Kevin Sinfield will again push his body to the limit in support of friend Rob Burrow as he plans to run seven ultra-marathons in seven different cities across seven successive days.

Sinfield is taking on the challenge to raise money for motor neurone disease charities after seeing his great friend Burrow affected by the illness.

The former Leeds Rhino player, who has undertaken several other physical challenges over the last few years and raised £13million, will run 27.2 miles on seven successive days around the United Kingdom and Ireland.

He will start in his home city of Leeds on December 1, before heading to Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton before finishing in London.

Sinfield said on BBC Breakfast: “We go again, we start three weeks on Friday, running has been a great vehicle for us.

“It has been a great way of celebrating the MND community and celebrating Rob and showing people we care. The support we have had has been amazing.

The plan is to run seven marathons, plus an extra mile each day, in seven different cities in the UK and Ireland across seven days.

“We are aware we have not been to the south and felt it is important to go to the south because there is a large number of people with MND down there, we wanted to go to Wales and Ireland.

“We want to share and support and raise some funds.

“We are really looking forward to it; there are 100 reasons we shouldn’t go again, but there are 5,000 why we should and the big reason is Rob.

“If we want to make a dent on MND and to shift the dial line we need money and the awareness has been brilliant over the last four years.

“It’s the funds (that) are going to make a difference, whether that is to find a cure, or to support families or provide equipment like Rob has where people can still communicate and be in the room.”

Burrow, who is able to speak using special equipment, told his friend: “Another crazy challenge, we thought you would stop after the last one, but here you go again. I would do the same for you.

“I hope to see you off at the start and be there at the finish, you never stop banging the drum for the MND community, remember Kev you aren’t getting any younger!”

 Wary of the competition she's likely to face in her last Olympic Games in Paris next year, two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is planning to participate in more races before heading to Europe for her final showdown.

 A knee injury and undisclosed physical challenges kept Fraser-Pryce from competing in many races leading up to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest in August, possibly contributing to her third-place finish in the 100m. As the only woman to medal in the 100m at four consecutive Olympic Games, she ran 10.77, a time insufficient to outpace the newly crowned World Champion ShaCarri Richardson of the United States, who finished in 10.65, breaking Fraser-Pryce's championship record of 10.67 set just a year earlier in Eugene, Oregon.

 Shericka Jackson, a gold medal favourite heading into Budapest, secured silver with a time of 10.72, 0.07s slower than her time at the Jamaica national championships in July.

 Recognizing the need to run faster in Paris, Fraser-Pryce understands that more races are essential in preparation for the ultimate showdown.

 "Yeah, for sure. Not only race sharpness but race confidence is something I definitely need. This year, I didn't have a choice not to race due to setbacks in my knee and other issues, and I didn't want to risk it," she shared with Sportsmax.TV. "So, I trusted my coach's judgment. Next year, once I'm healthy, I really want to start earlier and build that race momentum as I head into the Olympics."

 Fraser-Pryce believes that being healthy and competing in more races is crucial because the Olympics, as the pinnacle of sports, is where everyone brings their 'A' game.

 "The Olympics are so different. For some reason, athletes find a unique energy and motivation to come prepared. I want to ensure I give myself the best opportunity to represent myself."

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce stood at the podium, her radiant smile reflecting the immense pride she felt for the Pocket Rocket Foundation on its 10th anniversary. The celebration and fundraiser were taking place at the elegant AC Hotel in Kingston, and it was a night of reflection, gratitude, and renewed commitment to the under-served Waterhouse community and student athletes who had benefitted from the foundation's scholarships.

She began by expressing her deep gratitude to the sponsors, partners, and friends who had supported the foundation over the past decade. "It's because of your generosity why we're here this evening that we're able to celebrate 10 years of the Pocket Rocket Foundation. The impact and the legacy that we have had throughout the 10 years is all because of you," she emphasized.

Turning her attention to the foundation's origin, Fraser-Pryce shared the motivation behind its creation. "Now, the reason I have the Pocket Rocket Foundation is because for all of my life, there are so many persons that poured into who I was and who I was going to become. They saw vision, they saw hope, they saw so much more, and it's because of that why we have the Pocket Rocket Foundation."

The five-time World 100m champion recognized the importance of balancing education and sports to transform lives, a lesson she learned early in her life. "When I was in Waterhouse, I always knew; like my mom would say to me that sports was going to be my way out. We have to learn to strike the balance between education and sport to transform your life, and I learned that early that that was going to be the case."

She stressed the significance of service, explaining, "Service is our greatest strength. I've always believed that. For those who serve, you are powerful. It's your strength that's where you lead from. I crossed the line and I wanted to give back."

The three-time Olympic gold medalist praised her then manager, Bruce James, who helped her set up the foundation. "I said to Mr. (Bruce) James I needed to start my foundation, and I wanted to have impact. I don't want to start a foundation because it looks good on paper or it sounds good. I want to start a foundation because I want to have impact. I want to give student athletes the same privilege, the same chance to dream, to plant a seed, to have hope."

She thanked the foundation's initial supporters, including GraceKennedy, Digicel, and Nike, for providing the initial funding. Sagicor's contribution, providing a rent-free home for the foundation for almost two years, was especially noteworthy. Shelly-Ann recognized the importance of transparency and integrity in her foundation's operations.

Throughout her speech, Shelly-Ann expressed her gratitude to her sponsors for their unwavering support. "There's never a time that I've called on any of my sponsors to say, I need your support, I need to donate food, I need toys for the kids, I need bags, and they're always there. I've never heard I can't. It's always yes."

Shelly-Ann then highlighted the impact the Pocket Rocket Foundation had on student athletes. "73 student athletes over the 10 years. It's just remarkable for me to have seen a lot of you transcend so many different things."

She mentioned examples like Tahj Lumley, one of the foundation's first recipients, who became the national squash coach, and Jovaine (Atkinson), who became a pilot. "When you talk about them, it is hope and that is the seed that we have planted in their lives because of you. I want to be able to fuel those dreams and help them surpass their own expectations."

The foundation's initiatives, including the breakfast program with GraceKennedy, aimed to make a difference in the Waterhouse community. Shelly-Ann emphasized the importance of providing every child with access to nutritious meals, regardless of their family's circumstances.

Discussing the foundation's football program, she said, "When you talk about peace through sports, that's what our football program does. It's bringing young men from different communities who are otherwise pre-occupied or not speaking. We're able to bridge that gap because of that football competition."

Shelly-Ann hoped for a better, more united Waterhouse through her foundation's efforts. "That's the Waterhouse that I want. That's the Waterhouse that I'm dreaming of. We want to have impact, we want to have legacy."

In closing, Shelly-Ann emphasized that her own journey was a blueprint for the student athletes. "You can have balance. Having that balance and striking that balance is difficult, but it's possible. I did it. I am the blueprint. I am showing them the way.”

Several sponsors received awards on the night for their contributions to the Pocket Rocket Foundation (PRF) over the past decade.  GraceKennedy Ltd received the Pocket Rocket Foundation Pinnacle Award, Nike received the PRF Trailblazer Award, the PRF Standout Performer went to Wisynco, the PRF Start Award went to Sagicor, the PRF Change Award went to Digicel and the PRF Trendsetter Award was received by American Friends of Jamaica.

 

Guyana’s Leslain Baird  fought valiantly to win a bronze medal in the men’s javelin on the final day of track and field action at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Saturday.

The 36-year-old thrower, who won a silver medal at the South American Games in Bolivia 2018, threw a commendable 78.23m to secure the final podium position in the event won by the USA’s Curtis Thompson. It was Guyana’s third medal of the games.

The American produced a winning throw of 79.65m, miles off Anderson Peters’ Pan American record of 87.31m set in 2019.

Brazil’s Pedro Henrique Nunes won the silver medal with his best effort of 78.45m.

Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson copped his first senior medal for the country with bronze in the men’s 800m at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Saturday.

The 23-year-old, who represented Jamaica at the World Championships in Budapest where he was disqualified in the heats, produced 1:46.40 for third in Saturday’s final behind Mexico’s Jesus Lopez (1:46.04) and Venezuela’s Jose Antonio Maita (1:45.69).

Anderson broke his own Jamaican national record earlier this season when he ran 1:44.70 at the DC Track Championships on July 30 to achieve the World Championship qualifying standard.

Dominican World Championship finalist Thea LaFond won Dominica’s lone Athletics medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile with bronze in the women’s triple jump on Thursday.

LaFond, who was fifth at the World Championships in Budapest with a personal best 14.90m, was one of only three athletes to jump further than 14m throughout the competition, with her best jump of 14.25m coming in the first round.

Cuba’s Liadagmis Povea produced 14.41m in the second round to take silver while her countrywoman and World Championships bronze medallist Leyanis Perez produced 14.75m in the third round to take gold.

 

 

Bahamian Rhema Otabor picked up her country’s second Athletics medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile when she claimed silver in the women’s javelin throw on Friday.

The 20-year-old produced a best distance of 60.54m, her first throw over 60m, to finish second behind Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz who threw 63.10m for gold.

The USA’s Madelyn Harris took bronze with 60.06m.

This continues an excellent season for the Nebraska Junior.

She also took top spot at the NCAA Championships in June with a 59.49m effort, the Bahamian national title with 59.75m in July and NACAC Under-23 title with 57.48m later that month.

39-year-old Donald Thomas once again proved that age is just a number after securing bronze in the men’s high jump at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Friday.

The 2007 World Champion had a best clearance of 2.24m, the same height as silver medallist Luis Joel Castro of Puerto Rico.

Cuba’s Luis Enrique Zayas took gold with 2.27m.

Jamaica’s Lushane Wilson and Cristoff Bryan were seventh and 10th with best clearances of 2.21m and 2.15m, respectively.

Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica were fourth and sixth, respectively, in the final of the Men’s 4x100m relay at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile on Thursday.

The Trinidadian quartet of Eric Harrison Jr, Judah Taylor, Kyle Greaux and Jerod Elcock combined to run 39.54, narrowly missing out on the bronze medal won by Argentina in 39.48.

Jamaica’s quartet of Michael Sharpe, Andrae Dacres, Odaine McPherson and Jevaughn Whyte ran 39.81 in sixth.

The gold medal was won by Brazil in 38.68 while Cuba ran 39.26 in second.

Jaheel Hyde emerged victorious in the men’s final of the 400m hurdles and at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Friday.

 In winning Jamaica’s first gold medal of the games, Hyde clocked 49.19 for a comfortable victory over Brazil’s Matheus Lima, who won the silver medal in a time of 49.69. Cuba’s Yoao Illas was close behind in third in 49.74.

To date, Jamaica has so far won five medals at the games – one gold and four bronze medals – at the games.

 

Olympic bronze medalist Ronald Levy has revealed that he is the athlete that has returned an adverse analytical finding from a recent drug test, further confirming a report on Sportsmax.TV on Friday.

The 31-year-old Levy, the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist tested positive for banned substance, believed to be a fat burner, during a recent drug test and has requested that his “B” sample be tested.

In a post on social media, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist expressed surprise at the positive test, stating, “I am stunned at the turn of events because I have always conducted myself with the highest level of integrity in the sport, which I love dearly and would never seek to gain an unfair advantage.

“I intend to defend my integrity during this process because I am certain I did not knowingly breach the rules.”

The athlete who recently switched camps, departing from MVP Track Club to reunite with his high school coach at Elite Performance, indicated the test that yielded the positive result was done in early October.

“Early last month I was tested out of season. I expected to be negative on that test like I have on every test I have ever taken throughout my career. I was surprised to receive a letter on Tuesday (November 2, 2023) by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission of an adverse analytical finding. I have decided to take the option to have by ‘B’ sample tested, of which I await the results.”

Levy has had a run is misfortune over the past few years during which he has undergone multiple surgeries on his leg, which has significantly limited his ability to compete since he won the bronze medal in the 110m hurdles in Tokyo in 2021.

 

 

A Jamaican sprint hurdler is facing provisional suspension after he tested positive for a banned substance. Sportsmax.TV has confirmed that the male athlete has tested positive for a substance that features prominently on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list.

The athlete has shone on the international stage in recent years winning medals in the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games and the Continental Cup.

Track authorities say the hurdler was informed of the positive test which came following an analysis of a sample by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO). The sprint hurdler was tested last month.

It's expected that the athlete's B-sample will be tested.

He'll then be required to face a hearing to determine whether he will face sanctions that include being banned from the sport.

Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke is among the three finalists for the 2023 Men’s Rising Star Award, which will recognize this year's best U20 athlete at the World Athletics Awards 2023.

The other finalists are the USA’s Erriyon Knighton and Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi.

According to World Athletics, the nominations reflect some of the standout performances that the sport has witnessed this year, at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.

Roshawn Clarke, 19, was fourth in World Championships 400m hurdles in Budapest in August. He equalled and then broke the world U20 record with 47.85 in Kingston and 47.34 in Budapest. Clarke is also the Jamaican champion and CARIFTA Games U20 champion.

Erriyon Knighton is the World Championships 200m silver medallist and the USA 200m champion. He also won Diamond League races in Florence and Oslo.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi is the World Championships 800m silver medallist and is the World cross country mixed relay champion. He also won Diamond League races in Rabat, Paris and Xiamen.

The winner of the 2023 Men’s Rising Star Award will be selected by an international panel of experts and be announced on World Athletics’ platforms on 11 December.

Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago came away with medals following the completion of the 100m finals at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Tuesday.

Guyana, known for its gold and diamond deposits, added a bit of silver and bronze in the respective finals after Jasmine Abrams ran 11.52 to win the silver medal in the women’s 100m finals. She was runner-up to Yunisleidy De La Caridad Garcia, who ran 11.36 in a dominant victory.

Trinidad and Tobago’s veteran sprinter Michelle Lee Ahye was a close third in 11.53 to claim the bronze medal.

Meanwhile, the ever-improving Emmanuel Archibald won a second medal for Guyana when he finished third in the men’s 100m final. Archibald clocked 10.31 while finishing behind Jose Gonzales of the Dominican Republic, who claimed gold in a blanket finish having crossed the line in 10.30.

Brazil’s Felipe Bardi was awarded the silver medal in 10.31.

Jamaica and Domincan Republic added medals to their tally on day three of athletics action at the Pan American (Pan Am) Games in Santiago, Chile on Monday.

For Jamaica, discus throwers Samantha Hall and Fedrick Dacres, both claimed bronze in their respective events, while Dominican Republic proved too good for rivals in the 4x400m mixed relay.

Hall, who competed at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary, claimed her first medal at the senior level, with a throw of 59.14m. She placed behind the Brazilian pair of Izabela Rodrigues, who won gold with a throw of 59.63m, and Andressa Oliveira (59.29m).

Another Jamaican Adrienne Adams was eighth in the event with a best mark of 55.55m.

On the men’s side, Dacres secured Jamaica's third bronze when he launched the instrument to a mark of 61.25m. Chile’s Lucas Nervi (63.39m), and Colombia’s Mauricio Alexander Ortega (61.86m), were first and second. Kai Chang, the other Jamaican in the event, was sixth at 59.96m.

Domincan Republic added a sixth gold medal to go with their four silver and 10 bronze, with victory in the 4X400m Mixed relay final. Their quartet, which included World Champion Marileidy Paulino, won in 3:16.05, ahead of Brazil (3:18.55) and United States (3:19.41).

Elsewhere on the track, Liranyi Arislayne Alonso of Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago's Reyare Mary Thomas, clocked identical times of 11.69s for second and third in semi-final one of the women’s 100m. Both, along with winner Cecilia Tamayo (11.66s) of Mexico, secured a spot in the final.

Guyana’s Keliza Smith (11.78s) and Jamaica’s Mickaell Moodie (11.86s), who also contested that semi-final, were sixth and seventh respectively.

Jasmine Abrams of Guyana won semi-final two in 11.60s, with Brazil’s Ana De Jesus (11.64s) and Cuba’s Yarima Garcia (11.65s), in second and third respectively.

On the men's side, Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald (10.35s) and Odaine McPherson (10.37s), produced contrasting performances in semi-final one, but did enough to secure their respective spots in the final. Archibald was third and McPherson, who advanced to the final as a non-automatic qualifier, was fourth.

They joined Jose Alnardo Gonzales (10.30s) of Dominican Republic, who won ahead of Brazil's Felipe Bardi (10.33s). Hakeem Huggins of St Kitts and Nevis was seventh in 10.54s.

Jamaica's Jevaughn Whyte and Samson Colebrooke of the Bahamas were fourth and seventh in semi-final two, clocking 10.52s and 10.62s, respectively, as both failed to make the final cut.

Cuba’s Shainer Rengifo was the lone Caribbean athlete to progress from semi-final three, which he won in 10.36s.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams secured her spot in the women’s 400m final after she place second in semi-final one in 51.82s. Chile’s Martina Weil won the event in 51.47s, with Ecuador’s Nicole Caicedo (52.32s) third.

 

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.