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• No Pressure: World 400m champ Watson sets sight on remainder of season with confidence, determination

  As the track and field season prepares to hit high gear, the performances of reigning World 400m champion Antonio Watson is among those that will attract some degree of interest, as Jamaican sporting enthusiasts, in particularly, have harboured hopes that he can repeat his gold medal-winning feat at this Summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

  But amidst the anticipation and scrutiny of track and field fans, who often accept nothing short of excellence, Watson remains unfazed, exuding an aura of calm and confidence that all but indicates his readiness for the tasks ahead.

  In fact, Watson in sharing his outlook for the business end of the season, revealed a mindset rooted in resilience and self-assurance, as he prepares to grace the track for a second time over 400m this year at the sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix, on June 1.

  “No pressure. I'm not really pressured because I'm just focusing on myself and executing my races to the best of my ability. Yes, the title of World Champion comes with some amount of pressure to perform, but the aim is just to perform at my best,” Watson said during the event's launch at Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, on Tuesday.

   

  “I am still trying to gauge my competition form because I haven't run in 400m since my race in February, but I'm feeling good in training, so I'm just excited to go out there and try to ensure that my fans and my friends have a wonderful show,” he added.

  Interestingly, it was at the Racers Grand Prix that Watson broke the 45-second barrier for the first time in his career, and from there, he went on to top a quality World Championships field, with a new personal best 44.13s, in Budapest.

  With that in mind, the 22-year-old has every reason to be confident, especially after proving that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Apart from the pedestrian 46.10s he clocked in February, Watson also had a 200m breeze at the Velocity Fest in March, where he clocked 20.84s.

  “Well, I'm very excited about it. It's my second year competing at Racers Grand Prix, and I enjoyed last year, so I just want to go out there this year again and put on another good show. My training has been good, I’ve been working on a lot of things over the past few weeks, getting them right, so I'm really excited to just go out there and perform, as the aim for this season is to lower my personal best, obviously, and also get more silverware this season,” he declared.

  Despite his achievements, over the past year, Watson remains humble and grounded, never allowing room for complacency or even to underestimate his opponents. This, as he won’t be facing a field of the World Championships or Olympic Games quality, but still views other competitors as equals.

  Along with Watson, the 400m field for the Racers Grand Prix includes, American Champion Allison, Nigerian NCAA champion Emmanuel Bamidele, Demish Gaye, Zandrion Barnes and Javon Francis.

  

  “For me, everyone is a threat because just like how I popped up last year, anyone can come out here and pop up this year. So I'm not downgrading anyone, these are good athletes Champion Allison is a sub-44 man, so too is Bamidele from Nigeria.

  “So it's a good field and I am looking forward to competing against them. It's going to be a big race and one that sets me up for trials and possibly the Olympics after. So it's going to be a very important race for me and I am just trying to go out there, perform to my best and hopefully get a great time,” Watson shared.

  While the rigors of training under celebrated coach Glen Mills at Racers Track Club can sometimes be overwhelming, Watson is unflinching in his desire to achieve excellence and, as such, leaves no stone unturned, as he braces for the challenges to come in the quest for greatness.

  “For me, hearing from coach daily really boosts me. He always has encouraging words and when I'm not performing or training to my best, he always points it out. So, for me it's good and also can be stressful at times, but coach says I'm on the right path, so I'm just sticking to the path that I am on, and hopefully I can better it,” Watson reasoned.

  “So, once I turn up at training, I'm ready to train, sometimes, it's hard to be focused for a million and one reasons, but as a professional, you have to know that it is time for you to be focused. So, I always try to stay locked in, and I have a good team around me that keeps me focused and ensures that I'm ready,” he ended.

   

• Jamaica's participation in UEFA U-18 Friendship tournament aimed at player development

  The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has assembled an Under-18 team to contest a week-long tournament in Turkey, which is aimed at strengthening the country’s youth programme and, by extension, prepare players for future tournaments.

  With their being no FIFA or Concacaf Under-18 tournament to qualify for, JFF's technical committee chairman Rudolph Speid views this UEFA Under-18 Friendship tournament as part of the Under-20 qualifying programme and overall national team development.

  A 20-player team to be led by Lenworth ‘Teacha’ Hyde and former Reggae Boyz player Rudolph Austin, will depart the island of on Friday for Turkey, where they will cross swords with Saudi Arabia, the host nation, and Mali on April 22, 24 and 27, with cross zone games being played on April 30. Ecuador, Guatemala, Morocco and Slovakia, will contest Group B.

  “It is a development tournament. A lot of the players are eligible for the under-20 World Cup qualifiers, the younger ones of the group. The ones now taking part in the under-20 qualifiers are the 18 and 19-year-olds, so the 18-year-olds on the (youth) World Cup qualifying squad will be included here,” Speid said in a recent interview.

  This UEFA Friendship tournament is a new initiative aimed at creating opportunities for talented young players to gain additional experience playing international football against teams from different confederations.

  The tournament will provide a unique opportunity for technical staff and players to grow both on and off the pitch, as they will experience different playing styles and cultures.

  “It is just another way to try and develop the players and give them international exposure as part of the whole World Cup qualifying development programme. We are doing a lot of things to get the team up to standard to compete. Even if some of these guys don’t make it into the qualifying squad, the exposure will be good for them," Speid noted.

   

  Delegation: Players – Jordane McDowell (Portmore United), Javin Williams (Reno FC), Taywane Lynch (Mt. Pleasant), O'Neil Headley (Chapelton Maroon), Dustin Cohen (Vere United), Jloyd Smith (Cavalier FC), Daniel Clarke (Unattached), Nashon Bolt (Arnett Gardens), Justin McPherson (Unattached), Nashardo Gibbs (Real Mona), Dylan John (Unattached), Orane Watson (Chapelton Maroon), Matthew Ellis (Cavalier FC), Ja-Son Whyte (Humble Lion), Ron Webb (FC Manchester), Deandre Gallimore (Chapelton Maroon), Alex James (Real Mona), Dantae Escoffery (Petersfield FC), Odane Wilberforce (Cavalier FC), Keyanni Jackson (Cavalier FC)

  Staff -Lenworth Hyde (Head coach), Rodolph Austin (Ass. coach), Andrew Sewell (Goalkeeper coach), Tyrese Palmer (Equipment Manager), Karen Clarke-Lumsden (Manager), Edmund Regis (Team Doctor), Wendell Downswell (Technical Director), Gregory Daley (Head of Delegation)

• Penn Relays to posthumously honour renowned journalist Hubert Lawrence with Jesse Abramson Award

  The prestigious Penn Relays, set to take place at Franklin Field in Philadelphia from April 25-27, 2024, will pay tribute to the late journalist, author, and track and field analyst Hubert Lawrence by presenting him posthumously with the esteemed Jesse Abramson Award. Lawrence, who passed away suddenly at the age of 63 on February 23, 2024, had been a significant figure in track and field journalism for more than three decades, covering the Penn Relays from 1995 to 2023.

  The Jesse Abramson Award recognizes an active member of the media who has consistently demonstrated a devotion to the Penn Relays.

  Aaron Robison, the Meet Director of the Penn Relays since 2021, when he was appointed Associate Director at the University of Pennsylvania, expressed enthusiasm for honouring Lawrence with the Abramson Award this year, acknowledging Lawrence's profound impact on the sport. He highlighted the significance of this tribute, noting that Lawrence will be only the third recipient from Jamaica to receive the award.

  Jamaica Observer writer Paul Reid was the first-ever Jamaican recipient in 2010 while broadcast journalist Ed Barnes received the award in 2018.

  "We're very excited to be able to honour him with the Abramson award this year," said Robison. "With his untimely passing, we just felt that this was an extremely appropriate time to be able to do something like this for someone that has had such a huge impact on the world of track and field within Jamaica, and then also here at the Penn Relays. And last week, I was touching base with Irwin Clare of Team Jamaica Bickle, and he made the recommendation and we thought, what a perfect tribute, and what a perfect opportunity to honour Mr Lawrence."

  Robison emphasized Lawrence's universal respect within the track and field community, noting the positive feedback from athletes and coaches alike. "In the media world, it's almost like there's two ends of the spectrum here. There's the really well respected, all the athletes, all the coaches, all the media really likes the person or nobody likes the person. Hubert is absolutely on the end of everyone has just incredible things to say about him," Robison remarked. "What is an incredible tribute for a journalist is when the athletes that they cover have only beautiful things to say about them. That tells you all you need to know about the person."

  The Abramson Award will be presented twice during the Penn Relays weekend. The first presentation will occur during the acknowledgement ceremony before the television broadcast window on Saturday afternoon at 1:25 p.m. in front of the whole crowd. The second presentation will take place during the officials' reception after the meet at approximately 6:30 p.m.

  Robison reflected on Lawrence's impact on the Penn Relays and the wider track and field community, underscoring his professionalism and rapport with athletes. "To be able to have that class and that dignity, to be respected by those that you're reporting on, that's a real, real skill and an incredible tribute to him," Robison concluded.

  The Penn Relays' decision to honour Hubert Lawrence with the Abramson Award underscores Lawrence's enduring legacy and profound influence on the sport of track and field, both in Jamaica and on the international stage. His contributions will be celebrated and remembered during this year's relay festival, ensuring that his impact continues to resonate within the track and field community.