park Cricket Ground (GPCG). A champion will be crowned at the end of each format, as WI Rising Stars Under 17s 50 Over Cup Champions and WI Rising Stars Under 17s 2-Day Champions.
This tournament is a key element of the West Indies Future Stars development programme, allowing the best players in the region to test themselves within their age group. The tournament is pivotal for identifying talent and facilitating player progression to produce the next generation of West Indies senior international cricketers.
Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket added: “The addition of the two-day format presents coaches and players with the opportunity to craft skills for the longer format at an earlier stage in the players’ development. It is also a tangible way for CWI to demonstrate its commitment to securing the future of West Indian Test Cricket.”
CWI’s strategic plan has committed resources into developing the game at every level and these tournaments therefore play a vital role in the strategy to develop the talent pool and produce the next generation of West Indies players. The West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Championships completes the full 2023 calendar of CWI’s regional age group cricket which featured the men’s West Indies Rising Stars Under 15s and Under 19s Championships, as well as the Rising Stars Women’s Under 19s Championship.
You can follow LIVE ball-by-ball scoring of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Championships matches on the new www.windiescricket.com match centre.
MATCH SCHEDULE
West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s 50-Over Cup Championship
Matches start at 9:30am local time (8:30am Jamaica time)
Saturday 12 August
Trinidad and Tobago vs Windward Islands at NCC
Barbados vs Guyana at GPCG
Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Inshan Ali Park
Monday 14 August
Jamaica vs Guyana at NCC
Trinidad and Tobago vs Leeward Islands at Inshan Ali Park
Windward Islands vs Barbados at GPCG
Wednesday 16 August
Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Inshan Ali Park
Windward Islands vs Guyana at GPCG
Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica at NCC
Friday 18 August
Trinidad and Tobago vs Guyana at PowerGen
Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands at NCC
Barbados vs Jamaica at GPCG
Sunday 20 August
Trinidad and Tobago vs Barbados at NCC
Leeward Islands vs Guyana at Inshan Ali Park
Jamaica vs Windward Islands at GPCG
West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s 2-Day Championship
Matches start at 10am local time (9am Jamaica time)
23-24 August
Trinidad and Tobago vs Leeward Islands at Inshan Ali Park
Windward Islands vs Barbados at PowerGen
Jamaica vs Guyana at NCC
26-27 August
Windward Islands vs Guyana at NCC
Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica at GPCG
Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Ishan Ali Park
30-31 August
Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at GPCG
Barbados vs Guyana at Inshan Ali Park
Trinidad and Tobago vs Windward Islands at NCC
FULL SQUADS
BARBADOS: Zion Brathwaite, Zishan Motara, Xaundre Baptiste, Shaquan Belle, Gadson Bowens, Joshua Branch, Preston Clarke, Reviera Cottle, Edwin Currency-Barnett, Kyron King, Akeem McCollin, Jatario Prescod, Dre Springer, Jaden Webster.
GUYANA: Jonathan Van Lange, Rampersad Ramnauth, Kevin Kisten, Vickash Wilkinson, Romeo Deonarain, Ari-Afrizal Kadir, Nityanand Mathura, Sanjay Algoo, Golcharran Chulai, Salim Khan, Bruce Vincent, Darwin Joseph.
JAMAICA: Tyriek Bryan, Jordan Pinnock, Demarco Scott, Brian Barnes, Kev-Aundrae Virgo, Aan Ennis, O’mari Wedderburn, Eejay Spence, Dantae Calrke, Niclo McKenzie, Roshawn McKenzie, Rasheed Harriott, Ralique Thomas, David.
LEEWARD ISLANDS: Matthew Miller, T’yanick Honore, Eirette Richards, Zavio Henry, Jevon Manners, Ozan Williams, Jared Jno Baptiste, De-Andre Drew, Israel Morton, Caiden Francis, Carlton Pluck, Mekaili Tonge, Xaveek Toppin, Devanand Singh.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Fareez Ali, Cristian Rampersad, Riyaad Mohammed, Luke Ali, Brendan Boodoo, Samir Saroop, Niall Maingot, Aaidan Racha, Ishmael Ali, Aneal Rooplal, Alexander Chase, Alvin Sonny, Jordan Mohammed, Stevon Gomez.
WINDWARD ISLANDS: Justin John, Jelani Joseph, Edmund Morancie, Joel Durand, Jahson Vidal, Earnisho Fontaine, Kirtsen Murray, Kirt Murray, Johnathan Daniel, Theo Edward, Khan Elcock, Tyler Venner, Devonte McDowall, Kodi Grant.
The 2023 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship was back in action on Thursday with teams in League A and League B taking the field in the Quarterfinals and Play-Offs.
In the League B quarterfinals at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca in Willemstad, Curacao, Martinique upended hosts Curacao 4-1, Nicaragua emerged victorious 4-2 from a penalty shootout with Antigua and Barbuda after a 1-1 draw, Saint Lucia edged Barbados 1-0, while Bermuda came away with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory against Belize after a 0-0 draw between the two sides.
The League B Play-Off matches all took place at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, where Bonaire defeated Saint Kitts and Nevis 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, Guadeloupe got past Guyana 2-0, Suriname slipped by Grenada 3-2 and Aruba beat Cayman Islands 4-1 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.
The League A quarterfinals all took place at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, beginning with a 4-1 triumph for Jamaica over Honduras. Also registering a victory was Mexico, 1-0 versus Puerto Rico, Haiti handled Canada 1-0 and the United States fended of Guatemala 4-1.
In the League A Play-Offs at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, El Salvador defeated Cuba 3-0, Trinidad and Tobago downed Qatar 3-0, Costa Rica marched past Dominican Republic 3-1 and Saudi Arabia squeezed past Panama 2-1.
Young football talent Damek Rennie is about to embark on a journey that could change his life forever. The 17-year-old central midfield player is set to depart Jamaica later this month to join Panamanian first division team, Club Deportivo Universitario, on a one-year deal with an option for a second year.
Damek's story began on the fields of Camperdown High School, where he showcased his talents playing Colts football, and although he hadn't played in the prestigious Manning Cup, his dedication was unwavering.
Behind the scenes, Jevaughn Hutchinson, his manager, played a pivotal role in Damek's journey. It was Hutchinson who recognized the young player's potential and took him to Panama for those crucial encounters with Club Deportivo Universitario's youth teams. "He impressed them a lot," Hutchinson explained, reflecting on Damek's impact in those games.
The journey ahead was promising. The club saw the value in Damek's attributes - his height, his passing accuracy, his dribbling finesse, and his ability to maintain possession. The plan is to integrate him with the first team, allowing him to train alongside seasoned professionals until December. By then, Damek, who turns 18 later this month, would meet the qualifications to officially represent the club.
Damek is embracing this opportunity with open arms. "We have been working hard for the opportunity, and it finally came," he exclaimed with a sense of gratitude.
Damek's familiarity with Club Deportivo Universitario wasn't limited to just news clippings. Last summer, he had faced off against their U17 and U20 teams, leaving a lasting impression with his skills on the ball. This connection had sparked interest from the club, and now, Damek finds himself on the cusp of something incredible.
As he prepares to step onto the Panamanian soil, Damek is determined to make a lasting impression. "I want to go out there and play, help them win the championship, and elevate their standing," he expressed with a burning ambition.
Adapting to the new environment, connecting with teammates, communicating effectively, and blending seamlessly into the fabric of the club, are his primary objectives.
His mind, too, was a fortress of readiness. Damek revealed that his prior experiences in Panama have prepared him mentally for this adventure. His talent had taken him to Panama three times previously, an experience that expanded his horizons both on and off the pitch.
"It was the first time leaving the country to play football overseas. I learned a lot and brought that knowledge back to Jamaica," he said.
Jamaican track and field coach Victor Thomas is to be enshrined into the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2023. The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the news Thursday about Lincoln University track & field head coach Victor Thomas, a 14-time NCAA Division II champion.
Thomas, who has guided Lincoln's women's track & field program to nine NCAA Division II Outdoor and five NCAA Division II indoor titles, has coached athletes nearly 1,000 All-American performances and has been named the National Coach of the Year five times in his 22-year career.
The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has named Thomas the MIAA Coach of the Year 10 times, and he was the 2004 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year.
Under the leadership of Thomas, the Blue Tigers have won 95 individual and 41 relay national titles and have recorded 671 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region awards.
A 16-time USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year honoree, Thomas has led LU's women's and men's track & field programs to 11 total MIAA championships and finishes among the top three of the NCAA Division II Championships 28 times. Between the years of 2003-2007, Lincoln won an unprecedented five-straight NCAA Division II Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and, in 2020, the LU men were ranked No. 1 in the country heading into the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, which were ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19.
In addition to their tremendous success in the field of competition, Thomas' athletes have also been stellar in the classroom. Since Lincoln re-joined the MIAA in 2011, over 200 Blue Tigers have made the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and LU athletes have been the recipient of more than 50 MIAA Scholar Athlete Awards. Nine athletes have been named Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, and 11 have earned spots on the Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-District first team. Two Blue Tigers have been named the USTFCCCA Division II Indoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and the Lincoln women's outdoor track & field team was selected as the USTFCCCA Scholar Team of the Year in 2017 and 2018.
Due to the tremendous success, the Blue Tigers have enjoyed under Thomas' direction, the Lincoln University Track & Field Program was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Thomas himself was enshrined in the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2021, Thomas was enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The 2023 USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Presented by REKORTAN, will be held in Denver, Colo. on Tuesday, December 12.
Shaquane Gordon won Jamaica’s second gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games and in the process clocked one of four records that fell on day five action, as he proved too good for competitors in the men’s 110 metres hurdles at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.
The outstanding Gordon raced to 13.16s, which lowered the previous mark of 13.32s set by Australia’s Andries Van der Merwe in 2011. Noah Hanson (13.20s) of England was second, with another Jamaican Daniel Wright (13.45s), third.
Wright had earlier topped the men’s 400m hurdles in 51.51s, ahead of Sri Lanka’s Liyanage (51.61s) and Oliver Parker (52.36s) of England
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Jamaica’s Bryanna Davidson (13.94s) missed the podium, placing fourth behind Australia’s Delta Amidzovski (13.25s), who won ahead of Thea Brown of England and South Africa’s Tumi Hope Ramokgopa, who both clocked in at 13.53s.
England’s Ayesha Jones launched the javelin to a new Commonwealth Youth Games record of 52.49m to win the event, as she bettered the 19-year-old mark of 51.99m set by Australia’s Annabel Thomson in 2004.
Jones won ahead of compatriot Harriet Wheeler (51.50m), while South Africa’s Lo-Ann Engelbrecht (50.12m) was third. Caribbean athletes Suerena Alexander (42.85m) of Grenada and St Lucia’s Naya Jules (38.60m) were fifth and sixth.
Another Commonwealth Youth Games record and, by extension, one-two finish, went to England, courtesy of Stephanie Okoro and Mia Walker in the women’s 400m hurdles final.
Okoro finished tops in a record 58.19s, erasing the old mark of 59.40s set by Jamaica’s Jhonelle Thomas in 2017. Walker (1:00.52) ensured the England quinella, as she held of South Africa’s Hope Ramokgopa (1:00.63).
Trinidad and Tobago’s Keneisha Shelbourne (1:04.28), finished fifth.
Jaidi James added silver to Trinidad and Tobago’s tally when he cleared 2.00m in the men’s high jump final. Carey Glyde of England won the event after her soared to 2.06m, while Sri Lanka’s Thenuja Rathnaweera, who also cleared 2.00m, was third on the count back.
In Para athletics action, England’s Maddie Down, cut the sand at 4.70m to win the women’s T-38 long jump final. She bettered the Australia pair of Niamh Mac Alasdair (4.09m) and Reese Prior (3.73m).
Action at the National Aquatic Centre was highlighted by a Caribbean sweep in the men’s 50m freestyle where homeboy Nikoli Blackman continued his rich vein of form.
Blackman, who started the twin island republic's medal haul on the opening day, ended in the same vein, as he copped another gold in 22.36s, ahead of Marvin Johnson Jr (22.54s) of Bahamas and another local favourite Zarek Wilson (22.95s), who added another bronze to his tally.
The women’s event was won by England’s Skye Carter in a Junior Commonwealth Games Record of 25.15s, which bettered previous mark of 25.19s, set by Australia’s Ami Matsuo in 2011. Theodora Taylor (25.54s) of Wales and Australia’s Inez Miller (25.59s), took silver and bronze.
In the men’s 200m butterfly final, Malaysia’s Li Hen Goh (2:03.63) outclassed rivals to win ahead of Reuben Rowbotham-Keating (2:03.84) of England and South Africa’s Dylan Eaton (2:06.07). Nigel Forbes (2:06.11) of Bahamas, just missed the podium in fourth, while Antigua and Barbuda’s Ethan Stubbs-Green (2:07.50), placed sixth.
There was an Australia one-two finish in the women’s event, where Mikayla Bird (2:12.66), finished ahead of Poppy Stephen (2:13.34) and England’s Ashleigh Baillie (2:16.74). Sierrah Broadbelt of Cayman Islands placed seventh in 2:23.45.
Earlier, Harper Barrowman of Cayman Islands, clocked 9:11.72 to secure bronze in the women’s 800m freestyle timed final. Hannah Erin Allen of Australia won the event in 8:48.66, ahead of New Zealand’s Hanna Adbou, who touched in 9:10.56.
Allen’s time was just shy of the Junior Games Record of 8:45.90 held by England’s Ariarne Darwent since 2015.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines, the two lone Caribbean nations in the Fast5 Netball competition at Shaw Park Complex, both failed to make the medal round, finishing seventh and eighth, after going down 11-15 and 11-25 to Botswana and Canada, respectively.
Australia, England, South Africa and Scotland, are set to decide the medals.
At the end of day five, Trinidad and Tobago remained the top Caribbean Island with 11 medals in fifth on the medal standings, behind Australia (48), England (39), Scotland (20) and South Africa (17).
Cayman Islands is 10th with six medals, Jamaica 11th with four –based on quality –Guyana (three) 13th, Bahamas (four) 16th, Barbados and St Lucia, joint 21st, with two each and Grenada 25th, with a solitary bronze medal.
The curtains will come down on the Games on Thursday.
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