History-making Jamaican Olympian Toni-Ann Williams has expressed her excitement and optimism at being appointed Technical Director of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association. Nicole Grant, the association’s president made the announcement this past weekend about the appointment of Williams, who in 2016 became the first ever gymnast to represent the country at an Olympic Games.
In an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, Williams detailed her vision for the future of the sport in Jamaica.
“Yeah, I'm really excited about the position,” Williams shared. “I think it's something we've not had before in the organization, especially when I started there. I want to be able to bring a level, a little more organization, a little more direction, put some values and some motives behind the organization.”
Williams, 28, is determined to leverage her extensive experience and educational background—including degrees in Legal Studies, Social Welfare, and a Master’s in Sports Ethics and Integrity—to enhance the structure and support within the association. “I think before, we've had really great representatives of the movement, but I think now we have more people supporting Jamaica gymnastics to be able to facilitate from the smallest things, helping to make sure they get to their hotel on time, and who's able to go to competitions and, you know, to the big things, like, you know, helping to find funding and things like that.”
Reflecting on her own journey, Williams is committed to giving back to the sport and aiding its development in Jamaica. “Being able to have a support system, especially from people who've been there, done that, is, I would have really appreciated as an athlete. And so this is my way of being able to give back to the athletes and being able to help Jamaica gymnastics get to the vision that we see.”
Adding to the excitement, the appointment of her former coach, Mladen Stefanov, a former Bulgarian Olympic gymnast, as Head Coach, promises to further elevate Jamaica’s gymnastics program. “Mladen has been the head coach on and off throughout the years, even since when I was a gymnast, and he always brings such a great energy. All the athletes from past and present love working with him,” said Williams.
Williams and Stefanov’s combined expertise is expected to drive significant advancements. “We already have a great foundation, so we communicate super well, and he understands, obviously, the technical coaching side, and I being able to bring my experience as an athlete, so both of our experiences come together really well, and being able to help the athletes and being able to figure out what's best for what competition should we go to, what skills work, what routines don't work and that's not something we've had before.”
Looking ahead, Williams is hopeful about the potential for growth despite the resource challenges. “Of course, we have a long way coming, and, of course, we need more resources, but being able to have people like myself being able to help Nicole Grant, being able to pilot these initiatives, I'm really excited about, and really, I think it's really great for the future of Jamaica Gymnastics.”
Williams believes this strategic leadership is a crucial step towards elevating Jamaica’s presence in the gymnastics world. “We have a lot of powerhouses like USA and Brazil; of course, they have the resources, but they also have people who know the sport really well and have people that support. And I think that's a great start for Jamaica, to start having people in the corner who understand the sport, understand what's needed, understand the athlete's point of view, to be able to support them, and hopefully that's a step forward towards more resources and more opportunities for the athletes,” she opined.
Jamaica’s Gymnastics Association (JAGA) president, Nicole Grant says securing hosting rights for the inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championships not only marks another milestone achievement for her administration, but more importantly, signifies the country’s continued growth in the sport.
Though the region has been known for the Carifta Games and Carifta Swimming Championships, where rising stars showcase their athletics and aquatic prowess across various age groups, there has never been an outlet for gymnast.
That prompted Grant and others to work with the Pan American Gymnastics Union (PAGU) to conceptualize the Carifta Gymnastics Championships, which is set for November 29-30 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.
“Hosting the inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championships is a significant achievement for Jamaica Gymnastics. It showcases Jamaica's commitment to the sport and its ability to organize a major regional event. Carifta has been around for many years but gymnastics hasn’t been part of it and because of the technicality of the sport,” Grant told SportsMax.TV.
“This event provides a platform for gymnasts in the Caribbean region to compete and showcase their talents. It also helps to promote gymnastics in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, inspiring more young athletes to take up the sport. Overall, hosting such a prestigious event is a great honor and a testament to Jamaica's growing presence in the gymnastics community,” she added.
Olympian Toni-Ann Williams and Coach Mladen Stefanov.
Grant explained that Jamaica found favour with the PAGU since last year’s successful staging of the Pan American Hopes tournament, and she is eager to deliver another fine spectacle.
“We were seen as a country that has the capability of hosting tournaments of this level and therefore we were given the nod. There were three other countries in the running to host the tournament, which included Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Bahamas,” Grant shared.
“I can tell you that Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are already confirmed to participate, and each country is expected to bring about 20-30 athletes, at a minimum. So while we wait on other countries to confirm their participation, we are focused on delivering what we hope will be a memorable first staging,” she declared.
On another note, Grant revealed that Jamaica has also secured the services of Olympian Toni-Ann Williams as Technical Director with her former coach Mladen Stefanov, set to guide the country’s team which begins preparation next month.
“Toni-Ann will be working with us on a monthly basis. She will begin in July with a camp for the team competing at the Carifta Gymnastics Championships and Mladen Stefanov will be the Head Coach for the senior male and female teams. He was Toni-Ann’s coach throughout her years as gymnasts and has worked with us over the years, so we are pleased to have them both on our technical team,” she noted.
Prior to the Carifta Gymnastics Championships, Grant pointed out that Jamaica’s athletes will engage two overseas training camps, in Canada and China, to fine-tune techniques and routines.
“The China camp is a part of the bilateral agreement between both ministries of sports and is the final leg of that camp. Also, our higher level local gymnasts will have a four-week camp in Canada to also prepare for the tournament,” she ended.
Jamaican gymnasts Alana Walker and Isabelle David delivered strong performances at the 2024 Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships, finishing 15th and 17th, respectively, in Santa Marta, Colombia. The competition, held from May 22-26, marked a historic achievement for Jamaica as both gymnasts reached the all-around finals.
Head coach Mladen Stefanov expressed his pride in the gymnasts’ achievements. “I am so happy with Isabelle David and Alana Walker’s performance at the Pan Am Games 2024. Both of them got through the qualifying round and made it to the top 24 in the final. This is the first time that Jamaica has had two athletes in the all-around final. Our gymnasts were able to do their skills with confidence and really show their potential, making us proud. It was a long week of competing, and they had to compete two times in three days, which is very hard, but somehow they were able to pull it off. They were trained well, and I am so happy that we were a part of the 2024 Pan Am Games and represented Jamaica in the best way possible.”
Alana Walker
Alana Walker, who secured a top-15 finish with a combined score of 46.867, reflected positively on her performance despite some challenges. She achieved scores of 8.900 on the vault, 7.30 on the uneven bars, 6.51 on the balance beam, and 6.865 on the floor exercise. “Although the finals didn’t go exactly as I had hoped, it was a great end to my 2024 season. I am proud of my top-15 finish for team Jamaica and I also want to say thank you to coaches Mladen and Mary [Marylin Pretov] for helping me through this competition. I look forward to continuing my gymnastics career at Stanford University.”
Isabelle David
Isabelle David, who finished 17th with a total score of 45.867, was also pleased with her performance. She scored 9.40 on the vault, 7.5 on the uneven bars, 6.5 on the balance beam, and 6.967 on the floor exercise. “Even though our all-around finals didn’t go exactly as planned, I am very proud I hit eight out of eight routines while at Pan Ams. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been here and represent Jamaica, and I am grateful to coaches Mary and Mladen for supporting everyone on the team during this competition. I am very happy with this end to my 2024 season and I am looking forward to opportunities to compete and represent Jamaica in the future.”
The success of Walker and David at the Pan American Championships underscores the progress of Jamaican gymnastics on the international stage, showcasing the nation’s potential and dedication to excellence in the sport.
Both members of Jamaica’s female gymnastics team of Isabelle David and Alana Walker have advanced to the final round of the women’s all-around category at the Pan American Championships being held in Santa Maria, Colombia.
David’s score in the qualification round for all-around was 47.967 which placed her 12th while Walker’s score of 47.067 placed her 16th among the 24 finalists. David was also named as a reserve for the final rounds of both the beam and floor exercise categories.
Her scores in the beam and floor were 12.267 and 12.200, respectively.
"I am so excited to have made it to all-around finals and be a reserve for two events," David told Sportsmax.tv.
"It is such a great accomplishment and I'm proud of myself for being able to achieve it. I'm so honoured that I was able to represent Jamaica to the best of my abilities during the qualifying competition. I am so excited to have another opportunity during the all-around final competition. I hope to show off all of the skills that i have worked so hard to get," she added.
Walker reacted to competing for Jamaica on the international stage once again.
“It felt really good out to get back out there on the international competition floor after a long three years off,” she said.
“Although it wasn’t my best, I’m very proud of how I performed yesterday. It was fun to be out there with Izzy and the coaching staff and very exciting to find out I made all-around finals. I’m very thankful to team Jamaica for their continued support and belief in me. I’m ready to get back out there, do my best and represent Jamaica with Izzy tomorrow,” she added.
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.”
Competitors from the Jamaica School of Gymnastics had an excellent showing at the Cats Beach Blast held at the Palm Beach Central High School in Florida from April 6-7.
The 19-member team managed to take home nine gold, six silver and seven bronze medals. The team also claimed two first place and three third place trophies.
The team placed first in the Level Two gymnast category. Juanique Hunter had scores of 9.5 and 9.350 to take gold in the beam and bars, respectively.
“I’m very proud of myself. I never expected to get first on bars because I know I’m bad on bars but I’m really proud of myself for getting first overall,” Hunter said.
Elissa Edwards took gold in the floors and vault with scores of 9.500 and 9.175.
“I wasn’t really expecting to get first place, I was more expecting fourth of fifth because I did bad on beams but I’m really happy to get another first-place trophy,” she said.
In the Level One gymnast category, Isabel Misir had a score of 9.1 to win the vault while Malkia Robinson produced 9.75 to win the bars.
Elsewhere, Westmoreland Gymnastics and Painite Gymnastics located in Manchester competed in Barbados as a combined team at the Trident Classic at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Wildey on April 6.
The team came first overall in their category and had a medal count of 46 all in the first, second and third places.
They also captured seven trophies and took home the first-place trophy for the pre-comp category.
“It’s truly a good look for the sport of Gymnastics having three clubs competing overseas over the weekend. They made a mark for Jamaica in winning both the teams and individual events,” said President of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, Nicole Grant.
“It truly speaks volumes about the development of our coaches who are now better able to understand the technicalities of the sport and passing it on to the athletes who are just eager and happy to learn and improve day by day,” she added.
Olympic champion Max Whitlock took pommel horse gold at the British Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool on Sunday.
The 31-year-old, who returned to action last year after retaining his Olympic pommel horse title in Tokyo in 2021, won with a score of 15.250 at the M&S Bank Arena.
Whitlock is building up to what would be his fourth Games this summer in Paris, and he said: “It feels good. It feels good to be back.
“Since after Tokyo it’s been a bit of a roller coaster for me with a year out of the sport, coming back in, and it’s crazy that we’re in the Olympic year now.
“So 2024 has really started…and I’m really pleased with that.”
Five-time Commonwealth Games champion Claudia Fragapane has announced her retirement from gymnastics at the age of 26.
Fragapane, who also won two World Championship medals including being part of the team that claimed an historic bronze in 2015, said it was “the right time” to leave the sport.
The Bristol athlete shot to fame when she won four golds at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, and later found a whole new fanbase when she competed in the 2016 edition of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Fragapane told British Gymnastics: “It feels like the right time. I’m really happy with my career, gymnastics has been my whole life for as long as I remember, but now I’m ready to flick over a new chapter.
“I started gymnastics at six years old, and from my first session at Bristol Hawks I said ‘I want to go to the Olympics’. I don’t think I knew how hard that would be at the time.
“But I absolutely loved the competitive side of gymnastics, I loved working hard to achieve what I wanted to. Once I started to get selected for squads, I just had this hunger to achieve more and more, and be the best I could be.”
Fragapane realised her Olympic dream when she competed at the 2016 Games in Rio. After recovering from a series of serious injuries, she won her fifth Commonwealth Games gold medal as part of the Great Britain women’s team in Birmingham in 2022.
Jamaica’s Mariah Gordon made history on Saturday with the country’s first ever Gymnastics gold medal at the Pan American Hopes Tournament at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.
Gordon took home gold in the 11-12 Uneven Bars category ahead of Colombia’s Gabriela Herrera and Panama’s Aylin Lan.
Gordon had a 3.600 score for difficulty and an 8.633 score for execution for an overall score of 12.233, 0.067 more than Herrera and 0.433 more than Lan.
Jamaica also secured another medal through Zuri Mantadara-Clarke in the 11-12 Vault category. Mantadara-Clarke produced an overall score of 12.566 to finish fourth overall behind Panama’s Lan (12.600), Venezuela’s Mia Morales (12.700) and Puerto Rico’s Amaia Lebron (12.900).
Jamaica also finished fourth in the overall team standings with a score of 87.097. Colombia won the team title with 93.931 ahead of Venezuela (91.464) and Argentina (88.897).
Former Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis has emerged as a newly elected member of the Panam Sports Athlete Commission. The announcement came during a meeting held at the Games, where athletes had the crucial task of choosing representatives from eight candidates over the course of the 22-day event.
Her selection came in part through tireless work behind the scenes from the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, who lobbied on the basis that Francis, who competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has the ability to make significant impact on the careers of athletes from the Pan American region.
Expressing her excitement about this new responsibility, Francis, currently on vacation in Kenya, conveyed her enthusiasm for contributing to the betterment of sports and her adopted country. "I am very excited as sports and Jamaica have done so much for me, so to be able to contribute to a better future is a great opportunity to give back," she shared.
With a sense of gratitude for the opportunities she has received from the world of sports, Francis sees this role as a chance to make a positive impact on the future of athletics. "I have huge aspirations; however, I need to enter discussions and form my objectives from that," she added.
Despite being miles away on vacation, Francis is already planning her immediate steps upon her return from Kenya. She emphasized her commitment to reaching out to Jamaican athletes who have valuable opinions and contributions for the commission. "Once I'm back from Kenya next week, I will find out what the best way to get in touch with Jamaican athletes who have opinions and anything to bring to the commission is," she stated.
Francis is keen on fostering collaboration and ensuring that the voices of Jamaican athletes are heard within the commission. "When the first commission meeting will be, I will base it off that," she affirmed, highlighting her dedication to actively engage with her fellow athletes and make a meaningful impact through her role in the Panam Sports Athlete Commission.
Simone Biles defied a kidney stone to become the first female gymnast to win four all-around world titles, on this day in 2018.
Such was the American’s dominance of her sport, she could afford a series of uncharacteristic mistakes in Doha without feeling unduly threatened by her rivals, with Japan’s Mai Murakami taking silver more than one and a half points behind.
Victory gave Biles her 12th world gold medal and her second of the championships. She went on to collect six in total – four golds, one silver and one bronze.
However, after claiming the all-around title, she insisted: “I’m definitely more upset with myself than happy. It’s not who I am go out and bomb a meet like that.
“Even though I still won, I wish it had been something different. It kind of sucks that I did so bad and still won. You have to earn it and I don’t think I earned it tonight.”
Biles’ success was all the more remarkable given her admission to hospital the night before the qualifying round, but she refused to use her continuing discomfort as any kind of excuse.
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“If it had been a challenge for me, I wouldn’t have competed at all, rather than blame it on the kidney stone,” Biles added.
“I think finals will definitely cheer me up because I get to redeem myself and show people who I really am.”
Biles took a two-year break from competition following the Tokyo Olympics, during which time she announced she would be working on her mental health and also gave evidence to Congress over the abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar.
Beth Tweddle won Great Britain’s first gold medal at the gymnastics World Championships in the uneven bars competition, on this day in 2006.
Tweddle had suffered injury disappointment at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne earlier in the year, but bounced back in Aarhus.
A score of 16.200 points was enough for Tweddle to beat defending world champion Anastasia Liukin and Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari to the title in Denmark.
British hopeful Tweddle had claimed bronze during the World Championships 12 months earlier, but a right ankle injury halted her momentum and forced a watching front for the Commonwealth Games.
Tweddle recovered to star at the European Championships in April with victory before she cleaned up at the British Championships later in the summer.
It raised expectations over what the Olympian could achieve at NRGi Arena and after Tweddle ranked fourth overall during the qualification phase, she suffered a fall the day before the uneven bars final.
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It did not knock the Liverpudlian off her stride and she peaked perfectly to post 16.200 points, beating Liukin’s total of 16.050 and Ferrari’s 15.775 tally.
Tweddle told BBC Five Live: “All my hard work has finally paid off and I’m absolutely ecstatic. A lot of people told me it would come, but I didn’t think it ever actually would. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
“I’ve had the bronze medal at the last two World Championships and to come out today after the fall yesterday and get through, it is an achievement.”
In what was a magnificent display of gymnastic excellence, a team of young gymnasts from Jamaica shone brightly at the COPA IGA tournament that concluded in Panama on Sunday. The team of 11 emerging talents wowed judges and spectators alike with several members of the team topping several disciplines.
Among the standouts was Selah Price, who while competing in the Beginners Group 2 category, was first in the All Around after topping the Floor Exercise (9.350), Beam (9.550) while finishing second in the Vault (9.375).
Also in that category, Marisol Hogarth finished third in the All Around having claimed second place in the Floor Exercise (9.350) and third in the Vault (9.300). She also did well on the Beam exercise. Joelle Williams placed fourth in the All Around. She was third on the Beam (9.400), fourth in the Vault (9.175) and sixth in her Floor exercise (8.550).
Harmony Burton finished in a commendable seventh place in the All Around. She was third in the Floor exercise (9.100) and sixth in the Vault (9.000). She scored an 8.75 on the Beam.
Not to be outdone, Dojanae Garwood, competing in the Beginners Group 3 category, was first in the All Around having topped the Vault with an impressive score of 9.8000 while finishing third in the Beam and Floor exercises with scores of 9.375 and 9.275, respectively.
Adriannah Bailey was second in the All Around in Group 3. She scored an impressive 9.550 to win the Beam and generated a score of 9.300 to finish in second place on the Floor. She was fifth in the Vault with a score of 9.500.
Not far behind was Leah Cowan, who finished in fourth place in the All Around. She impressed the judges while winning the Floor with a score of 9.350 and fourth in the Vault, scoring 9.525. She had a score of 8.900 on the Beam.
Emma-Marie Donaldson finished in sixth place in the All Around and had scores of 9.275 for fourth on the Beam, 9.250 for fifth place on the Floor and 9.175 in the Vault.
Lashay Chutcan shone brightly in the 12-plus category. She was first in the All Around and had excellent scores of 9.575 to finish first on the Beam, 9.450 to emerge victorious on the Floor and 9.700 for second place in the Vault.
Among the Beginners in Group 1, Harmonie-Jade Johnson was sixth in the All Around. She was fourth on the Floor (8.550), sixth in the Vault (8.675) and scored 9.110m on the Beam.
Meanwhile, Roshanique Ricketts was seventh in the All Around while finishing third in the Vault (9.350), fourth on the Beam (9.220) and seventh on the Floor (7.750).
The successful gymnasts are expected to return to Jamaica early Monday afternoon.
Britain’s Jake Jarman claimed Britain’s first medal of the World Gymnastics Championships with gold in the men’s vault in Antwerp.
The 21-year-old from Peterborough is the first British gymnast ever to claim the vault world title.
Jarman is the only gymnast in the world performing the Yonekura vault and he scored a huge 15.4 for that before being awarded 14.7 for his second vault, giving him an overall score of 15.05.
That was comfortably enough to put him top of the charts ahead of American Khoi Young and Nazar Chepurnyi of Ukraine, with Britain’s Harry Hepworth down in seventh.
“It’s doesn’t feel real yet,” said Jarman. “I just can’t believe it. I was definitely nervous competing, especially for that first vault. As soon as I landed that first vault, instantly I shut all my emotions down.
“I’m just super proud to be able to perform the way I did today under that stress and that pressure. It gives me a huge confidence boost, especially leading up to next year.”
It is Jarman’s first individual medal at world level. Last year he claimed four golds at the Commonwealth Games, took European gold in vault and was also a world bronze medallist in the team event.
The event had been somewhat disappointing for Britain prior to Jarman’s success, with the women’s and men’s teams both missing out on medals while Max Whitlock came off the apparatus during his pommel horse final.
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