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• Jamaica, T&T drawn in Group B of League A for 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League

  Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are set to cross swords in the group stages of this year’s fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League, as both were drawn in Group B of League A for the 2024/25 campaign which is scheduled to kick off in September.

  This year’s Concacaf Nations League will again be contested in a three-league format –Leagues A, B and C –and will see the Confederation’s 41 senior men’s national teams doing battle during the FIFA match windows of September, October, and November 2024. The semi-finals and finals of the tournament, which serves as the qualifiers for next summer’s 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, are scheduled for March 2025.

  The teams have been grouped across the respective Leagues based on their results from the 2023/24 staging. The Reggae Boyz and their Soca Warriors counterparts, who contested the business end of the competition for the first time in that campaign, will be hoping to do so again on this occasion.

  They are among 12 teams, split in two groups of six teams each to contest League A in a “Swiss style” league system, with each team playing a total of four games (two at home and two away).

  Jamaica, last edition’s semi-finalist, and Trinidad and Tobago, who made the quarterfinals, are drawn alongside Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua, and French Guiana, while Group A comprises, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Suriname, and Guyana.

  After group stage play in September and October, the first and second-place finishers of each group, will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will join the four top-ranked League A teams, Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada. The quarterfinals will be played in a home-and-away format, with the winner of each fixture, on aggregate, set to secure a berth in next year’s Finals.

  Meanwhile, League B will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams. Each team will play every team in its group twice. The groups were drawn as follows:
   
  Group A -El Salvador, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Bonaire

  Group B -Curacao, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Saint Martin
  Group C -Haiti, Puerto Rico, Aruba, and St Maarten
  Group D -Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominic 
  Matches in each group will be played at a centralized venue instead of the previous home-and-away format, to alleviate travel challenges that Member Associations face.

  The third best-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, the second best-ranked teams will host the October matches, and the best-ranked teams will host the decisive November matches.

  Over in League C, which consists of nine teams, divided into three groups of three teams, the format takes a similar shape, where each team will play every team in its group twice.

  Group A -Barbados, Bahamas, and US Virgin Islands
  Group B -Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Anguilla
  Group C-Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, and British Virgin Islands

  Where centralized venues are concerned, the second highest-ranked teams in each group will host the September matches, and the highest-ranked teams will host the October matches.

  Schedule:

  Group Stage: September 2-10, October 7-15, and November 11-19, 2024
  Quarterfinals: November 11-19, 2024
  Semifinals: March 20, 2025
  Final and Third Place Match: March 23, 2025

• Caribbean teams miss out on men's, women's 4x400m finals; get second shot at Olympic qualifcation on Sunday

  There was no fortune for Caribbean countries at the backend of Saturday’s first day of the World Athletics Relays, as the various teams failed to progress in the men’s and women’s 4x400m events at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.

  In the female qualifiers, Jamaica’s quartet of Charokee Young, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, and Roneisha McGregor placed third in heat three in 3:29.03, behind Poland and France, who clocked 3:27.11 and 3:28.06.

  Earlier, Cuba (3:31.56) and Dominican Republic (3:40.93) placed third and seventh, respectively, in heat two.

  Ireland headlined the team’s that progressed, as they clocked a National Record 3:24.38 in qualifying. United States (3:24.76), Great Britain (3:24.89), Italy (3:26.28), Norway (3:26.89), Poland (3:27.11), and Canada (3:27.17), also booked their spots in the final, as well as for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

  Meanwhile, it was more of the same on the male side of action, as Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet of Asa Guevara, Timothy Frederick, Shakeem McKay, and Jereem Richards, clocking 3:04.15 for third in heat one, where Japan (3:00.98) and Germany (3:01.25) secured the coveted spots.

  United States initially won the heat, but they were later disqualified for an infringement.

  Jamaica’s Malik James-King, Zandrion Barnes, Assinie Wilson, and Demish Gaye, clocked 3:02.46 for third, behind Belgium (3:00.09) and Nigeria (3:01.70). Guyana (3:09.91) was eighth in that heat.

  The Bahamas (3:07.45) placed sixth in heat three, which was won by Italy (3:01.68), ahead of the fast-finishing Great Britain (3:02.10).

  In the last heat, Barbados (3:03.72) and Dominican Republic (3:08.15), placed third and sixth, respectively, as Botswana (2:59.73) and South Africa (2:59.76) took the top spots.

  Despite missing out on this occasion, the teams will have another shot at Olympic qualification in Round 2 action on Sunday.

• Blown and Fantastic Warriors set for thrilling KPMG Squash League final this evening

  Blown and Fantastic Warriors have secured their spots in the eagerly anticipated final of the 24th KPMG Squash League after impressive victories over Saints and Racketeers in the semi-finals. Squash enthusiasts are gearing up for an exciting showdown between these two formidable teams, scheduled for this Friday at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston, with the action kicking off at 6:00 pm on the main court.

  The path to the final saw both teams display exceptional skill and determination, thrilling spectators with intense matches that highlighted the competitive spirit of the league.

  In the first semi-final clash between Blown and Saints, Jerry Bell of Saints delivered a commanding performance to secure victory over Fraser McConnell in straight sets (21-17, 21-19, 21-13). However, Blown fought back fiercely, with Jake Mahfood and Andrew Bicknell securing crucial wins to propel their team to the final.

  Meanwhile, the battle between Fantastic Warriors and Racketeers kept fans on the edge of their seats with extended rallies and impressive displays of athleticism. Racketeers' Adam Lee and Fantastic Warriors' Nabeel Jawad and Stewart Maxwell showcased exceptional talent, ultimately leading to a thrilling conclusion in favor of the Fantastic Warriors.

  This year's league has witnessed captivating matches and standout performances, with a new champion set to be crowned following the absence of defending champions AGI (Advantage General Insurance). The competition, which began with 16 teams in early March, featured 64 players representing a diverse range of skill levels, from beginners to national champions.

  A unique aspect of the league was the implementation of handicaps based on players' skill levels, ensuring a level playing field and offering every participant an opportunity to excel. Matches were extended to twenty-one points, adding an extra layer of challenge and excitement to the games.

  As the KPMG Squash League reaches its pinnacle with the highly anticipated final, squash enthusiasts and supporters eagerly await what promises to be an exhilarating showdown between Blown and Fantastic Warriors. Don't miss out on the action as these two top-tier teams vie for supremacy in this prestigious tournament.