Jamaica discus thrower Fedrick Dacres is looking forward to bouncing back strongly in the upcoming season after an admittedly difficult 2021.
The World Athletics Championships silver medallist missed out on the final of the Men's Discus Throw, at the Olympics in Tokyo, after throwing a best mark of 62.91m. The mark was well below his personal best of 70.78 but the thrower has struggled to get close to the distance, set two years ago, after undergoing a series of surgeries.
“This year has been my hardest year in track and field because of the whole surgery thing. I think overall I have done overall five surgeries in six years but this was the hardest,” Dacres said.
It was really the (throwing) hand, I’ve done a few knee surgeries done surgery on the other hand but it wasn’t the main hand. So, for me coming back this year I struggled but it is what it is,” he added.
The athlete did, however, stage a rebound of sorts after throwing 65.33 to finish in third place at the Wanda Diamond League final last month.
“I think I finished well, not too well at the Olympics, but coming third at the Diamond League isn’t so bad. I’ll take that as I push for next year.”
Led by Jhaniele Fowler’s near-perfect shooting, Jamaica took a 2-0 lead over Trinidad and Tobago, after winning 64-32 in the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series at the National Indoor Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Fowler, arguably the best shooter in the world, did not start as Sunshine Girls head coach Connie Francis chose to open with Gezelle Allison and Shanice Beckford. However, the pair of attackers were unable to sufficiently spur the Jamaican attack as the first quarter ended 12-8.
They fared slightly better in the second quarter and they extended the four-point lead to 10 to lead 24-14 at halftime.
However, once Fowler was substituted in at the start of the third quarter, the Sunshine Girls got an immediate lift and extended their lead to 22 and led 44-22 at the end of the third. Fowler would eventually score 36 goals from 38 attempts as Jamaica won by 32.
Allison finished with 13 goals from 20 attempts while Shanice Beckford scored 12 from 14.
Afisha Noel led the scoring for the Calypso Girls with 17 goals from 20 attempts with support from her captain Kalifa McCollin, who scored 15 goals from her 16 attempts.
Jamaica will go for the sweep tonight when the teams meet again in the final match of the series.
MVP coach Stephen Francis is confident 2019 Long Jump World Champion Tajay Gayle is set to make a serious foray into the sprints in the upcoming season.
The 25-year-old, who has completely recovered from an injury that negatively impacted his performance at Olympics, showed off some good ability in the 100m sprints last year.
Despite specializing in the jumps, Gayle showed plenty of speed over the distance after clocking 10.18 in May of last year. The athlete’s best time over double the distance is 21.18.
“I think Tajay will be in the position to do a lot more sprinting this year and I suspect that he will be in the position to challenge for the title of fastest Jamaican,” Francis said in an interview with SportsMax.Tv.
“As well as be able to defend his title as the best long jumper in the world,” he added.
Gayle had been hoping to add the Olympic title to the World title this summer and advanced to the final but injured his left knee in the process. He was a result unable to secure a position in the final eight.
The fastest woman alive, Elaine Thompson-Herah, has now confirmed her departure from MVP and has revealed that she is yet to assemble her team for the 2021/2022 track season that includes the World Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon next summer.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the fastest woman and alive, said she will use the inspiration of being conferred with the Order of Distinction to help motivate women and young girls to strive without limits.
Thompson-Herah, who rebounded from five years of disappointment, to become the first woman to win both 100m and 200m titles in consecutive Olympic Games at the Tokyo Games in August, was among several sports personalities to receive national honours at the Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards on Monday.
Thompson-Herah, who ran 10.54 on Usain Bolt’s birthday, August 21, 2021, to become the fastest woman alive and the second-fastest of all time at the Diamond League’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, said the recognition has motivated her to inspire others.
“I have been inspired and motivated by powerful women around the world, powerful women from my island home Jamaica,” she said on Instagram.
“I feel so honoured and overjoyed to be given this Order of Distinction (Commander Class) by my nation. I now use this classification to help motivate and uplift women and young girls to strive without limits.”
The five-time Olympic gold medalist was among three Jamaican sprint queens to be conferred with OD’s in the Commander Class. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 100m silver medalist in Tokyo, and Jackie Pusey, who at 16, represented Jamaica at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada were also awarded.
Former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams received the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for his contribution to the sport of cricket.
The late Jamaican striker, Luton Shelton, Jamaica’s leading male scorer, was posthumously awarded the OD (Officer Class) for his contribution to football. Shelton died in January 2021 from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
He played for Jamaica on 75 occasions scoring 35 goals.
Meanwhile, Dr Praimanand Mongal Beharry Singh received the Order of Distinction for outstanding dedication and service to the field of sports.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the match schedule and venues for the much-anticipated England T20 International (T20I) and Test Tours of the West Indies in January and March 2022.
Vancouver Whitecaps moved within a point of a play-off position in the MLS Western Conference table thanks to a 2-1 defeat of Sporting Kansas City on Sunday.
Ryan Gauld scored in the 23rd minute and Russell Teibert added a second for the Whitecaps in the 35th with a left-footed strike that eluded goalkeeper Tim Melia.
Johnny Russell netted for the sixth successive game, scoring in the 43rd minute for the visitors, but that was the extent of their comeback.
Second-placed Sporting KC (52 points) would have clinched a play-off spot via a win or a draw but will have to wait as they remain five points adrift of leaders Seattle Sounders.
Vancouver are on 40 points, one behind seventh-placed Minnesota and two back of Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy.
New York Red Bulls made a third-minute goal by Cristian Casseres Jr. stand up on the way to a 1-0 win over New York City that left the rivals tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The two New York teams are on 40 points, one behind Montreal for the final play-off berth, and they are headed in opposite directions.
Red Bulls are unbeaten in their last seven (5W 2D) as they seek a 12th successive play-off appearance, while New York City have won just three of their last 16 games (5D 6L).
New York City have failed to score in their last four matches and are mired in a 429-minute scoring drought stretching back to a 1-1 draw against Red Bulls on September 22.
Sunshine Girls Head Coach Connie Francis is expecting a much better performance from her shooters when they play Trinidad and Tobago in the second game of their series at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Tuesday.
Jamaica demolished their Caribbean rivals 71-22 on Saturday night with Jhaniele Fowler leading the way with 43 goals. Defensively, Jamaica was stifling limiting their opponents to only six second-half goals in a comprehensive victory.
However, Francis was not pleased with certain elements of the Jamaican execution.
“I was a bit disappointed with the shooting. I thought we were more than capable of doing a better job,” said Francis, who said the only player who she would excuse was Shanice Beckford who has not played in 18 months.
“I thought Jhaniele was too casual. Her style has changed a bit since she began playing in the Super League. She is not catching or elevating as she usually does.”
Francis also believes the team needs to tighten up defensively.
“Trinidad was able to get the ball through from the Jamaica attacking area into midcourt and into their shooting area without much pressure,” she explained.
She said she plans to tackle those areas of concern before the next game on Tuesday.
“We have a training session today (Sunday) and another on Tuesday morning, these ladies are professionals playing in leagues abroad, we should be capable of making those adjustments,” she said.
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez got on the scoresheet as LA Galaxy breathed life in their MLS playoffs aspirations with a 2-1 home win over Portland Timbers on Saturday.
Sacha Kljestan netted a stoppage-time penalty to clinch all three points for Galaxy, who had been in a freefall with a winless nine-game span.
Chicharito poked in at the back post for the opening goal in the 62nd minute, pouncing on Larrys Mabiala's defensive error from Victor Vazquez's ball into the box.
The Timbers equalized 10 minutes later when Sebastian Blanco's cross-cum-shot drifted over Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond and in off the post.
Blanco hit the upright from a long-range effort, before LA won a penalty when substitute Efrain Alvarez was brought down inside the box by Josecarlos Van Rankin.
Kljestan fired low to Timbers keeper Steve Clark's right for the winner which moves Galaxy up to 42 points, retaining their grip on sixth spot in the Western Conference.
Supporters Shield-leading New England Revolution conceded late as they drew 2-2 at home with Chicago Fire.
The sides traded four goals in the second half, with Wilfred Kaptoum drilling in a low opener in the 47th minute before Alvaro Medran equalized instantly with a classy volley.
Gustavo Bou netted his 13th goal of the season to restore Revolution's lead with a deft lob from Carles Gil's lofted pass in behind the defence in the 76th minute.
Bou was denied by Chicago keeper Gabriel Slonina before Brian Gutierrez danced forward for the visitors, finding Ignacio Aliseda who fired home an angled 88th minute leveller.
Western Conference leaders Seattle Sounders missed the chance to close on New England after going down 2-1 at Houston Dynamo.
Maxi Urruti scored a spectacular volley to put Houston ahead on the quarter hour, with Darwin Quintero doubling their lead with a fine solo left-foot strike in the 20th minute.
Jimmy Medranda halved the deficit with a rifled 41st minute shot after recycling an over-hit corner, although Houston came closest to a second-half goal, hitting the woodwork four times, before Seattle's Joao Paulo had a stoppage-time free-kick cannon into the crossbar.
Real Salt Lake solidified their grip on a playoffs spot with a 3-1 home victory over Colorado Rapids, who are third in the Western Conference.
Minnesota United remained ahead of RSL by two points with a 1-0 triumph at lowly Austin thanks to Franco Frangapane's 16th-minute strike.
US international Gyasi Zardes netted a double as Columbus Crew thrashed Inter Miami 4-0, condemning them to their sixth straight defeat, during which they have scored one goal and conceded 16 times.
Luiz Araujo and Marcelino Moreno both netted late in each half as 10-man Atlanta United triumphed 2-0 at Toronto.
Junior Urso netted early as Orlando City eased past struggling Cincinnati 1-0, while DC United and Nashville drew 0-0 with the visitors recorded a draw for the fourth successive game.
The Master Blaster, Sir Vivian Richards is siding with Sir Curtly Ambrose in the latter’s public spat with the Universe Boss Chris Gayle.
The Jamaica Football Federation has called up 22 players, including two newcomers, for a one-week camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida ahead of the Football is Freedom initiative created by Jamaica's Global Ambassador for women's football, Cedella Marley.
The initiative features an international friendly between Jamaica and Costa Rica on October 24 at the DRV stadium. The match is part of a fundraising drive for the Reggae Girlz FIFA 2023 World Cup campaign that kicks off in February 2022.
Jamaica will be hoping to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for a second time following their historic entry into the 2019 World Cup in France.
The 22 players will have two new faces in Page Bailey-Gayle who plays for Leicester City in England and Kalyssa van Zanten, who suits up for the University of Notre Dame in the United States. Also named in the squad is prolific striker Khadijah ’Bunny’ Shaw, who plays for Manchester City, after signing from Bordeaux in France during the summer.
Meanwhile, both teams are expected to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on October 18 for a week of training and the two-game series.
According to the JFF, the local delegation is set to depart the island on Saturday, October 16, to join other members of the technical staff from overseas who will finalize preparation for the camp ahead of the arrival of the players.
The full squad comprises Sydney Schneider (Washington Spirit), Chantelle Swaby (Glasgow Rangers FC), Jade Bailey (Liverpool FC), Vyan Sampson (Charlton Athletic), Konya Plummer (Orlando Pride; on loan to AIK Stockholm), Chinyelu Asher (Washington Spirit), Kayla McCoy (Glasgow Rangers FC), Atlanta Primus (London City Lionesses), Khadija Shaw (Manchester City FC), Sashana Campbell (Unattached), Rebecca Spencer (Tottenham Hotspurs FC), Allyson Swaby (AS Roma), Tiernny Wiltshire (KUPS), Drew Spence (Chelsea FC), Cheyna Matthews (Louisville FC), Marlo Sweatman (Haladas FC), Satara Murray (Bristol City FC), Yazmeen Jamieson (P18 IK), Olufolasade Adamolekun (University of South California), Trudi Carter (FC Gintra), Kalyssa Van Zanten (University of Notre Dame) and Paige Bailey-Gayle (Leicester City FC).
West Indies T20 vice-captain Nicholas Pooran has heaped praises on under pressure batsman Chris Gayle, insisting the veteran remains a valuable part of the team ahead of its attempted World Cup title defence.
The 42-year-old Gayle has found himself in the crosshairs of critics in recent months, with many insisting the player should have been overlooked in favour of younger talent. The batsman'ss recent form will not have helped matters. In the last year, Gayle has played a total of 16 matches, scored a total of 227 runs with an average of 17.46 and strike rate of 117.61, well down from his career average of 139.18.
Criticism of the batsman recently came to a head when he took exception to comments made by former fast bowler Curtly Ambrose who suggested that Gayle was not the same player he used to be. Pooran is, however, certain of the value the player brings to the team.
“As much as everyone has questioned it, 14,000 runs doesn’t come about just like that. Not many people know how to win T20 matches and T20 leagues and that sort of experience is invaluable,” Pooran told members of the media on Wednesday.
“The experience batting out in the middle, talking about intent, talking about taking on players when to go when not to go, you just don’t get experience like that,” he added.
“We are very happy to have him, even off the pitch he is someone who supports you 100 percent, someone who backs you 100 percent. You talk about positivity, he is one of the most positive guys we have on the team, in the Caribbean.
“He’s a special human being. Only when you play cricket with him or against him you’d know what it feels like to have him around.”
West Indies vice-captain Nicholas Pooran insists the team has looked to address well-noted concerns regarding the rotation of the strike but believes it is important to stick to its strengths, with the World Cup on the horizon.
Known internationally for their flamboyant, swashbuckling style, the Caribbean team will head into next week's tournament as defending champions. However, despite having captured the global title on two occasions, questions have been raised in recent times regarding the team’s batting approach.
With a batting line-up filled with heavy hitters, the problematic issue stems from the tendency to soak up too many dot balls. Pooran admits that it has been a focus but in the grand scheme of things the team intends to stay true to its style as it has delivered success in the past.
“We have net sessions and we as a group have spoken about it, we have players to play certain roles, honestly. As a batting group, we want to get better, we want to improve, and getting singles is a part of that game as well, but our focus is not so much on singles,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
“We won two World Cups with the same problems, to be honest, not getting singles. I don’t think the emphasis is so much on it, but on intent and playing smart cricket. There are times that we know that will have to put our egos aside and grind for the team and if that means pushing a dot ball and getting singles, we’ll do that.”
Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper has signed a three-year deal to become the newest brand ambassador for TruShake.
Tapper, the first woman from the Caribbean to win a medal in an Olympic 100m hurdles final, today formalized the agreement which takes effect from October 2021 and will run through to September 2024. Tapper finished third behind Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and the USA's Kendra Harrison in her history-making run in Tokyo in August.
“It means the world to me that I was chosen to represent the brand. It’s a great partnership. TruShake is a fairly new product in Jamaica and I am entering a new phase in my journey as an Olympic athlete. I am looking forward to us growing together,” said an excited Tapper after putting her signature to the deal at Funland Jamaica.
TruSHAKE is Trade Winds Citrus Limited’s locally manufactured milk-based nutrition shake developed for all ages and lifestyles. Tapper admits that TruShake is a great addition to her meal plan.
“Sometimes I do not feel like eating a heavy meal; it feels good to be able to have an affordable option that is healthy and tasty,” she said. “At times, I feel like whenever I eat healthily, I am sacrificing taste but that’s not the case with TruShake. So, it’s a great addition to my meal plan.”
Marketing Manager of Tradewinds Citrus, Lauren Mahfood explained that Tapper is a perfect fit for their brand. “Like most Jamaicans, we witnessed Megan’s outstanding talent at the Olympics this year and we were extremely proud of her performance on the world stage,” she said.
“Her infectious energy and incredible character made it clear that she was an all-around winner – a perfect fit for the TruShake brand.”
Tapper, who is also a motivational speaker, uses her platform to inspire young girls and women to seize the moment and to dream big. She explained that she will use this opportunity as TruShake’s brand ambassador, to continue her work to motivate and encourage Jamaicans to eat and live healthy so they can achieve their optimum physical goals.
“Megan is an incredible ambassador for Jamaica and as a Jamaican brand, we look forward to seeing her compete locally and internationally, representing with passion and focus as always,” said Mahfood.
Tapper will be looking to be on the podium once more at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and Budapest, Hungary, respectively as well as the lucrative Diamond League circuit before she aims for another Olympic medal in Paris in 2024.
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