Karen Anderson (L), president of the Jamaica Squash Association happily accepted the $550,000 sponsorship cheque from Rajan Trehan, country managing partner at KPMG (2nd R) who has been sponsoring the league since its inception. Sharing in the happy moment were Damion Reid (2ndL) - partner at KPMG, Sanjana Nallapati of MADS team and Omar O'Connor of Saints team. The presentation was made at the launch which was held recently at the Liguanea Club, home of the Jamaica Squash Association.
The Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) and KPMG joined forces recently to launch the 24th KPMG League which will feature sixteen teams. The launch was held at the association's home base at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston.
There was a mood of heightened excitement for this year's staging of the league after last year's successful post Covid-19 return. AGI was the dominant team then but there is one change to their line-up which could make the difference this year.
Karen Anderson, president of the JSA said "we can expect exciting matches. We see some really strong teams that have registered for the event and I think we will see an upset or two and so we are extremely excited to see how the matches will play out over the two months of the event."
The league will run on a handicap system which is used to level the playing field so that everybody will have a chance to play and do well.
The teams will play round robin matches in the first round of four teams per group. The top two teams will go to the quarterfinals where all matches going forward will be played on a knockout basis. The other two teams in the group will play in a plate final or final for the losing teams.
Anderson announced that the association will introduce new software to run the league fully for the first time.
"The association will be running it using the software that we have, the SportyHQ software, which will help us to be a bit more efficient in getting our results out and in the efficiency of the play because now people can follow live. We are trying to be innovative in how we bring new and different to a league that has been running for 24 years."
Additionally, Anderson welcomed new sponsor Wata to provide hydration throughout the league. She thanked title sponsor for this year's sponsorship of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This will allow for the association to take up the cost of staging all the matches while relieving the teams of the cost of hosting matches.
Rajan Trehan, country managing partner of title sponsor KPMG credited the league for its continued high contribution to developing young players in the game of squash in the country.
"Over the period (of our sponsorship) it has developed into a very strong league and its one of the major events on the JSA calendar. We are proud because we believe in the development of youth as well as sports and we have adopted squash as one of the sports to make sure that we contribute in the development of squash in particular."
He also said that KPMG will be around for much longer than the 24 years they have been sponsoring the league.
One of Jamaica's best young player Sanjana Nallapati endorsed that league while saying that her game had improved because of her involvement in the league. "It (her game) was definitely better because we had a bunch of matches. Games are usually up to 11 but these were up to 21. Even though it was best of three, it tested our fitness quite a bit and the squash definitely improved quite a bit by the end of it."
Dave Morrison of defending champion AGI (Advantage General Insurance) was upbeat about the league. "Last year was really satisfying. We have never always done well because the nature of the tournament is to ensure that regardless of the quality of players you have, it’s all eliminated or equalized because of the handicap structure. But last year we really came out with a certain level of determination and yes, I had to one or two times, I had to save the team but I will remind them that that's what I did but yes, we had a very, very exciting tournament last year. I really enjoyed it."
The league will serve off on Tuersday evening at the Liguanea Club while it is scheduled to end on April 19 at the same venue.
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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