Jamaica U-17 Reggae Girlz were forced to settle for a share of the spoils with Canada after playing to a 1-1 draw in the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship on Wednesday.

With both teams having secured their spot in the next round before kickoff, the win saw Canada top Group F on goal difference ahead of second-place Jamaica.

It was the Jamaicans who took the lead against the previously unbreeched Canadian defense when Natoya Atkinson got the go-ahead goal in the 38th minute.  The striker popped the ball into the net after a deflected cross, which headed goalward was parried by the goalkeeper, and fell at her feet.

The Canadians began the second half in an enterprising fashion and were level soon after the resumption.  Substitute Renee Watson brought the Canadians back on level terms in the 50th minute when, after ghosting past the defense and firing high into the net, over an outstretched goalkeeper Liya Brooks.

The Canadians will now face Honduras on Sunday in the round of 16, while Jamaica will play neighbours and Group H third-place team Cuba on the same day.

The CONCACAF champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in October.

Jamaica clinched a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over hosts Dominican Republic at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.

The home side jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the third minute through Maria Torreira but the young Reggae Girlz would pull level in the 30th minute thanks to a goal from Tiny Seaton.

Things stayed tight going into the second half, but in the final 20 minutes, Jamaica would pull away.

Dannique Wilson scored the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute and then Natoya Atkinson added an insurance goal in stoppage time to round out the 3-1 score line.

Jamaica now sits second in Group F behind Canada who beat Bermuda 5-0 earlier on Tuesday.

Both teams have six points from two games and face off on Thursday to determine who will advance as winners of Group F.

The Concacaf Women's Championship features 20 teams, 16 divided into four groups of four plus four teams that have already advanced to the Round of 16 through pre-tournament qualifying.

The top three teams from each group will join the four teams that have already advanced via the pre-tournament qualifying in the Round of 16 where, from there, it will be a knockout bracket to the tournament final.

The top three teams at the end of the championship will qualify for the 2022 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup which will run from October 11-30 in India.

A magnificent bowling effort from the Surrey Royals allowed them to score an easy eight-wicket win over the Cornwall Warriors in their Dream 11 Jamaica T10 fixture at Sabina Park in Kingston on Tuesday.

The Royals chose to field after winning the toss and were dominant throughout the innings taking wickets in quick succession.

Jamaica Scorpions pacer Nicholson Gordon (3-13 from 1.2 overs), left-arm spinner Raewin Senior (2-9 from two overs, left-arm spinner Ryan Francis (2-6 from two overs) and off-spinner Peat Salmon (2-19 from two overs) were all instrumental in bowling out the Warriors for a subpar 58 in 9.2 overs.

Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Derval Green (13), opener Ockeeno Farquharson (12) and former Scorpions skipper Paul Palmer Jr (11) were the only Warriors batsmen to scratch double figures.

The chase was a simple one for the Royals despite the early wickets of West Indies batsman Nkrumah Bonner (5) and Leroy Lugg (12).

Carlos Brown (25 not out) and captain Javelle Glen (16 not out) ensured that the Royals got to their target without the loss of another wicket, ending 59-2 from 8.2 overs to secure their fourth win of the tournament.

 

 

Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association and Jamaica’s sports minister Olivia Grange have hailed Elaine Thompson-Herah on her historic win of the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award on Sunday.

No Jamaican female athlete had ever taken home the prestigious award that began in 2000.

The Jamaican sprint queen won on the back of her historic achievements last summer when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100/200m sprint double at consecutive Olympic Games and added a third gold medal to her trophy case when she ran the second leg of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that won in a national record of 41.02.

She would go on to create even more history when she ran times of 10.54 to become the second-fastest woman of all time while winning the 100m in Eugene, Oregon, and then added times of 10.64 and 10.65 to be the only woman to run faster than 10.7 on four occasions.

Her achievements topped USA’s Allyson Felix (athletics), Australia’s Ashleigh Barty (tennis), Australia’s Emma McKeon (swimming) and USA’s Katie Ledecky and drew praise from the JAAA and the Jamaican government.

"Becoming the second Jamaican and the first female to win the prestigious Laureus Award is a significant achievement for Elaine and by extension Jamaica,” said Gayle.

“This is also a boost for women in track and field and other sports to aim for the highest. We are particularly proud of Elaine for her continuous achievements on and off the track. This definitely sets the tone for a great year for all our athletes.”

Meanwhile, in a missive from the United Kingdom where she will launch the Jamaica 60 programme of activities in the United Kingdom on Monday evening, Minister Grange said Thompson-Herah was most deserving of the honour of “best athlete in the world”.

“This latest success for the fastest woman alive is a tribute to Thompson-Herah’s hard work and sacrifice,” Minister Grange said.

Thompson-Herah is the second Jamaican to win the award. Usain Bolt, won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.

 

 

 

A goal in each half from Maya Raghunandanan helped steer Jamaica to a 7-0 drubbing of Bermuda in their opening match in the CONCACAF U17 Women’s Championships in the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Raghunandanan opened the scoring in the seventh minute and added a second in the 65th as Jamaica dominated the lop-sided affair to go top of Group F which also comprises Canada and the home team, the Dominican Republic.

Jamaica took 39 shots at goal, 12 on target and should have won by a more handsome margin. Notwithstanding, Avery Johnson added a second in the 11th minute and Tiny Seaton added a third in the 16th as Jamaica threatened to run rampant.

However, through faulty finishing by Jamaica, Bermuda managed to make it to the break without going further behind.

Jamaica added a fourth in the 47th minute courtesy of Tyesha Nelson but Jamaica had to wait a while before Raghunandanan got her second 18 minutes later. Shaneil Buckley added Jamaica’s sixth in the 78th minute.

Natoya Atkinson, who came on as a substitute for Johnson in the 64th completed the rout seven minutes from full time.

The Dominican Republic is set to face Canada later Sunday.

Panama defeated Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 and the United States swamped Grenada 20-0 on Saturday.

Tokyo Olympics triple gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah has won the Laureus Sportswoman Award for 2022. In doing so, she became the first Jamaican female athlete to win the coveted award that began in 2000.

The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah created history in Tokyo last year when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100m and 200m titles at consecutive Olympic Games. She won the 100m in 10.61, breaking the previous record of 10.62 set by American Florence Griffith Joyner at the Seoul Games in 1988.

She then won the 200m in a lifetime best of 21.53, the second-fastest time in history. She won a third gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that set a national record of 41.02, the third-fastest time in history.

However, she was only getting started. Following the Olympics, she ran 10.54, the second-fastest time in history, to win the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Oregon and then ran times of 10.64 and 10.65 to become the only woman in the history of the sport to run the 100m in under 10.70 four times.

“I really don’t think I can really express how it feels to be nominated amongst these wonderful and super talented ladies across their respective disciplines but to think that I could come out as the chosen winner of this prestigious award is just mind-blowing for me,” Thompson-Herah posted on Instagram in reaction to the news beneath a photograph of her holding her award.

“I would like to thank the Laureus Sports Academy for this wonderful recognition. I want to thank all my friends and family who have continuously supported me throughout my journey.”

She also thanked her sponsors Flow Jamaica, NCB Jamaica and Nike as well as her many fans.

“My fans, my fans! I love you guys so much, continue to motivate and pray for me as I set out to continuously rewrite the record books.”

Only one other Jamaican athlete has ever won the Laureus Sports Award. Usain Bolt won the Sportsman of the Year Award in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.

Formula One driver Max Verstappen won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award after winning his first title albeit under controversial circumstances.

 

Lamara Distin’s impressive season continued on Saturday when she won the high jump at the Michael Johnson Invitational at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium in Texas.

Olympic 110m hurdles champion, Hansle Parchment, opened his 2022 season by running 13.20 to win the Men’s 110m hurdles, at Velocity Fest 11, at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Parchment used an excellent start to win ahead of Rasheed Broadbell (13.31) and Michael O’Hara (13.52).

Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was also in fine form running 12.80 to win the Women’s 100m hurdles ahead of Crystal Morrison (13.02) and Amoi Brown (13.33).

Nine-time World Championship gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also made her 2022 season debut with a second-place finish in the 200m.

Fraser-Pryce had her trademark fast start before jogging the last 50m of the race to finish with a time of 22.79. Bahamian Anthonique Strachan ran a season’s best 22.55 to take the win while Natasha Morrison was third in 23.06.

Remona Burchell ran 11.13 to win the Women’s 100m ahead of Jodean Williams (11.51) and Krystal Sloley (11.74).

The Men’s 100m was won by Ackeem Blake in a new personal best 10.08. 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake was second in a season’s best 10.11 and Kadrian Goldson was third in 10.20.

In the Women’s 400m, Candice McLeod won Section A in 51.20 ahead of Janieve Russell (51.96) and Rhonda Whyte (52.26).

Zandrion Barnes won the Men’s 400m in a personal best 45.69 ahead of Anthony Cox (45.84) and Demish Gaye (46.19).

Antonio Watson ran 20.56 to win the Men’s 200m ahead of Kishane Thompson (20.92) and Riquan Graham (21.25).

 

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard insists Jamaica international Leon Bailey merited a start against Leicester on Saturday, after a week of solid training.

Bailey’s addition to the starting line-up was a bit of a surprise, given the fact that it was just his second time in a starting line-up in 2022.

Bailey previously played the full 90 minutes against Wolves at the start of the month, but aside from that has been restricted to coming off the bench on six occasions since returning from injury.

"I thought it was a performance in the right direction for Leon. He's trained ever so well in the last week, 10 days. I think he's had a frustrating time. We spoke about that in the week, the likes of Bertrand Traore and Leon Bailey, ball carriers for us, people who can make the difference and help get the team up the pitch, especially when you're away from home against a Brendan Rodgers team,” Gerrard explained, following the match.

"At times, you're going to need people who can get you from one end of the pitch to another. That was the thinking behind his selection but, also, he's arguably been our best trainer and I want to reward people like that. He's doing it on a daily basis and I can't ignore people who are showing me that they deserve game time. So, all in all, I'm happy with his performance,” he added.

Despite missing a golden opportunity to put the team ahead, however, Gerrard is confident the player can contribute meaningfully before the end of the season.

"I thought he should have put us one up early on but, listen, I'll forgive him for that because he's in the right place. I'm sure with more game time, more sharpness and, if more opportunities fall for him again, I'm sure he can help us move forward."

18-year-old Omar Laing a standout player for St Andrew Technical (STATHS) during last season’s Manning Cup was shot and killed in a drive-by incident in West Kingston on Friday.

According to reports, Laing was celebrating his 18th birthday in the vicinity of Charles Street when he was struck by gunfire from a passing vehicle.

Playing as a forward, Laing was the leading scorer for the team in the Manning Cup last season, a member of local Premier League club Cavalier and was also called up to Jamaica’s youth national team.

An unbeaten half century from Jamaica Scorpions opener Leroy Lugg and a hat-trick from Scorpions teammate Nicholson Gordon helped the Surrey Royals secure a nine-wicket win over the Middlesex Titans in the Dream11 Jamaica T10 at Sabina Park in Kingston on Friday.

After the Royals won the toss and decided to bowl first, they had the Titans in a tough spot on 29-3 off 5.1 overs before all-rounder Jamie Merchant rescued the innings brilliantly with a 15-ball 41 including five fours and three sixes.

He was dismissed in the ninth over to leave the score 84-4 before Nicholson Gordon bagged a hat-trick in the last over with the wickets of Errol Thomas (17), Sherdon Allen (2) and Jamaine Morgan (0).

Opener Wayne Davis earlier contributed 18 for the Titans.

Gordon finished with 3-21 off his two overs while off-spinner Peat Salmon contributed 2-5 from his two.

The Royals then cruised to their target, getting to 98-1 off 8.3 overs despite a short rain delay during the fourth over of their reply.

Lugg combined with West Indies batsman Nkrumah Bonner to form a match-winning second wicket partnership of 96 after fellow opener Romaine Morris was dismissed in the first over for a duck by former West Indies pacer Krishmar Santokie.

Lugg finished 50 not out off just 24 balls including four fours and three sixes, his second half-century of the tournament, while Bonner ended up 46 not out off 25 balls including two fours and four sixes.

 

Cornwall Warriors captain Michael Frew produced an excellent spell of bowling to lead his team to victory over the Middlesex United Stars in the Dream11 Jamaica T10 tournament at Sabina Park in Kingston on Friday.

Asking the Stars to bat first after winning the toss, the Warriors had early success after removing West Indies opener John Campbell for 14.

Sashane Anderson (22) and Suwayne Wilson (12) were the only other Stars batsmen to reach double figures as Frew, a member of the West Indies U-19 World Cup winning squad in 2016, ripped through the batting line-up to finish with figures of 4-16 from his two overs.

In the end, the Stars were restricted to a modest 81-7 off their 10 overs.

The Warriors made light work of the chase, reaching 83-3 off 8.4 overs to get their second win of the competition.

They got home thanks to some indiscipline from the Stars bowlers and solid showings from Ockeeno Farqharson (21), Jevoy Spence (15) and Andre McCarthy (13 not out).

West Indies U-19 representative Andel Gordon took 2-11 off his two overs.

 

Dior-Rae Scott celebrated the Bahamas’ second javelin record at the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Monday.

Scott threw a new Carifta record 44.57m to win the U-17 Girls javelin ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Kenika Cassar (42.86m) and Suerena Alexander of Grenada (42.57m).

Her countryman Keyshawn Strachan threw a new record of 79.89m to win gold in the U-20 Boys section on Saturday.

Interestingly, Scott's throw broke the record of current West Indies women cricketer Deandra Dottin who threw 42.90 in 2007 while representing Barbados.

Jamaica’s Serena Cole, a member of the world record breaking U-20 Girls 4x100m quartet from Sunday, jumped out to 5.89m to win the U-20 long jump ahead of French Guiana’s Kayssia Hudson who jumped 5.77m for second while Cole’s Jamaica teammate Kay-Lagay Clarke recorded 5.64m for third.

Jamaica’s Annishka McDonald (1.75m) and Malaika Cunningham (1.70m) won gold and silver in the U-20 Girls high jump ahead of Grenada’s Ahsharean Enoe (1.65m).

 

It was a record-breaking evening session on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday as Jamaica’s U-20 Girls 4x100m team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton sped to a new world junior record 42.58 to win gold ahead of Barbados (45.36) and Trinidad and Tobago (46.12).

Jamaica’s U-20 Boys team comprising Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Deandre Daley and Sandrey Davison were also impressive with a Carifta record 39.15 to win gold ahead of the Bahamas (40.41) and the Cayman Islands (40.72).

Camoy Binger, Bryana Davison, Shemonique Hazle and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge combined to win Jamaica’s third sprint relay gold of the evening in the U-17 Girls section in 45.38 ahead of the Bahamas (47.13) and Trinidad & Tobago (48.19).

The hosts completed a clean sweep of the sprint relays as Jadan Campbell, Gary Card, Rickoy Hunter and Shaquane Gordon combined to dominate the Boys U-17 section in 41.74 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (42.77) and the Cayman Islands (43.40).

Moving into the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands won gold in the U-17 Girls section in 58.61 ahead of the Jamaican pair Jody-Ann Daley (1:02.22) and Deandra Harris (1:02.26).

Jamaica secured gold and silver in the U-20 Girls section through Sahfia Hinds (58.96) and Shackelia Green (59.77). Trinidad & Tobago’s Natasha Fox was third in 1:02.35.

The hosts once again swept the top two places in the Boys U-17 section thanks to Princewell Martin (53.00) and Jordan Mowatt (54.40) while Jermahd Huggins of St. Kitts & Nevis took third in 55.57.

Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won gold in the U-20 Boys section in 50.68 ahead of Shamiar Bain of the Bahamas (52.83) and Craig Prendergast of Antigua & Barbuda (55.08).

Moving into the field, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn cleared 2.05m to win the U-17 Boys high jump ahead of Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands (2.00m) and Jamaica’s Aaron McKenzie (1.95m).

Penn was also victorious in the triple jump with 14.63m to win ahead of teammate Euan Young (14.41m) and Jonathan Rogers of the Bahamas (13.99m).

The British Virgin Islands’ emerging star and 100m champion Adaejah Hodge continued her stellar showing at the Games so far with gold in the U-17 Girls long jump with a distance of 6.20m ahead of Jamaica’s Shemonique Hazle (5.85m) and Rohanna Sudlow (5.65m).

 

Jamaica secured gold in the Boys U-20 long jump through the supremely talented Jaydon Hibbert on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.

The Class I gold medallist in both the long and triple jump at last week’s ISSA Boys and Girls Championships jumped out to 7.62m to win gold ahead of St. Vincent’s Uroy Ryan (7.52m) and Barbados’ Aren Spencer (7.48m).

Hibbert will be looking for a second gold medal in the triple jump on Monday, an event in which he is currently the world U-20 leader with a massive 16.66m done to win gold at Champs.

Guyana’s Anisha Gibbons won gold in the U-20 Girls javelin with 42.54m ahead of the Barbadian pair of Vivica Addison (41.92) and Vanessa Greaves (41.17).

Dominica took gold in the U-20 Girls shot put through Treneese Eloui Hamilton’s 14.58m effort. Jamaica’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.19m for her second silver medal of these games while Suriname’s Alicia Grootfaam threw 12.97m for bronze.

In the 800m semis, Guyana’s 1500m champion from Saturday Attoya Harvey was the fastest qualifier to the U-17 Girls final in 2:15.76 ahead of Jamaica’s Andrene Peart (2:15.79) and her Guyanese teammate Narissa McPherson (2:19.89).

Bermuda’s Nirobi Smith Mills was the fastest qualifier to the Boys U-20 final with 1:55.11 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Nathan Cumberbatch (1:55.75) and Jamaica’s 1500m silver medallist Adrian Nethersole (1:55.89). 1500m Gold medallist J’Voughnn Blake also advanced to the final comfortably in 1:58.31.

The 800m finals are scheduled for Monday. Both the Girls U-20 and Boys U-17 800m will be straight finals.

 

 

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