Jamaica’s Olympic gymnast Danusia Francis has announced her retirement from international competition while expressing gratitude for the love and support she received while representing the country.
Francis, 28, represented Jamaica at the Tokyo Olympics. She was due to compete in the women's individual all-around event but two days prior to the competition, she discovered she had torn her anterior cruciate ligament.
She subsequently withdrew from the balance beam, the vault and the floor exercise but chose to continue to compete in the uneven bars with her knee bandaged, scoring the lowest of any competitor as the judges deducted 6.5 points for various infractions and gave her only a 0.5 difficulty score. However, her 9.033 execution score was the highest for any athlete on uneven bars.
Less than a year later, she decided that it was time to call it a day from the sport she loves.
“I am announcing my official retirement from gymnastics. I am so grateful and thankful for all the opportunities, I’ve had in this sport, to be a Jamaican Olympian is an absolute dream come true. I want to give a massive thank you to Jamaica Gymnastics and the JOA (Jamaica Olympic Association) for believing in me, funding me and for the opportunity to represent on the biggest stage,” she said in a statement Sunday.
“I will treasure the memories forever.”
Notwithstanding her retirement, Francis, who also represented UCLA in NCAA gymnastics, said she plans to remain involved with the sport in her adopted country.
“I would love to always be a part of the sport in Jamaica, help it improve and grow,” she said. “Anytime I am in Jamaica, I am definitely coming to the gym, do some coaching and I will always be on the other side of the phone for advice, for whatever it might be and however I can help.
“So, thanks again to everybody and thanks again to the amazing Jamaican fans. You have supported me and shown me so much love and embraced me and for that, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
Francis said she plans to continue in the sport as a host and presenter.
President of the JGA Nicole Grant said Francis has done much for Jamaican gymnastics in a very short time.
It is truly an honour to have had Danusia Francis as part of the Jamaica gymnastics team. She has helped to grow the sport in so many ways. Competing for Jamaica at so many important gymnastics meets, putting us out there and showing the world that Jamaica does have the ability to be great in the sport," Grant said.
"Being the first female gymnast to qualify Jamaica for the Olympic test event in 2016 opened doors for us and she played her part in enabling our berth to the 2016 Olympics. She showed so much determination to keep going for Jamaica, especially after her disappointment with not being chosen for the Olympic test event in 2016 and the 2018 Commonwealth Games, her drive demonstrated her full commitment to Jamaica as she had choices. Her love for Jamaica shone brightly and that love was returned 100 times more.
"Her retirement from competitions, for us only means that she will have more time to help develop the sport locally through coaching and consultation. We wish her good luck and God's richest blessings on her future journey."
Jamaica striker Shamar Nicholson and Spartak Moscow lifted the 2022 Russia Cup on Sunday following a 2-1 victory over Dynamo Moscow.
Jamaican track and field icons, Olympians Veronica Campbell-Brown and Donald Quarrie were honoured by Comets Club International, formerly the Montego Bay Comets Club at a gala in New York on Saturday, May 28.
Legendary jockey Lester Piggott has died at the age of 86.
Piggott is widely regarded as the best rider of all time, having racked up a staggering 4,493 winners on the flat in Britain and 20 over hurdles in a 43-season career.
The Englishman won 30 British Classics – including a record nine in the Derby – and had 116 Royal Ascot successes.
His tally of worldwide winners is said to be around the 5,300 mark.
Among the many highlights of his career was completing the Triple Crown on Nijinsky in 1970.
A sporting icon, Piggott was champion jockey 11 times and runner-up in six seasons.
It was announced on Sunday that Piggott had passed away in Switzerland, where he lived.
Trainer William Haggas, Piggott's son-in-law, said "Sadly we can confirm that Lester died peacefully in Switzerland this morning."
New York City have extended their winning streak to four games and moved into top spot in the Eastern Conference after a 1-0 road win over Minnesota United on Saturday.
City defender Alexander Callens netted the game's only goal in the 29th minute, while goalkeeper Sean Johnson was outstanding for the visitors.
Callens powered in the winner with a bouncing header from Santiago Rodriguez's corner.
Minnesota almost equalised in the 90th minute but were thwarted by a spectacular double save by Johnson from Emanuel Reynoso and Robin Lod efforts.
City moved ahead of Philadelphia Union in the east, after they could only manage a 1-1 draw away to under-achieving New England Revolution.
The Revs, who won last season's Supporters' Shield, have rallied after a poor start to their campaign, going unbeaten in their past five, but have only collected 16 points from 13 games.
Gustavo Bou had put New England ahead from the penalty spot in the 75th minute, but Union levelled two minutes later after Omar Gonzalez's inexplicable error allowed Mikael Uhre to score.
Montreal, who are third in the east, got back on the winners' list with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Cincinnati with a double from Rommel Quioto.
Luquinhas netted a brace as New York Red Bulls stayed in touch with the Eastern Conference's top three with a 4-1 home victory over struggling DC United.
In the Western Conference, LAFC remains four points clear at the top after Brian Rodriguez's 47th-minute winner clinched a 3-2 triumph over San Jose Earthquakes.
LAFC had raced to a 2-0 lead inside 13 minutes but San Jose equalised after two goals from in-form Jeremy Ebobisse, who has scored an equal-league high nine times this term.
Rodriguez, who got the assist for Ryan Hollingshead's 13th minute goal, scored when a loose ball arrived at his feet unmarked at the back post, firing past Earthquakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
Nashville ended the Colorado Rapids' remarkable 23-game unbeaten run at home with a 3-1 victory.
Charles Sapong netted in the eighth minute, before Hany Mukhtar's quickfire double had Nashville 3-0 up inside 18 minutes. The win moves Nashville up to fifth in the west.
Dallas came from behind to win 3-1 at Orlando City, Real Salt Lake won their third straight with a 3-0 victory over Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps moved off bottom spot with a 1-0 triumph at Sporting KC.
Inter Miami extended their unbeaten run to four games with a 2-1 home win over Portland Timbers, Columbus Crew triumphed 2-1 over 10-man Atlanta United and Toronto won 3-2 over Chicago Fire after two late Pozuelo goals.
John Campbell fell agonizingly short of a century while Veerasammy Permaul claimed three wickets as the Jamaica Scorpions and Guyana Harpy Eagles played to a high-scoring draw in the West Indies Championship at Diego Martin Sports Complex.
Batting a second time, in pursuit of the Harpy Eagles' massive 584, the Scorpions ended the day on 271 for 6. At the top of the order, Campbell staged a brave resistance, putting on 105 for the first wicket with Leroy Lugg. Lugg added 67 before being bowled by Permaul.
Campbell then formed partnerships with Jermaine Blackwood and Oraine Williams but neither lasted long, both falling victim to Gudkesh Motie. Campbell himself saw his innings brought to an end, just two runs shy of triple digits, by Permaul, who trapped him lbw off a length delivery.
Paul Palmer and Alwyn Williams put together a 5th wicket partnership of 41 with both sides agreeing to a draw soon after the pair were dismissed. Overall, Permaul ended with figures of 3 for 61, while Motie took 2 for 73.
St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred ran a wind-aided 10.80 to win her heat at the NCAA West Regional Preliminary Round in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Saturday, to be the fastest qualifier to the Women’s 100m at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 8-11.
Jamaica’s Kemba Nelson of Oregon and Alfred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis also qualified for Eugene with times of 10.85 and 11.04, both also wind-aided, respectively.
Davis will also contest the 200m in Eugene after running 22.49 to qualify second fastest in the West Region behind teammate Kynnedy Flannel (22.40).
Jamaicans Stacey Ann Williams of Texas (50.66) and Charokee Young of Texas A&M (50.80) were the fastest qualifiers in the Women’s 400m.
Barbados' Jonathan Jones of Texas and Jamaica's Jevaughn Powell of UTEP ran 44.85 and 44.87, respectively, to be the top two qualifiers in the Men's equivalent. 44.87 is a new personal best for Powell, the former Edwin Allen and Kingston College standout.
Another Bajan, Rivaldo Leacock of New Mexico, ran a new personal best 49.63 to advance in the Men's 400m hurdles.
Texas Tech's Demisha Roswell was the second fastest qualifier in the Women's 100m hurdles with 12.78 while Baylor’s Ackera Nugent ran 12.93 to also advance.
Former Hydel High and current Texas A&M star Lamara Distin and Texas' Trinidadian Olympian Tyra Gittens both cleared 1.81m to progress in the Women's high jump while Gittens also produced 6.40 to advance in the long jump. Former Herbert Morrison athlete Daniella Anglin, now a freshman at South Dakota, also cleared 1.81m to advance in the high jump.
Bahamian Kansas State senior Kyle Alcine achieved a personal best 2.15m to advance in the Men's high jump.
Reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah showed her class in a dominant display of sprinting after speeding to win the women's 100m at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday.
Thompson-Herah looked in full control of the race before pulling well clear of the field with around 10 metres to go and stopping the clock at 10.79. American Sha’Carri Richardson finished at the head of the pack behind Thompson-Herah, clocking 10.92 for second spot. The time was identical to another Jamaican, Sherika Jackson, an Olympic 100m bronze medallist. Richardson was, however, given second ahead of Jackson based on the photo finish.
Elsewhere, another Jamaican star, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took top spot in the women’s 200m. Fraser-Pryce stopped the clock in a season’s best 22.41, well clear of second-place Brittany Brown who was timed in 22.74. The Bahamas’ Anthonique Strachan was third in 22.76.
In the women’s 800m, Olympic finalist Natoya Goule finished fourth in 1:59.39. The event was won by Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson in 1:57.72.
A sensational six-wicket haul from spinner Rahkeem Cornwall helped secure a dominant 228 run win for Leeward Islands Hurricanes over Windward Islands Volcanoes in the West Indies Championship at Port of Spain.
Resuming the day at 127 for 3, the Windwards were eventually skittled out for 184. Having accounted for the wickets of Devon Smith and Alick Athanaze on the previous day, Cornwall returned to rip through the middle order. Ackeem August was the spinner’s first victim after he was bowled for 18. Keron Cottoy then added just 6 before becoming Cornwall’s next victim and when the spinner returned to account for the set Kavem Hodge, who was just 7 runs short of his half-century, the writing was on the wall for the Windwards. Overall, the spinner ended with innings figures of 6 for 45.
Earlier, Cornwall had taken a five-wicket haul, which was critical in restricting the Windwards to 173 in their first innings.
Scores
Windwards
173 (55.0) & 184 *(69.3) All out
Leewards
333 (95.5) & 252 – 8 (60.5) Declared
Spinner Rahkeem Cornwall claimed a five-wicket haul to hand momentum to the Leeward Island Hurricanes in a tight battle with the Windward Volcanoes in the West Indies Championship at Port of Spain.
Resuming the day at
At the close of play, the Windwards were 127 for 3 and needed a further 286 runs for victory. Earlier, it was Cornwall’s haul of 5 for 61 that played a pivotal role in
Centuries from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Vishaul Singh pushed Guyana Harpy Eagles comfortably past the sizeable first innings total of Jamaica Scorpions and into the lead in the West Indies Championship at Diego Martin Sports Complex.
Resuming the day just four runs short of triple digits Chanderpaul went on to hammer 184, from a marathon 423 deliveries, which largely provided the fuel for the Harpy Eagles’ 584 for 7 at the close of play. Chanderpaul has, however, also had plenty of help. In fact, in addition to Chanderpaul, the first five batsmen in the Guyana top order had at least a half century.
Tevin Imlach added 79 from 198, Leon Johnson 57 from 72, Chanderpaul Hemraj 78 from 87, and Singh who remains unbeaten on 100 from 85. Against the Harpy Eagles batting onslaught, Nicholson Gordon was the Jamaica Scorpions' most successful bowler after claiming figures of 4 for 122. At the close of play, Guyana held a lead of 191 runs with Singh and Gudakesh Motie, who was on 12 from 15, at the crease.
In mid-May 2021 Rasheed Broadbell was flying high.
For the first time in Jamaica’s football history, a national squad will be overseen by an all-female coaching staff as 27 girls are called to camp to prepare for the CONCACAF Women U15 tournament set to take place in Tampa, Florida, from July 31 to August 7, 2022.
The players will be directed by Head Coach Tashana Vincent and Assistant Coach Alicia James. Both women are former national representatives.
Meanwhile, the squad of players will be comprised of Kimoy Harris, Kryshana Reid, Ashley Lowrie, Cassandra Smith, Jada-Lee Bryan, Devonae Lewis, Dejaunae Lewis, Breanna Marr, Schennel Goodhall, Adrianna Morris, Shanae Ashley, Sajane Anderson, Italya Robinson, Bianca McDonald, Destiny Powell, Jennifer Williams, Shiona Ashman, Shantea James, Lacey Phillips, Jhonelle Rose, Jamara Jones, Dejonea Smith, Felisha Ferguson, Rishaune Gordon, Elizabeth Miller, Shereece Jameison and Chrisann Tomlinson.
Coming off the 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Catalonia earlier this week, Jamaica has named a 20-man squad to take on Suriname and Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League starting on June 4.
The squad sees the return of striker Shamar Nicholson, who has made himself available after his self-imposed hiatus from the national programme, as he attempted to bed in with Spartak Moscow in Russia. The oft-injured Leon Bailey has also been recalled after spending much of the recent Premier League season on the Aston Villa injury list.
The remainder of the squad includes Andre Blake, Damion Lowe, Richard King, Javain Brown, Devon Williams, Ravel Morrison, Tyreek Magee, Leon Bailey, Rolando Aarons, Amarii Bell, Jamoi Topey, Kaheem Parris, Junior Flemmings, Jamal Lowe, Amal Knight, Atapharoy Bygrave, Daniel Green, Oquassa Chong and Kenroy Campbell.
Notably absent is West Ham’s Michail Antonio, who was among Jamaica’s leading scorers in the shambolic World Cup qualifiers.
Following the June 4 encounter, the Reggae Boyz return to Jamaica a day later before tackling Suriname at the National Stadium on June 7 at 8pm. Jamaica returns to action on June 14 when they play Mexico at the National Stadium in Kingston.
West Indies all-rounder, Roston Chase, starred with the ball as the Barbados Pride strengthened their lead atop the West Indies Championship table with a dominant innings and 22-run win over the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Friday’s third day at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
The Red Force started the day 51-3, needing 110 more runs to make the Pride bat again, and they got off to the worst possible start after Chase removed Jason Mohammed for 10 to leave the score at 55-4.
55-4 became 64-5 as opener Keagan Simmons was next to go for 31, caught off the bowling of Chase.
Yannic Cariah was the only other batsman to put up any resistance, finishing 35 not out as Joshua Da Silva (14), Imran Khan (2), Terrance Hinds (1), Uthman Muhammad (7), and Shannon Gabriel (8) all fell in quick succession to restrict the Red Force to 139 all out, condemning them to their second straight outright loss.
Chase took 3-26 from 12 overs while Akeem Jordan and Justin Greaves were also instrumental with 3-31 off 11.1 overs and 2-27 from nine overs, respectively.
Final scores: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 133 and 139, Barbados Pride 294.
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