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• Major Brown assures good condition of National Stadium pitch for Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier June 6

  Major Desmon Brown, the General Manager of Independence Park Limited, has provided assurances that the playing surface at Jamaica's National Stadium will be in excellent shape for the Reggae Boyz opening World Cup qualifier against the Dominican Republic on June 6, despite a busy upcoming schedule of events.

  The National Stadium is set to host a series of high-profile events, starting with the Jamaica Athletics Invitational on May 11, followed by the Jamaica Premier League final on May 19, and the INSPORTS Devon Biscuits Primary School Championships from May 23-25. Additionally, the Racers Grand Prix will take place on June 1, just five days before the crucial World Cup qualifier.

  With various athletic competitions taking place, including throwing events like the discus, Major Brown expressed concerns about maintaining the integrity of the playing surface, particularly due to the potential damage caused by shot put activities.

  "The discus and the javelin are not a problem. It’s the shot put that is the problem," explained Major Brown, highlighting the challenges posed by the heavy metal ball which can create deep divots in the field.

  “We did it sometime ago for Champs when we had to do it for like four days. What we did is that we took it up every night and put it back in the mornings otherwise it would kill the grass. If they throw the shot put, it takes three to four weeks to sort it out.

  “It’s a sand field so (the shot put) compresses the sand and then you have to dig it up so that the grass can grow back through it.”

  To mitigate this issue, Major Brown detailed a specialized plan involving the use of plywood and sand to protect the grass from damage caused by shot put. This method, although expensive, is effective in ensuring the field remains playable and in good condition for the upcoming football qualifier.

  Despite the rigorous schedule of events, Major Brown emphasized that the playing surface has significantly improved in recent years, thanks to dedicated efforts to control weeds and maintain overall quality.

  "We have a group of people who are very dedicated to getting that field back in good condition, so even with the events that we had recently, we are working on it to get it back," assured Major Brown.

  Importantly, organizers of the international track meets have confirmed that only the discus will be contested during the upcoming Jamaica Athletics Invitational and the Racers Grand Prix, alleviating concerns about potential damage caused by shot put competition.

  With Major Brown's strategic plans and diligent efforts, football fans can rest assured that the National Stadium will provide a suitable and safe venue for the Reggae Boyz as they kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign against the Dominican Republic on June 6.

• Hughes targets Olympic glory; expects Racers Grand Prix to offer taste of potential Paris test

  Winning a first global individual medal at last year’s World Championships whetted Zharnel Hughes’s appetite for more success, and so it comes as no surprise that the Anguillan-born Great Britain sprint sensation is strongly optimistic about clinching a medal at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

  In fact, if Hughes’s confidence to top his performances from last year is anything to go by, then he could very well accomplish the feat, provided he maintains a clean bill of health throughout the season.

  During last year’s electrifying campaign, which ended with his World Championships bronze in the men’s 100m final, Hughes broke Olympic champion Linford Christie’s 100m British national record when he clocked a personal best 9.83 seconds at the New York Grand Prix, in June.

  A month later, at the UK Athletics Championship, Hughes ran a brisk 19.77s, which is faster than John Regis’s national 200m record, but the time was wind-aided and, as such, was recognised as a record. However, Hughes, with his superb form, inevitably established a new record when he clocked a wind-legal 19.73s at the London Diamond League.

  With that in mind, coupled with his relentless work ethic and resolute pursuit of excellence, Hughes is poised to make another significant impact on the world stage this year. Whether or not it will be an Olympic gold medal triumph is left to be seen.

  

  “It's the Olympic year, so obviously you want to better what you did last year. I'm happy with how last year turned out for me, and this year is very much more exciting. I'm preparing myself nicely. I'm feeling fit and ready to go. Obviously as an athlete, you want to lower your personal best every year, but unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't work out like that. But I'm definitely aiming to lower my personal best both in the 100m and 200m,” Hughes declared.

  “I'm in good shape and I’m excited. I've definitely counted myself as one of them (athletes) to be reckoned with (for an Olympic gold medal). I'm never going to count myself out now because you've seen what happened last year, and I'm excited to top my performance from last year,” he added.

  Though he 48.25s in a 400m run in February, followed by a 20.40s-clocking in March, the 28-year-old pointed out that he is yet to really hit top gear in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, but is aiming to do so at the sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix, on June 1, at Jamaica's National Stadium.

  At the Racers Grand Prix, Hughes will line up alongside Racers Track Club teammate Oblique Seville and American World champion Noah Lyles in the 100m, which he considers a good prelude for what could come at the Paris Games.

  “I'm looking forward to it, I was listening for who was going to be there; Oblique and I have been training pretty good and I know both of us representing coach Glen Mills, will be bringing it on the day. So, I look forward to who's in the field, especially with Lyles being there,” Hughes said.

  

  “This race is to get you prepared for what's to come later in the summer. So, to have great competition like that at the Racers Grand Prix is just a great indicator to see where we're at, and what we can tweak going into our national trials, because my trials will be the latter part of June. So, for me, I'm looking forward to this race and the following week I'll have the European Championships as well. So, it'll be a great indicator for me,” he shared.

  Working tirelessly under the watchful eyes of decorated coach Mills, Hughes, a four-time European Champion, has upped the ante in the gym to improve his strength, as he is leaving no stone unturned in his quest for Olympic glory.

  “My training has been going tremendously well. I'm excited to open up properly (at Racers Grand Prix) because my first race wasn't so good because I had a little niggle, but I've overcome that now and I'm very excited to see what's there. I've worked on my strength a lot, physically, I'm a lot stronger and I just want to keep on top of my mental health as well,” Hughes revealed.

  “Those things are very crucial going into an Olympic year, so you have to be very focused. You have to ensure that your body is properly fit as well in order to go there to give the best that you're looking for. So, I'm pretty sharp on keeping my mental focus up and ensuring that I'm properly recovered,” he ended.

• Roshawn Clarke poised to shock himself at Velocity Fest Meeting in Kingston on Saturday

  Roshawn Clarke, the World U20 400m hurdles record holder, is brimming with confidence as he gears up for the Velocity Fest meeting at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College in Kingston this Saturday. Clarke, who shattered Winthrop Graham’s 30-year-old national record of 47.60 with a remarkable time of 47.34 at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, is eyeing a podium finish at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

  The 19-year-old sprinter is excited to demonstrate his current form and fitness, hinting at potentially running either the 400m or the 200m at the Velocity Fest meeting. Clarke's recent performances have been promising, with a strong 400m season opener of 46.05 on February 10 and an identical time two weeks later. He has also run a nippy 20.69 over 200m in mid-March.

  "I’m running fast. I ran my first race with a personal best as a season-opener. I repeated that exact time again so I am pretty confident, I am being consistent," Clarke shared during launch of the Racers Grand Prix on Tuesday. "I am running the 400m or the 200m this Saturday so I am just going there to enjoy myself and better my season’s best."

  Clarke, who will turn 20 on July 1, is determined to lower his national record and challenge the world's top athletes like world-record holder and three-time world champion Karsten Warholm of Norway, the USA’s Rai Benjamin and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the 2022 champion. These formidable competitors have all clocked times under 47 seconds in the 400m hurdles.

  "In Paris, the big three won’t go any slower than 46 so I am stronger now," Clarke explained. "My speed is very much improved right now, probably if I contest the 200m this weekend I will probably shock myself, again and my coach with how fast I am in training."

  With high expectations for himself and a focus on execution, Clarke is poised to make waves and as he fine-tunes his skills at the Velocity Fest meeting, fans and competitors alike eagerly anticipate his performance and potential for achieving new personal milestones. 

  Editor's Note: It was erroneously reported that the Velocity Fest meeting on Saturday, April 20 would be held at the National Stadium in Kingston but it, in fact, will be held at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College.