Jamaica gymnast Danusia Francis believes the option of allowing full-length bodysuits to be worn in competition will empower the sport’s female athletes.
Last week, German gymnast Sarah Voss grabbed headlines after wearing a full-body suit at the European Gymnastic Championships. She was later joined in wearing the type of outfit at the event by two teammates. Voss described a part of the motive as taking a stand against ‘sexualisation in gymnastics’ an issue that has come to the fore in recent years following the conviction of former USA national team doctor, Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to 175 years in prison for several counts of sexual abuse two years ago.
Typically, female athletes compete in leotards, however, the international gymnastics federation (FIG) rules state that competitors are allowed to wear a "one-piece leotard with full-length legs - hip to ankle", provided it is of elegant design.
Francis admitted that she did not know the uniforms were allowed but was pleased with the choice that is offered.
"I think it's amazing," Francis told BBC.
"I feel empowered that we've got this option where we can choose to cover up," she added.
Francis also believes the ability of female athletes to speak out on issues that affect them is in part due to people staying in the sport for longer.
"I think as people are staying the sport longer, obviously they're not young girls and they've got voices, they are women, so to see them making a statement, and on an international stage... I think it was great to see," Francis said.
Jackson imparts knowlege, motivation to young Dominican sensation Etienne
If ever rising Dominican sprint sensation Kerelle Etienne required an extra bit of motivation to keep pushing in her budding career, she would have received it during a recent sit down with Jamaica's World and Olympic medallist Shericka Jackson.
Jackson, one of the world's most prominent athletes, took the time to mentor Etienne, a 15-year-old talent hailing from Bagatele, who attends Edwin Allen High School, situated in central Jamaica.
Currently the fifth fastest woman of all time over 100 metres, and the fastest woman alive and second fastest woman in history over 200m, the decorated Jackson shared insight and encouragement with Etienne, as she motivated the young sensation to continue striving for greatness.
Etienne, who is supported by a scholarship from the school, as well as the Dominica Olympic Committee and Cheryl Rolle, boasts big dreams, and has already put her immense potential on display when she secured a fourth-place finish in a brisk11.85 seconds, as the recent 51st Carifta Games in Grenada.
Prior to that, Etienne contributed valuable points to Edwin Allen's tally which saw them reclaim the girls' title at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championship at Jamaica's National Stadium.
While pointing out that training in Jamaica is more difficult than it is in Dominica, Etienne has adapted well under the guidance of Michael Dyke.
"The training here in Jamaica is much harder than in my country, but I am coping well with it as I really want to make my friends and family proud back home," Etienne said in a recent interview.
"It feels so good competing on this (synthetic) type of track as all our competition back home is done on grass. Edwin Allen High has been my dream school in Jamaica. I kept in touch with their performances on YouTube and I am really happy to be a member of the team now," she added.
Young Reggae Boyz drawn in tough Group A for Concacaf U-20 Champs
Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz will have powerhouse teams United States and Costa Rica, along with Caribbean neighbours Cuba to contend with in the group stages of this summer’s Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championships in Mexico.
Those teams will contest Group A of the tournament scheduled for July 19 to August 4. Honduras, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Canada will contest Group B, while host Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and Haiti will lock horns in Group C.
The groups were revealed during a live draw on Thursday.
Jamaica's young Reggae Boyz, who topped Group F on their way to the Championships, will now be guided by Jerome Waite, who is looking forward to the challenge of possibly qualifying the country to its first Under-20 Men's World Cup since the Argentina feat in 2001.
To achieve the feat, Waite, who took the reins from John Wall after the Caribbean qualifiers, will have to first secure a top two spot from the Group, as only the top two finishers from each group, along with the two best-third-place teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.
From there, the four semi-finalists will secure qualification as Concacaf’s representatives at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup next year.
Waite, who is no stranger to high pressure situations, was at the helm when the young Reggae Boyz went into the 2018 tournament without much preparation or expectation, but surprised the entire nation when they finished level on 13 points from five games with Concacaf kingpins, Mexico, at the top of the group.
However, Mexico qualified for the second round by virtue of a better goal difference than the Jamaicans, as only the group winner advanced.
Since then, Jamaica's closest run to FIFA Under-20 World Cup qualification was when they made the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament in Honduras.
"Qualification will not be easy, but it is something that can be accomplished," Waite said.
I’m done – Max Whitlock announces Paris Olympics will be his final competition
Max Whitlock has announced this summer’s Paris Olympics will mark the end of his glittering gymnastics career after more than two decades of history-making moments and “muck-ups”.
The 31-year-old, who has won three Olympic gold medals and three world titles, says he no longer fears life beyond the competitive side of the sport which drove him to become one of the greatest British athletes of his generation.
And whether it involves his quest to extend that remarkable legacy, or to win games of ‘Pick a Pair’ with his five-year-old daughter Willow, who will watch him at an Olympics for the first time in Paris, Whitlock’s competitive fires continue to burn as ferociously as ever.
“Working towards that end goal of my fourth and final Olympics is so exciting, and it will hopefully put me in a position to push the boundaries further, and make this final chapter the best it can possibly be,” Whitlock told the PA news agency.
“To have the opportunity to do that in front of Willow feels amazing. I always said I wanted to continue until she was old enough to watch me in competitions, and I love that she will get that chance in Paris.
“I get the feeling Willow is mega-proud. She loves going round telling people I’m the Olympic champion, and she thinks I win everything. Even when we’re playing ‘Pick a Pair’ together, my competitive instinct doesn’t stop.”
Whitlock’s almost decade-long career as a global champion, starting when he edged out pommel rival Louis Smith to become Britain’s first individual world champion in Glasgow in 2015, has masked periods of struggle and self-doubt.
“I’ve mucked up more times than a lot of people think,” insisted Whitlock, who missed out on a medal most recently at last year’s World Championships in Antwerp, where he came off the apparatus midway through his final routine.
“I’ve been to so many competitions, so many European Championships, where I’ve not been able to achieve what I wanted.
“But what it does is it massively hones you, it focuses you to go back into the gym and work on fixing things. Sometimes, it’s those mistakes that get you in the mindset to get where you want to be.”
Whitlock won two Olympic gold medals – on floor and pommel – within two hours on an unforgettable Sunday afternoon in Rio, as well as defending his world crown in Montreal and Stuttgart in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
But his fondest memory remains his first significant step on the global stage at London 2012, where he was part of a history-making bronze medal-winning men’s team and also took individual bronze on pommel, paving the way for his future exploits.
“London was such a big thing for me, to be completely doubted but to come away with those bronze medals, and it gave me the motivation and inspiration that I could go on from there and compete anywhere,” recalled Whitlock.
“I was approaching my prime and I felt invincible. The four years after London were amazing because it was about seeing how far I could take it. I felt like I was floating. If I hadn’t made London, my career might have turned out very differently.”
Whitlock’s third Olympic gold, in an almost empty Ariake Arena in Tokyo, preceded 18 months of soul-searching, during which he privately struggled with the concept that his competitive career was drawing to a close.
Almost three years on, however, his growing family and flourishing business, rolling out bespoke gymnastics courses for children, have given Whitlock renewed confidence that life without the constant calling to improve and excel can be equally rewarding.
“I feel like I’ve learned from the hard-stop of the Tokyo experience, when I was adamant that I was never coming back,” continued Whitlock.
“A lot of things weren’t really ticking the box. I had nothing to wake up to in the morning and think, ‘I’m going to work hard to try to achieve this.’ I’ve said I felt like a waste of space. But it’s different now.
“I’m equally passionate about the business I’ve set up, that creates a massive impact among young children, and the two complement each other because the enthusiasm I get from that is helping me have a really positive outlook in the gym.
“I know deep inside that Paris 2024 feels like the right time to say, ‘I’m done’. For 24 years I’ve been pushing to do everything I possibly can.
“I’ve got one final opportunity to grab, and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
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