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• Tennis Jamaica President Azar expects competitive matches all the way throughout All Jamaica Open Tennis Championships

  The 2024 All Jamaica Open Tennis Championships are set for December 14-21 at the Eric Bell National Tennis Center in Kingston.

  Players from all over the island and based all over the world will descend upon the home of Tennis in the country and compete in categories such as the Men’s and Women’s Open as well as Junior Boys and Girls in the 12, 14, 16 and 18 categories.

  “The All Jamaica is certainly shaping up to be a wonderful event,” said Tournament Director, David Sanguinetti, at a press conference on Friday.

  “The entries are through the roof. We have roughly 120 juniors. All in all, the numbers are fantastic and we haven’t seen numbers like this in the juniors in some time,” he added.

  In the Men’s Open, players like Randy Phillips, Dwayne Pagon, Damion Johnson, Daniel Azar and Nicholas Gore are expected to contend for the top prize in the absence of players like Blaise Bicknell, who can’t play this tournament due to a protective ranking, and John Chin, who is missing out due to illness.

  Tennis Jamaica President John Azar outlined what fans can expect from these championships.

  “The main thing that spectators can look out for is competitive matches. High level competition across all categories. We have our top junior playing all categories. In the Men’s Open, outside of two of our top players, literally everybody else has entered the event in terms of players who are making their mark on the local scene,” he said.

  “Normally, in events like this, you may find from the quarterfinals onward, the matches start to get very interesting. I’m expecting fully well that, in the Men’s Open, from the first round you’re going to have some very, very good and competitive matchups,” he added.

  One concern brought up during Friday’s proceedings was damage caused to the courts at the Eric Bell Center due to Hurricane Beryl.

  Azar assured that the relevant repairs to the court have been made and no hiccups are expected during the tournament.

  “We’re fully expecting that the place will be in pristine condition. It’s important to be continually upgrading and maintaining our facilities to make sure they always remain at a certain standard,” he said.

  Sponsors for this year’s championships include GK General Insurance, Konnex as well as the Sports Development Foundation.

   

• Jamaican Olympian Juliet Campbell launches community initiative with Kids Fest and Yard Sale in Harbour View on December 22

  Retired Jamaican Olympian and current Marketing Manager for Running at Puma, Juliet Campbell, is set to give back to her roots with an initiative aimed at uplifting the communities in Eastern Kingston where she grew up. On December 22, Campbell will host a Kids Fest and Community Yard Sale at Harbour View Primary School, marking the start of her efforts to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the area.

  “So, I am from that area,” said Campbell, a three-time Olympian, 2000 World Indoor 200m gold medalist, and 2003 World Championships 200m bronze medalist. “I can pretty much claim to be from Rockfort, all the way back to Shooters Hill in Bull Bay, with a little stint in Hagley Gap out in St Thomas. Went to Harbour View Primary, went to Donald Quarrie Secondary before I left for St Jago High School.”

  

  The event, she explained, is the first step in her broader plans to support and engage the community. “I am putting on a Kids Fest and a community yard sale on December 22 at the Harbour View Primary School, just to meet the people and let them know what’s going on and start from there. It’s a stepping stone in big plans that I have for Harbour View, especially Harbour View Primary, where I am going to be very intentional about helping them to develop their sports programme. That field right there is where my athletic career started.”

  Alvin Walters, Principal of Harbour View Primary welcomes the initiative and is cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead.

  “We appreciate the initiative and we look forward to see what comes of the Kids Fest, the proceeds of that, in part, would go to the school to assist us with our sports programme,” he told Sportsmax.TV.

  “It is something that would be ongoing and as an Olympian, she is looking forward to seeing how that impacts us positively as a school.”

  

  Campbell has quietly supported the community for years but is now moving toward a more structured approach. “I do stuff in the area, privately, but now I am branching out with a foundation, helping and doing more with the community and the kids there. This is just kind of an initiation to test the waters to see what direction I’m going.”

  Her commitment to giving back stems from her upbringing and the example set by her mother. “I have helped so many persons through my mother (Ms Lorraine). I remember there was even a child who had a disability and needed some special shoes. I paid for the shoes. My mother takes money and cooks for the elderly, takes food for the shut-ins. I have paid medical bills, school fees, you name it, I have done it in the community.”

  This event will fund further initiatives. “The vendors who are coming in to sell their goods will have to pay a fee to secure their spots, all that money will be donated to Harbour View Primary,” Campbell said. “The reception so far has been really good but regardless of how it turns out, it won’t stop me from continuing the plan. It’s just for me to get a feel of the temperature of the community.”

  

  Among Campbell’s future plans is a bakery initiative that would provide both skills and employment opportunities. “I know of an organization overseas, a Fortune 500 company. Their charity of choice is that they go into countries and communities and set up state-of-the-art bakeries for young people to enhance their skills and earn a living by baking,” she said. “I know quite well the persons that run that initiative, that’s among the initiatives I have planned.”

  Campbell’s concerns extend to the youth in Shooters Hill, where she sees opportunities for intervention. “I really don’t like what I see when I drive up there. The young people seem so lost, they’re just hanging out and that can’t be good. I know that there are opportunities in the country for these persons to develop themselves to gain skills and to earn, but the motivation doesn’t seem to be there, so I am going to try to inject a little positivity and energy.”

  Campbell is determined to uplift the community that shaped her. “I am looking forward to going in and working with and developing our community,” she said.

  The Kids Fest and Community Yard Sale represents just the beginning of Campbell’s ambitious plans, and her commitment to Eastern Kingston is sure to inspire others to follow her lead.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce hails success of Pocket Rocket Foundation Six-A-Side Tournament

  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, founder and chairwoman of the Pocket Rocket Foundation, has praised the success and impact of the Foundation’s annual Six-A-Side Football Competition, which concluded on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the Red Stripe Sports Complex in Kingston. Speaking after the final match, Fraser-Pryce highlighted the tournament's role in fostering community spirit, empowerment, and peace through sports.

  “These past weeks have been nothing short of incredible,” Fraser-Pryce said. “To see the level of skill, passion, and community spirit displayed throughout this competition has been truly inspiring. Friends for Real’s victory is particularly meaningful as it ties back to our mission of empowerment. Earlier this year, the Pocket Rocket Foundation donated football gear, including shoes, to the Olympic Gardens Football Club. To see a team comprising members of that club rise to the occasion and become champions in their first entry demonstrates the power of opportunity and teamwork. This competition continues to show how sports can bring peace and unity to our communities, and I’m so proud of everyone who participated.”

  The tournament, which featured 20 teams playing 36 matches, concluded with Friends for Real securing a 1-0 victory over Medley Mixers in the championship match. The decisive goal, scored by Emeil Atkinson, capped an unbeaten run for the first-time entrants from the Olympic Gardens Football Club. Earlier in the day, Legend defeated Legacy 2-1 in a competitive third-place playoff.

  

  Captain of Friends for Real, Wyan Nelson, reflected on the journey to the title. “Words cannot express how the team is feeling to have won. This was our first time entering the tournament, and to come out as champions is beyond what we could have imagined. The togetherness we have built as a team has been amazing, and this competition has shown us what we can achieve. We are so grateful for this opportunity, and it is a moment we will never forget.”

  This year’s competition was the largest in its history, with cash prizes of $300,000, $200,000, and $100,000 awarded to the first, second, and third-place teams, respectively. Over $500,000 in additional prizes were presented for individual awards, including Top Goal Scorer, Best Defender, and Most Valuable Player. Participation medals and trophies were awarded to the top three teams, and Team Basement claimed honours for Best Dressed Team and Most Disciplined Team.

  The Pocket Rocket Foundation’s Peace Through Sports initiative, supported by the Hunts Bay Police, continues to play a vital role in strengthening bonds within the Waterhouse and surrounding communities. Fraser-Pryce extended her gratitude to sponsors, including NIKE, AFIMI, Grace Foods, GraceKennedy’s 876 Water and Lucozade, FESGas, Rymax Lubricants, Dollette and Ken, and Sanmerna Paper Products, whose contributions ensured the success of the tournament.

  With its blend of competitive football, community engagement, and social impact, the Pocket Rocket Foundation Six-A-Side Football Competition once again highlighted the unifying power of sports and Fraser-Pryce’s unwavering commitment to uplifting communities.