Four of the six Trinidadians charged last week Friday, August 12, in connection with the assault on Grenada's Anderson Peters, the 2022 World javelin champion, pleaded guilty in the St George's Magistrates Court in Grenada on Monday.
They are set to return to the St George’s No.1 Magistrates Court on Wednesday facing the possibility of a maximum five-year prison sentence and hefty fines.
Mikhail John, a 35-year-old sailor, John Alexander, a 55-year-old deckhand, Noel Cooper, 42, the captain of the Harbour Master party boat, and Sheon Jack, a 28-year-old sailor, all pleaded guilty to charges of grievous harm against Anderson Peters and his brother Kiddon.
Prosecutors dropped the charges against 40-year-old Abiola Benjamin after a review of a video of the incident showed he was trying to separate the men involved in the altercation in which Peters suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow and face and was thrown overboard.
Meanwhile, 45-year-old sailor Lance Wiggins pleaded not guilty to the charges and was eventually released after prosecutors decided that the evidence against him was insufficient to bring about a successful prosecution.
Peters, 24, was involved in a brawl aboard the Harbour Master on the night of Wednesday, August 10. Video of the incident showed several men attacking and punching Peters, who had travelled home for a brief vacation after winning the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England a few days prior.
His coach Paul Phillip said the two-time world champion suffered from what appeared to be an ankle sprain as well as bruises to his elbow, neck and face, which put his participation in the Lausanne Diamond League meeting on August 26 in doubt.
In a statement released on the weekend, the captain of the Harbour Master claimed that it was Peters who was the aggressor and is what triggered the beat-down the elite athlete suffered.
Peters and his brother were in court Monday and were seated behind the six suspects. Reports indicate that Peters and his brother have retained the services of attorney Derick Sylvester with a view to filing a civil suit against the guilty.
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.
Olympic champion Julien Alfred to contest 100m at Diamond League final in Brussels; focused on finishing season strong
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred will only be doing the 100m at the Wanda Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium from September 13-14.
The 23-year-old St. Lucian, who also took 200m silver at the Paris Olympics last month, confirmed her participation in the marquee event after her run at the Zurich Diamond League on September 6.
There, in her first race since her history-making performance in Paris, Alfred produced a time of 10.88 to finish second to American Sha’Carri Richardson in a rematch of the final in Paris where Alfred took gold in a personal best and St. Lucian record 10.72.
“It felt good. Right now, I’m just really having fun and trying to finish strong,” Alfred told Citius Mag after her race in Zurich, noting that she hasn’t really got a chance to relax since Paris.
“I did for a few days but I really haven’t had a chance to take it all in yet,” she said.
The 2023 Bowerman Award winner described her training since the Olympics as “up and down,” noting that she’s still just fine tuning and working on other things.
As it relates to her final race of the season in Brussels, Alfred says she has no particular goal in mind.
“Nothing in particular, really. Just finishing strong. That’s all I care about,” she said.
Finally, Alfred still hasn’t got a chance to go back to St. Lucia since the Olympics, instead heading to her home base in Texas to finish out the season.
“Just celebrating with my country” was Alfred’s response when asked what she’s looking forward to when she returns home for the first time as an Olympic champion.
Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams dominate with victories at Zagreb meet
Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams continued their impressive seasons with dominant performances at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday. The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020, featured several standout performances from Caribbean athletes, with Nugent and Williams leading the way.
Nugent, the world leader in the 100m hurdles with her blistering 12.24 set at the Rome Diamond League, once again demonstrated her class, claiming victory in 12.55. Facing a quality field that included former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Nugent ran a composed race to comfortably secure first place. Great Britain's Cindy Sember finished second in 12.67, with Harrison third in 12.76. 2022 World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished sixth in 12.91.
In the women’s 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams ran the race of her life, clocking a lifetime best and meet record of 50.00 seconds to win the event. Williams faced strong competition but managed to hold off Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who ran 50.22, and the USA’s Shamier Little, who finished third in 50.58. Barbados' Sada Williams, showing signs of fatigue after a long season, finished fourth in 51.23.
The Jamaican victories were part of a broader Caribbean presence on the podium in Zagreb. Shashalee Forbes finished second in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.23 behind Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye, who won in 11.13. The USA’s Jenna Prandini rounded out the top three with a time of 11.30.
In the 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a strong race to finish second with a time of 1:57.43, just behind Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, who set a meet record of 1:57.00. Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew finished third in a personal best of 1:57.47.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 110m hurdles, Tokyo Olympic champion Hansle Parchment secured third place in 13.25. Japan’s Rachid Muratake claimed victory in 13.14, holding off American Daniel Roberts, who finished second in 13.18.
Shiann Salmon returns to her roots to rediscover her best with stunning win in Zurich
Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon has rediscovered her best form after returning to train at home, and it’s paying off in spectacular fashion. Salmon, who has been a consistent force in the 400m hurdles this season, clocked a lifetime best of 52.97 seconds to win her first-ever Diamond League race in Zurich last Friday. This remarkable achievement not only secured her spot among the elite but also marked a significant personal milestone, as she became just the fifth Jamaican woman in history to break the 53-second barrier in the event.
After graduating from Hydel High and spending a year at GC Foster College, Salmon ventured overseas to train with Tonja Buford, a US Olympic medalist turned coach. However, after a few seasons in the United States, Salmon felt the American environment was making her "soft" and unmotivated, which led to her bold decision last season to return to Jamaica to train under renowned coach Maurice Wilson at the Sprintec Track Club.
“I don’t feel as if I ever needed to ‘justify’ doing something that I felt was for my best interest. However, I felt like the American lifestyle/system was never meant for me. I think I got a bit complacent and soft, so I returned to my roots,” Salmon explained.
That decision has clearly paid off. Salmon has shown remarkable consistency this season, first setting a lifetime best of 53.13 in the Olympic final in Paris and consistently racing close to that mark in the lead-up to Zurich. But in Zurich, she finally broke through the elusive 53-second barrier, achieving her goal for the season.
“I was thrilled. My overall aim for the remainder of the season was to break the 53 seconds barrier, so I was beyond happy when I realized that I had done so,” Salmon said. “I’m currently the fifth Jamaican woman to do so. I feel exhilarated, top 5 all-time is a big accomplishment and I’m grateful.”
Reflecting on her performances before Zurich, Salmon felt her breakthrough was imminent. “Yes, I definitely felt it coming. My body is now used to running low 53s. My coach and I already predicted it, it was just a matter of me executing the races properly,” she shared.
Only four other Jamaican women—Deon Hemmings, Melaine Walker, Kaliese Spencer, and Rushell Clayton—have ever broken the 53-second mark in the 400m hurdles. Now, Salmon joins that exclusive club, cementing her status as one of the best in the world.
Looking ahead, Salmon is focused on finishing her season on a high. She will contest the Diamond League final in Brussels, with her sights set on another sub-53 performance. “My ultimate aim is to finish the season with another 52 performance. Anything else that comes with that is a bonus,” Salmon concluded.
With her decision to return to Jamaica proving to be the right move, Salmon’s resurgence has her poised to continue breaking barriers and reaching new heights in the 400m hurdles.
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