The Convent of Mercy Academy, Alpha High School, has expressed appreciation to Express Canteen Services for sponsorship of its sports programme.
Express’ sporting support for the traditional all-girls institution was formalized during a $250,000 cheque handing-over ceremony on Tuesday by the company’s CEO, Ryan Foster, to Principal Mrs Kali McMorris, in the presence of teachers, coaches and athletes from a wide cross-section of sports to include netball, swimming and track and field.
Noting the long-lasting benefits of sport, Mrs. McMorris reasoned about the invaluable nature of Express’ contribution.
She said: “I think most importantly, when we get funding like this it offers the opportunity for all sports, who have students who are really eager and come together, even without some of the formal trappings of a team, to participate. And I think participation in sports is a lifelong activity that we want to inculcate in all our students for health, for wellness and of course, for any prospects that you can have academic advancement.
“The relationship with Express Canteen, that partnership that Mr. Foster has entered into with us, has already borne fruit and we are happy,” the Principal added. “We call ourselves the Alpha family. I think one of the things you do when you join a family is you pool together your resources and so to Express we’re happy that they’re a part of our family and we’re grateful to them to be contributing in this way for the fulfilment of our dreams and our girls’ dreams.”
The school’s history of involvement in team sports was also revisited, with Mrs. McMorris noting that they have been particularly strong in netball, and continue to do well in track and field, as a small team. She also shared a growing admiration for the girls, given their efforts during the past three years.
“These young ladies, our fifth formers in particular and this track team that we currently have is particularly dear to me because I think they’re resilient, independent and determined. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, despite all the challenges of training and financing when the school would’ve wanted not to continue with a programme for safety, for finances, these young ladies came together with their parents and their coaches and they demonstrated to the Principal that they could have a team,” said Mrs. McMorris. “And they train and they found ways to overcome all the financial challenges and as a result of it we were able to draw together as a community to make that team at least go to Champs.”
That show of commitment has not escaped Foster either.
“I have been very impressed, not only with the humility and dedication of the school’s administration, but how the girls have performed,” he said.
Foster, who is also the CEO/secretary general of the island’s apex sporting body, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), stated: “The Convent of Mercy Academy, Alpha, has long been a well-established educational institution that has contributed significantly to the Jamaican landscape. As their food partner, we also believe in providing students with a balanced education where students not only excel in the classroom but the field of play.
“Express Canteen is proud to make this donation towards the Alpha sports programme and hopes that this contribution will encourage the performance of the girls in their respective sporting discipline,” he added. “As CEO of the JOA and Express Canteen, sport is seen as vehicle whereby our students can self-actualize and we will be supporting our girls in their endeavors on the field of play. Express believes that it is not the size of your company, but it is how you can sacrifice to make the lives of others better. After all, we are only here for a short time."
Sprinter Amoi Kentish, who has been on the track team since first form all the way through to fifth, competes in the 100m hurdles, 100m, 200m and 4x100m.
Commenting on Express Canteen’s support, she said: “I can say on behalf of my team we are very grateful because since we’ve restarted our track season we’ve been to one track meet, three basically, and not most of our team members have track gear. So we wear our Alpha tops and tights, but we still try our best to get our girls out to compete, to support the school and to go out there and do our best.
“So this sponsorship will really do us well. If we could get more gear and more footwear (that’d be good). Some of our sneakers is old and the bottom is falling off, so this sponsorship will really do us good for that,” she explained.
Halyncia, another track athlete, who runs the 400m hurdles, also expressed gratitude.
“The members of this team are very grateful that we were chosen to be a part of this sponsorship and we will be using this money to build and to help each of the sports to get better, and get uniforms, and to enter each event at a track meet, a netball competition, or a swim meet,” Henry shared. “…It (sponsorship) will help a lot because a lot of us are improving; drastically, little by little, step by step, but we’re going to get there because we’re disciplined, we’re focused and we’re determined.”
Christania Williams and Coach Unfried target return to personal best ahead of Jamaica National Championships
Christania Williams, the talented Jamaican sprinter and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, is setting her sights on reclaiming her peak form as she gears up for the Jamaica National Championships in June, with her eyes firmly set on securing a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
Since her impressive performance as part of Jamaica's silver-medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Williams, now 29, has faced setbacks due to injuries and other undisclosed health concerns. However, under the guidance of her coach, Philipp Unfried, she is focused and determined to return to her personal best time of 10.96 seconds.
Unfried outlined their strategy for the upcoming season, emphasizing Williams' goal of nearing or even surpassing her personal best. "The plan for 2024 is to get close to where she was, close to her PB or maybe around PB," stated Unfried. "She is going to do some more races now in preparation for trials and training went really well so far."
At the Velocity Fest 15 on Saturday meeting held at the Ashenheim Stadium in Jamaica, Williams demonstrated her potential by clocking a time of 11.76 seconds into a headwind in her qualifying heat, securing second place behind Remona Burchell, who won the heat in 11.52 seconds. Despite challenging conditions with winds affecting her heat, Williams progressed to the B final.
In the B final, Williams improved her performance, achieving a season's best time of 11.56 seconds. Although she finished second in the final, Williams' progress is indicative of her determination and gradual return to top form.
"Mentally, I am ready," expressed Williams. "The aim right now is to get back to my personal best. There is no pressure. Right now the focus is on me, just taking it one step at a time."
Williams acknowledged the mental fortitude required to overcome setbacks and stay focused on her goals. "It's about going into the race and doing exactly what I do in training," she affirmed. "I know I have a lot of potential, I still believe there is more in there and I still haven’t reached my full potential."
Despite the obstacles she has faced, Williams remains resolute in her determination to move forward. "With all that has happened in the past, I am just trying to put that behind and move forward," she explained. "I do have days when that really gets to me mentally but it’s life. If something happens, you don’t use that to keep yourself down."
As Williams continues her journey towards peak performance, supported by the unwavering guidance of Coach Unfried, the upcoming Jamaica National Championships will serve as a crucial stepping stone towards her ultimate goal of representing Jamaica at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Asafa Powell's absence cost Jamaica a faster 4x100m world record in 2012, suggests Gatlin
In a recent episode of the Ready, Set, Go podcast, American sprint legend Justin Gatlin delved into the hypotheticals of Jamaica's historic 4x100m relay run at the London 2012 Olympics, suggesting that the world record of 36.84 seconds could have been even faster had former world record holder Asafa Powell been part of the lineup.
Powell, renowned for his blistering speed having held the 100m world record at 9.77 and 9.74s, missed out on the opportunity to join the likes of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, and Usain Bolt in that record-breaking relay team due to a groin injury sustained during the final of the 100m.
Gatlin, reflecting on the potential of the Jamaican squad, speculated that adding Powell to the mix could have propelled them to an astonishing 36.5-second mark.
"Adding Asafa Powell to that already formidable lineup of Bolt, Blake, Carter, and Frater could have pushed the team to an even faster time," Gatlin remarked on his podcast. Powell's absence, while the team still delivered Olympic gold, left room for speculation on just how much quicker they could have been.
Gatlin, a seasoned sprinter himself, understands the unique pressure and responsibility that comes with relay events. "There is a difference between being an individual runner at the Olympics or world championships and being part of a relay team," he explained. "If you falter as an individual, it's on you; but in a relay, it's on the country's back."
Reflecting on the challenges of breaking a world record in relay events, Gatlin emphasized the need for everything to align perfectly. "36.8 is a gigantic order. 37 low is a tall order," he admitted. "Everyone needs to be in peak condition and ready to run."
Looking ahead to the future, Gatlin also weighed in on Team USA's chances of breaking the 12-year-long Jamaican 4x100m relay world record in 2024. "It's going to take a near-perfect performance from a team firing on all cylinders to surpass what Jamaica achieved in 2012," Gatlin predicted.
Texas A&M’s Farquharson establishes new meet record to win 800m at Alumni Muster
Jamaican Texas A&M junior Kimar Farquharson continued his winning ways in the 800m this season with victory at the Alumni Muster held in College Station, Texas on Saturday.
The former Calabar High star was in dominant form, winning the event in 1:47.26, a new meet record.
More than two seconds behind Farquharson in second was teammate Caden Norris (1:49.62) while Tracksmith’s Luca Chatham was third in 1:50.71.
This was Farquharson’s second 800m win of the season as he ran 1:46.69 to beat countrymen Navasky Anderson and Tarees Rhoden to victory at the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida on April 13.
Interestingly, the 22-year-old has also established a new personal best in the 400m this season with 45.70 at the Battle of the Bayou in Baton Rouge on March 30.
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