After a fairly decent showing on day one action, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls will be hoping to return to winning ways on the second and decisive day of the Fast5 Netball World Series, as they push for a medal in Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday.
The Jamaicans, who defeated Australia 38-36 and Malawi 41-37 courtesy of some classy long-range shooting from goal-attack Gezelle Allison, failed to go unbeaten on the day, after being hammered by South Africa in a 17-33 loss.
Still, they remain on course for a spot in the medal round with only New Zealand, Australia and England –all of whom also had two wins and a loss –ahead of them on goal difference.
With that in mind, Shawn Murdock, is cautiously optimistic that the Sunshine Girls will achieve the feat, though they are scheduled to face two tough opponents in New Zealand and England.
“As always when we face England and New Zealand it’s never an easy encounter. The English showed some fight yesterday and they are perhaps our biggest rivals internationally over the years; New Zealand are playing at home and are still smarting from their World Cup performance.
“So I expect the home crowd and their hurt from their World Cup campaign to be major factors for them. So we just have to control the controllable from our end and ensure we are scoring goals consistently and our defenders are winning balls to provide more opportunities for us,” Murdock told SportsMax.TV.
“As you know, five doesn’t go in three, so it’s game on for a place in the medal matches. Still a major mountain to climb as five of the six teams are all in a position to still make the gold medal match. Only two can make it though, and so I expect all the teams to come battling hard today,” he added.
Jamaica’s day one performance already represents a significant step up from last year’s outing when they failed to win a single game. For that, Murdock, who is co-coaching with Nicole Aikin-Pinnock, expressed pleasure with the team’s display on Friday’s opening day.
“We are pleased with the performance of the ladies. We are from a country that loves winning so we were disappointed we never got three victories yesterday because that would have placed us in prime position heading into the two other matches today. We, however, are proud of how the ladies have performed so far,” he said.
Much like she did against the Australian Diamonds, Allison again scored a last-ditched six-pointer, to lift the Jamaicans over Malawi, in a contest where their East African counterparts lead for most of the way.
Sloppy ball handling by the Jamaicans, who led the first quarter 12-6, allowed Malawi to assert their authority from the second stanza onward.
It wasn’t until the backend of the third quarter that they started a rally and with a mere two points separating the teams in the closing stages of the fourth, Allison came up trumps with another big six-pointer in the powerplay seconds to end with 24 goals.
Captain and veteran goal-shooter Romelda Aiken-George scored 13 goals from 12 attempts, while Amanda Pinkney and Rhea Dixon both scored two goals.
However, they failed to repeat the heroics of their two earlier wins, as their shooting returns ran cold against a plucky South African team that burst their bubble.
Despite that, Murdock and his Sunshine Girls know a win over England and, or New Zealand would all put them in the final two.
“The mood heading into day two action is very positive. Of course there was a level of sadness from the ladies not being able to secure all three wins last evening, but we’ve placed that loss and yesterday behind us.
“It’s a new day, all teams start again, so we are focusing on trying to replicate or do better than how we performed in our first match yesterday. The game is about scoring goals, and so we’ve done what we can to ensure our shooters and the overall team got enough recovery to face the day ahead,” the coach shared.
Action is scheduled for 5:45pm Jamaica time.
Live coverage will be on SportsMax and SportsMax 2
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Ricketts congratulates 'Bunny' Shaw on FWA Women's Player of the Year award
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts saluted Reggae Girl and Manchester City striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw on her latest accomplishment of being voted the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
Shaw won the women’s Footballer of the Year award with 80 per cent of the voters opting for either the Manchester City striker or Chelsea’s Lauren James. James finished runner-up with another Manchester City standout Alex Greenwood finishing third. Yui Hasegawa, Elisabeth Terland and Khiara Keating completed the top six.
In a release on Friday, Ricketts pointed out that the award spoke volumes of Shaw's impact on Manchester City's Women's Super League charge, as she has been a model of consistency since joining the Gareth Taylor-coached club in 2021. Her performances have placed Manchester City on the brink of securing their first WSL title since 2016.
“This award is a beautiful feather in her cap and a massive advertisement for Jamaica’s football,” Ricketts said.
“I am happy to see the consistency in quality shown by Khadija. She has always been a top player, but her standard has risen a notch this season. This augurs well for the national team in the future. We wish her all the best on the road to recovery,” he added.
Prior to Shaw sustaining a broken foot during her last Women’s Super League match against West Ham, the Reggae Girls captain scored 21 goals, which were complemented by three assists in 18 games this season.
Shaw is the third Jamaican-born individual to have won the award after John Barnes (1987-88, 1989-90) and Raheem Sterling in 2019.
However, she is the first national representative to receive the honour, as both Barnes and Sterling were England internationals when they earned the recognition.
Still alive: Bolt pleased with Ja's male sprinting resurgence; hopeful Seville will medal in "wide open" men's 100m in Paris
Take it from the incomparable Usain Bolt that the race for the men’s 100m title at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games will be wide open, as he is yet to identify any clear favourite to stake a claim on the coveted gold medal.
Bolt, whose words carries the weight of his unparalleled legacy, gave his views on the possible Olympic outcome, as he also shared thoughts on the progress of male sprinting in Jamaica, which he believes remains alive with the emergence of Rohan Watson, Oblique Seville, Ackeem Blake, Ryiem Forde, and Kadrian Goldson, in particular.
Seville has been the main protagonist on that list, as he has consistently knocked at the door of a global 100m medal over the years. He placed fourth at both the 2020 Olympic Games and last year’s World Championships.
The 23-year-old’s rise from promising newcomer to bona fide contender has captured the imagination of Jamaican track and field enthusiasts at home and abroad. With blistering speed and unwavering determination, Seville has carved out a name for himself as one of Jamaica's most promising talents, and along with the others, carries the hopes of a nation known for its sprinting prowess.
“I think these athletes represent our chances, but it is all about execution. I think over the past years, it (Jamaica’s male sprinting) has been struggling, but I do think that Oblique has been keeping it alive,” Bolt, the ambassador for Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign, told journalists during the event’s launch in Half Way Tree on Wednesday.
“He has made all the finals so far; it is just for him to now get in the top three. And I think it's just consistency. I think the one thing with Oblique is that he always gets injured, but hopefully he can be consistent this season and stay on the right path and he'll be fine. So, I'm just looking forward to seeing them,” the iconic sprinter added.
Though American Noah Lyles, who copped the sprint double at last year's World Championships, has been a dominant force, his compatriots Fred Kerly, silver medallist at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, and Christian Coleman are also prominent contenders, while the young generation of Jamaican sprinters –Watson, Seville, Blake, and Goldson –have also entered the conversation.
Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, are also expected to be in the mix in Paris, while Italy’s Marcell Jacobs and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the gold and bronze medallists from the 2020 Games in Tokyo, are yet to enter the fray ahead of the global multi-sport showpiece.
While it is still early days yet, Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, expressed optimism about Seville’s Olympic Games medal prospects, as he believes the young sensation has proven that he can match strides with those names on the list.
“Let's see what happens. I think it's early. No one is doing anything, and I haven't seen anything impressive so far. So, I think it is still wide open. I am really hoping Oblique can break into the top three this time around. I think he has always worked hard over the years, and he is always in the final and always doing well. So hopefully, he will break into the top three,” Bolt said.
On that note, Bolt, who is looking forward to a second Olympic Games as a spectator since his retirement in 2017, believes the athletes stand ready to write the next chapter in the country’s storied history of success.
“Overall, we all have high hopes. The throwers, jumpers, everybody. Everyone is doing well, and you can see where they are stepping up. The medal tally will be good as always. Jamaica always shows up. We always get at least five medals, and I think we are aiming to get eight to 10 medals in Paris,” he shared.
“I think the athletes will (maintain their performance). Jamaica is always up there. We are still the sprint capital of the world, and I think we will continue to dominate,” Bolt ended.
Red Stripe launches “Guh Fi Gold & Glory” campaign with Usain Bolt
As the excitement surrounding the Paris Olympics surges within the hearts and minds of Jamaicans across the globe, beer giant Red Stripe launched its “Guh Fi Gold and Glory” Olympics campaign, with track & field legend Usain Bolt to serve as its brand ambassador.
Through this campaign, Red Stripe will send 10 lucky Jamaicans to Paris, France to cheer on the country’s athletes. From community engagements, countless giveaways, to a partnership with the incomparable Bolt, Red Stripe is set to amplify national pride before, during and after local athletes dominate on the main stage at this summer’s global multi-event showpiece.
Details of the campaign were revealed during the launch announcement at the Half Way Tree Transport Centre on Wednesday.
Red Stripe’s Head of Commerce, Sean Wallace said the campaign represents a significant, long-term investment.
“The Olympic games allow our Jamaican athletes to showcase their envied talents, as well as, as it allows our people to come together within communities, homes, town squares to chat and cheer. It's really an occasion where national pride unfailingly soars and so, our brand undoubtedly wanted to be a part of that excitement in a much larger way this time around.
“So of course, we decided to do it big. We’re proud to not only offer extensive giveaway opportunities, meaningful and authentic community events, but announce our recent partnership with the legend himself, Usain Bolt,” Wallace said.
Forming part of a larger $80 Million investment with the Jamaica Olympics Association (JOA), the “Guh Fi Gold & Glory” campaign further symbolises Red Stripe’s commitment to celebrating sportsmanship, unity and the spirit of competition that is part of the country’s DNA.
For Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallists and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, his iconic brand with the world’s iconic beer, represents the perfect fit.
“Red Stripe is synonymous with Jamaica, and I always want to represent the best of Jamaica. Becoming an ambassador for Red Stripe is a celebration of greatness and I’m very excited about the partnership. I’m even more excited for Jamaicans to enjoy all the fun and excitement that Red Stripe has coming their way. So, it is something that I am excited about. We have a lot of work to do, and I am looking forward to it,” Bolt shared.
From May 1 to June 28, Red Stripe will be rolling out a series of promotional events in support of the upcoming Olympic Games, with 10 consumers set to secure unique opportunity to enjoy the Games live.
Additionally, the beer brand will host viewing experiences whenever local athletes are set to compete. Red Stripe also announced that each week, five individuals will receive cash prizes of J$50,000, while 10 winners will be selected to receive 65-inch smart TVs, and one lucky recipient will enjoy an Olympic-style living room upgrade.
“As we support our athletes with training, development, and equipment, we are equally committed to giving back to our communities. We recently showcased the immense talent of our nation's artists by commissioning a special limited-edition label that will soon be available in the market,” Wallace said.
“Over the next few weeks, we aim to forge meaningful connections that reflect our values and capture the excitement of the Olympics. Our commitment has always been, and will continue to be, focused on celebrating what is uniquely Jamaican and honouring the talent and accomplishments of our people,” he ended.
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