Haiti’s Real Hope FA edged Dominican Republic’s Moca FC 1-0 in the first leg of their Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place tie in Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, on Tuesday.

Stanley Joseph opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a right-footed strike as he capitalized on a deflected ball in the box. Jeudy Johnson was essential in the buildup play and later provided the ball over the top, which led to the goal.

Huguens Michel went close to extending the lead for Real Hope in the 14th minute as his header went just wide of left upright.

Real Hope was reduced to ten men in the 45+1 after Steeve Mondestin was shown a straight red card.

With the numerical advantage, Moca FC should have pulled level in the 45+5, but Eduardo Montenegro well-struck free kick, but Real Hope’s goalkeeper Gooly Elien proved equal to the task.

Argentina-born Gustavo Ascona had a dangerous hit on target from outside the box in the 45+6, but Elien again came up big to deny him.

Like they did at the start, Real Hope came out more purposeful after the break, and Angelo Exilus danced his way through Moca’s defence but his final effort in the 74th was charged down by Keudy Jimenez.

Yveto Dort again went close for Real Hope with a stinging 78th-minute drive from a distance that went just wide of the target.

Real Hope’s custodian Elien was again called up on to deny a 90+5-minute effort to preserve the clean sheet and ensure his team remained on the front foot heading into next Tuesday’s second leg.

He finished the night with four saves and his third clean sheet in the tournament.

Cavalier FC took a crucial step toward their first-ever Concacaf Caribbean Cup title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC in the first leg of the final at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

A 20th-minute strike from Suriname-born Shaquille Stein proved decisive in a match where both goalkeepers stole the spotlight.

The win means Cavalier, contesting their second-consecutive Caribbean Cup final, will take an important advantage into next Tuesday’s second leg, which will be played in Cibao’s backyard at Santiago de los Caballeros.

With the away-goals rule in effect, Cavalier’s priority will be to keep things tight defensively while seeking opportunities to extend their aggregate lead, something Head coach Rudolph Speid knows all too well.

“There were a number of objectives that we had, and one of them was not to concede because of the away-goal rule, and we achieved that,” Speid said at a post-game press conference.

“The other one was to try to get a lead. We didn't get as big a lead as we would have wanted, but I would take what happened today (Tuesday) anytime over any other score," he added

Stein, Cavalier’s leading scorer and Golden Boot frontrunner, continued his dazzling form with his eighth goal of the campaign.

Dwayne Atkinson orchestrated the move, slicing through Cibao’s defence with a perfectly weighted through ball, which Stein latched onto with precision, firing past Cibao’s experienced custodian Miguel Lloyd.

Despite taking the lead, Cavalier couldn’t find the comfort of a second goal. Jalmaro Calvin came close in the 67th minute with a sharp effort from the edge of the box, only for Lloyd to make an acrobatic save and keep the visitors in contention.

Lloyd denied Stein a brace in the 72nd minute, sliding in expertly to block the Cavalier striker’s attempt after another swift counterattack.

The Cibao custodian finished the game with four saves, standing tall in several key moments.

Cibao, though held scoreless, came alive in the closing stages as Rivaldo Correa’s header off a corner in the 85th minute seemed destined to level the match, but Cavalier’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett punched it away with authority.

Moments later, Juan Díaz’s wickedly curling corner nearly caught Barclett, who finished with eight saves, off guard, but Calvin was well positioned to head it to safety.

Cavalier had one last chance to double their advantage in stoppage time when Calvin rose to meet a cross with a powerful header, but Lloyd produced yet another brilliant save to ensure the margin remained just one goal heading into the second leg.

Much like Cavalier, Cibao will look to capitalize on their home-field advantage to possibly overturn the deficit and get their hands on the coveted title as well as a spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.

Clarendon College took another step toward glory in the ISSA/Wata Ben Francis Cup when they edged Denbigh High 1-0 in a lukewarm semi-final encounter at Glenmuir High School on Tuesday.

A second-half penalty converted by Justin Hayles (54th) proved decisive for the dethroned daCosta Cup champions, who will face St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in the final, as both seek to cap their season on a high.

Clarendon College’s manager, Richard Palmer, praised his young team’s composure under pressure.

“First I must say congratulations to the guys; I don’t know if you realised that this is basically our Under-16 team because we made a drastic move after the daCosta Cup to cut all the last-year players and played these boys. They did well because we didn’t expect to come this far, so whatever we got we would have been pleased with because this is basically preseason for these players,” he said.

Both teams approached the game cautiously in the opening exchanges, seeking to establish control without taking unnecessary risks.

Clarendon issued the first warning in the second minute when Hayles unleashed a shot from outside the 18-yard box, but it lacked the power to trouble Denbigh’s goalkeeper, Jamar Johnson.

Denbigh responded six minutes later when Dushawn Anderson delivered a teasing cross into the area, only for Teyo Cross to head narrowly wide.

As the match settled into a rhythm, Denbigh began to look the more threatening side. Lashawn Barnaby won a free kick in the 17th minute after being brought down just outside the area, but Marlon Murray’s effort sailed high and wide, wasting a promising opportunity.

Clarendon, although under pressure, had a golden chance against the run of play in the 38th minute. Nicholy Forbes found himself with time and space inside the box but rushed his shot which went wide to the relief of Denbigh’s defenders.

With the game goalless at the break, both teams would have been eager to notch the go-ahead goal, and it was Clarendon College that found success nine minutes into the resumption.

A Denbigh defender was penalized for handling the ball inside the area, gifting Clarendon a penalty, which was calmly converted by Hayles.

Denbigh, stung by the setback, intensified their efforts in search of an equalizer. They pushed forward relentlessly, putting Clarendon’s defence under sustained pressure, but failed to make that spell count and, as such, were left ruining what could have been.

Denbigh coach Garfield Carney commended his players for their effort despite the loss.

“I think the Clarendon team possessed the ball much better than us and we were left chasing the game. But I must say well done to Denbigh; we did well this season, and we hope for a better season next year,” he noted.

Six-time champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) are on course to secure another ISSA/Wata Ben Francis Cup crown as they showcased resilience and attacking flair to secure a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Frome Technical in a closely contested semi-final encounter at Glenmuir High School on Tuesday.

A brace from Trinidadian Kaieem Lewis (64th and 73rd) and a first-half strike from Justin McPherson (17th) saw STETHS into the final after

Frome took the lead twice through Antwayne Cooper (3rd) and Stevaughn Spence (50th).

STETHS now await the winner of the Clarendon College versus Denbigh High clash.

Winning coach Omar Wedderburn lauded his team’s fighting spirit and welcomed the prospect of possibly capping their season with silverware.

"Well, the boys have to want it more than me. I really want to be in the National Stadium to end the season, and I asked what their plan was. They showed what they want, so from here it’s the road to the National Stadium. PPW…play, perform, win—that is our focus for the next game,” Wedderburn declared.

The match was a rollercoaster of emotions for both teams, more so for STETHS, who were asked to chase the game from the start.

This, as Frome Technical wasted no time asserting themselves and briskly broke the deadlock when Uriel Lemphard's pinpoint long pass found Cooper, who headed past a hesitant Johnoi Steadman in goal for STETHS.

The early strike stunned the STETHS faithful as Frome maintained the pressure in what was a decent passage of play. They forced errors in STETHS' backline, but despite creating opportunities, failed to convert their dominance into a second goal.

STETHS slowly settled into their rhythm and went close in the 16th minute through Henry Johnson, but his left-footed effort was tipped over the bar by Frome’s custodian, Oral Davis.

However, STETHS got their breakthrough a minute later when McPherson’s shot from deep inside the box took a wicked deflection, leaving Davis helpless.

McPherson continued to trouble Frome’s defence, but his 37th-minute shot was comfortably gathered by Davis.

At the other end, Frome’s Stevaughn Spence unleashed a venomous right-footer from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 40th minute, forcing Steadman into a diving save to keep the scores level at halftime.

Much like they did at the start, Frome again came out on the front foot and broke the deadlock five minutes in through talismanic captain Spence, who registered his 21st goal of the season with a stunning free-kick from a tight angle, beating Steadman at his near post.

Frome seemed poised to hold onto their advantage, but STETHS had other ideas.

Lewis, the Trinidadian standout, began to assert himself in the second half. In the 61st minute, his low shot was brilliantly kept out by Davis’ outstretched leg, and moments later, Davis again denied Lewis with a close-range save.

But persistence paid off in the 64th minute when Deandre Barnett danced through two defenders and slid a precise pass across the goal for a perfectly positioned Lewis to tuck home and pull STETHS level.

With momentum firmly on their side, STETHS pushed forward relentlessly and found the winner when Lewis produced a moment of individual brilliance, slipping past three Frome defenders before driving the ball past a hapless Davis at his near post.

Frome tried desperately to respond, but the STETHS held firm to break their opponents’ hearts.

Frome’s Head coach, Cleighton Stephens, expressed pride in his team’s performance despite the loss.

“I can’t say what went wrong in the backline today. It is like they didn’t want to play anymore football because those last two goals were really soft. But there are a lot of positives we can take away because we showed character and we were fighting, but congratulations to STETHS and well-tried Frome,” Stephens said.

Champions were crowned across five categories at the inaugural Supreme Ventures Jamaica Invitational Bodybuilding Championships held at the Courtleigh Auditorium in Kingston on November 23.

Organized by Supreme Ventures in partnership with the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association, the event showcased the nation’s top bodybuilding talents across five categories: Men’s Physique Open, Women’s Bikini Fitness Open, Bodybuilding Open, Classic Bodybuilding, and Women’s Bikini Wellness.

Sheldon Harper took top spot in the Men’s Physique Open category ahead of Shaquille Bowen and Dwayne Leslie. Andre McDonald, Ranile Moore, and Nicholas Williams filled out the remaining top six spots.

In Women’s Bikini Fitness Open, Nicole Lewis claimed the title, with Kenesha Spencer and Oberlene Smith-Whyte finishing second and third, respectively.

Nicolas Wilson took the top honours in the Bodybuilding Open, followed by Henry Graham in second place and Andrew Chisholm in third.

Kymani Kirby, Rupert Johnson, and Wendell Martin finished in the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions.

In the Classic Bodybuilding category, Kymani Kirby rose to the top, with Wendell Martin in second and Amunike Peddie in third.

Nicolas Wilson, Matthew Donville, and Ross Lowe placed fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.

In the final category of Women’s Bikini Wellness, Bryana Johnson emerged victorious ahead of Lissan Wallace placing second.

“We are extremely proud to have launched the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Invitational Bodybuilding Championships, and to have witnessed such outstanding competition,” said Chloleen Daley-Muschett, Corporate Communication and PR Manager at Supreme Ventures Limited.

“This event is a testament to the incredible talent in Jamaica, and we are excited about the future of bodybuilding in the country. We look forward to making this an annual event that continues to inspire and elevate athletes at all levels,” she added.

Tahlia Richardson and Joel Angus were the female and male open winners at week one of the 2024 All Jamaica Badminton Championships at the YMCA in Kingston over the weekend.

Richardson won the women’s open title by two sets to none (21-10, 21-14) over Alexandra Beckford while Angus won the men’s open crown two sets to one win over Craig Allison.

Angus won the first set 21-18 before Allison tied proceedings with a 21-13 second set win. Angus then prevailed 21-13 in the last set to claim the title.

It was a fruitful weekend for Richardson who also took titles in women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

She partnered with Breanna Bisnott to defeat the pair of Mikaelah Mustafaa and Jade Ranger 21-11, 21-9 in women’s doubles before teaming up with Anthony McNee to defeat Kenneth Anglin and Mustafaa 21-16, 21-7 in mixed doubles.

McNee also claimed the men’s doubles title alongside Kemar Valentine with a 21-19, 21-17 win over Craig Allison and Mickhail Williams.

Brianna Burke and Samuel Smith claimed the top female and male prizes in the new Rising Shuttler category.

Burke defeated Sue-Ann Ogle 21-9, 21-18 to claim the title while Smith won the men’s title in a walkover over Daniel Ford.

 In the junior championships held on November 16 and 17, 14-year-old Amir McBean was dominant, winning the boys singles titles at the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 level.

He won the Under-17 title 21-10, 21-5 over Jhevado Ross and won the Under-19 crown with a 21-10, 21-10 win over his brother Jorie McBean.

At Under-15, he defeated Justin Dillon 21-10, 21-5. He also teamed up with Matheus Smith to win the doubles title 21-7, 21-11 over Cameron Crooks and Nicholas Francis.

The Under-19 girls singles crown went to Jade Ranger thanks to a dominant 21-4, 21-4 win over Amelia Dawkins.

Ranger also won the titles in girls doubles and mixed doubles. She teamed up with Cassandra Russell to win the girls doubles crown 21-16, 21-2 over Daviannia Francis and Rachel Rainsford before teaming with Samuel Smith to win mixed doubles 21-3, 21-1 over Trevar Hunt and Faithe Beavfort.

Sue-Ann Ogle won a three-set affair to claim the Under-17 girls singles title over Ruthann Wadgle. Ogle lost the first set 12-21 before bouncing back to win the next two 21-13, 21-17.

Ogle also won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles in the Under-15 category. She won another three-setter to claim the singles title against Najia Henry, losing the first set 13-21 before rallying to win the next two 21-16 and 21-7.

She teamed up with Abigail Harvey to win the doubles title over Najia Henry and Danielle Morgan 21-9, 21-13 before her and Matheus Smith claimed the mixed doubles title in a walkover.

The other age group champions include Justin Dillon (Under-13 boys singles), Ella Belle Palmer (Under-13 girls singles), Zachary Gardner (Under-11 boys singles), Jillian Yap (Under-11 and Under-9 girls singles), Zamani Allen (Under-9 boys singles).

A year ago, Shimona Jok faced one of the darkest periods of her netball career.

At the close of the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) season, the Jamaican shooter believed she would have secured a spot on another team after the dissolution of her then club, Collingwood. But as days turned to weeks, then months, Jok found herself without a contract and very little hope as her training session from there on was more out of habit than purpose.

“It hurt to know I wasn’t recognised enough to be given a contract,” Jok admitted.

“I had sleepless nights and was depressed to the point where I was wondering if I was even valued in this competition. Did anyone see me as someone to be a part of their team? I was going to the gym, but there wasn’t any motivation—I just wanted to stay in bed,” she added.

While, like most athletes, Jok wished she didn’t have to walk that path, she has now grown to appreciate that her temporary setback was a setup for a major comeback.

This, as Jok is currently in preseason preparation as a key player for the Melbourne Mavericks, following an integral performance last season, which saw her cop the club’s inaugural MVP title and, with it, a new contract

Shimona Jok interacts with a fan.

“It shows you take what you learn from a bad experience and blossom it into something new. I went to the Mavericks and thought to myself, I still get to be in a professional environment; I still get to build relationships, add to them, and they add to me. Every single day I got in the Mavericks environment, I flourished,” Jok declared.

Jok vividly recalls the day she and her Collingwood teammates were informed their team would no longer exist.

“It was crazy when it happened. I remember vividly—we were in a team meeting doing some analysis, and the CEO came in and sat us down. They weren’t very direct, but when someone asked what was happening, they told us they wouldn’t be continuing the netball program,” she shared.

Despite the devastating news, the Magpies finished their season with pride, securing two wins from their final three games, including victories over eventual premiers the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the finals-bound West Coast Fever.

“We tried to be there for each other. It was a big pill to swallow, knowing we had to finish the season off, but we did it for each other. We stuck together, showed up at training, stayed positive, and looked out for each other,” Jok explained.

After Collingwood’s collapse, Jok faced another blow of missing out on Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls 2023 World Cup squad, only being named as a reserve. What was difficult for her is the fact that she learned about it on social media.

Shimona Jok in action with the Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2018.

“I found out I was a reserve for the World Cup over social media and got told I didn’t seem committed enough,” Jok said.

“Personally, it was very difficult. I took it with a grain of salt and spoke to Latanya [Wilson], who convinced me to come to South Africa. She pointed out that this was an opportunity to go,” she noted.

Jok’s journey into netball began with a decision to forego basketball scholarships in the United States to pursue immediate earning opportunities in netball. Landing in Australia, she joined the Adelaide Thunderbirds as a replacement player in 2018.

She hit the ground running, shooting 37 goals on her SSN debut, and finished the season with 418 goals under the tutelage of current West Coast Fever coach Dan Ryan.

“I have to give Dan [Ryan] a lot of credit. He saw a lot of potential in me and really pushed me. It was amazing to know somebody believed I could be good at this. After every single week, Dan and I would sit and talk about my goals for the next game. I still have the notebook as a reminder of where I came from and where I am now,” the 6ft 5in shooter stated.

It was from there that she ended up at Collingwood, where she became one of the league’s most consistent shooters, and even then, she often felt overlooked.

Shimon Jok in action with Collingwood.

“I don’t know, to be honest—it all just comes down to who people like. I’ve been here for seven years, and the recognition new players get compared to me hurts. But you know what? There’s going to come a time where they’re not going to be able to brush over my name,” Jok said with an air of confidence.

“I feel like I’ve worked to get into a space where I’m just focused on what I can control. Every single year I’m building, every single year it’s a different Shimona, every single year it’s a different style of play,” she reasoned.

The now 25-year-old’s determination inevitably paid off, as she was drafted by the Mavericks earlier this year and felt right at home. Having learnt from her experiences over the years, Jok is now focused on continued growth for the 2025 campaign.

“I’ve had the experience of what it feels like to have genuine connections, and I feel at the Mavericks, we’ve found our feet together. Once everyone got on court, worked together, and started to realise how much we could push each other, we started to build genuine connections.

“I’m going to keep putting in the work and building those relationships. I love a good relationship because they can get you over the line no matter what,” Jok ended.

Jamaica’s Cavalier FC are determined to rewrite their story as they face Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC in the highly anticipated Concacaf Caribbean Cup final.

The first leg of the two-way clash kicks off on Tuesday at 8:00pm at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Cavalier, who lost last year’s finals 0-3 on aggregate to Suriname’s Robinhood, have shown marked growth this season and will be aiming to make their second consecutive final appearance count.

Both Cavalier and Cibao FC topped their respective groups with three wins each, before topping Dominican Republic’s Moca FC and Haiti’s Real Hope 7-0 and 4-2 on aggregate in their respective semi-final clashes.

In their dominant second-leg performance, Cavalier’s offensive firepower came alive. Kaile Auvray notched a brace, while Shaquille Stein dazzled with a hat-trick. Dwayne Atkinson played a pivotal role, delivering two assists.

On the defensive end, stalwarts like Richard King, Jeovanni Laing, and Christopher Ainsworth anchored the backline, contributing to two consecutive clean sheets. Their collective brilliance earned six Cavalier players a spot in the semifinals’ Best XI.

Cibao FC, the tournament’s last unbeaten team, booked their final berth with a 4-2 aggregate win over Real Hope FA. Spearheading their attack is the in-form Rivaldo Correa, who has tallied five goals in the tournament, including two in the semifinals.

Correa’s knack for delivering in clutch moments is complemented by teammates Jean López and Juan Díaz, both of whom scored in the semis and also made the Best XI.

While both teams have already secured spots in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, the stakes remain high. The winner on aggregate will not only claim the Caribbean Cup title but also earn a direct bye to the Round of 16 in the Champions Cup.

Cavalier’s Head coach, Rudolph Speid, has taken a meticulous approach to preparing his side for the challenge.

“It’s been good; we’ve looked at their strengths and weaknesses, and we have a plan. This time, we play the first leg at home, so we have to be on top for 180 minutes. It also places an emphasis on us not to concede, and if we do, then it’ll be a little more difficult for us to go away. I’m confident that Cavalier is capable of doing the business either home or away,” Speid said.

The home advantage in the opening leg provides Cavalier with an opportunity to set the tone, but they must remain resolute, as away goals will serve as the first tiebreaker if things are even at the end of next Tuesday’s decisive leg in the Dominican Republic.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaile Auvray, one of Cavalier’s standout performers, echoed similar sentiment.

“At the end of the day, it’s just football. Our objective is to go out there and get our hands on the trophy while enjoying ourselves. I feel like we’re very positive, and it’s about taking our opportunities when they come. I don’t feel much pressure; I’ve played in the Gold Cup before, and I’ve played in the Nations League, so I feel I’ve played these types of matches before,” Auvray noted.

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls set up a decisive fourth and final Test match against England’s Vitality Roses after producing a nail-biting one-goal win over the current World number two to tie the series at 1-1 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Monday.

Entering this game on the back of a 49-49 draw and a 47-55 loss in the first two games of the series at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on November 16 and 17, the Girls were looking for redemption in front of an energetic home crowd.

They used the energy of the vibrant crowd packed into the Sports Centre to jump out to a quick 4-0 lead before the Roses used their physicality to claw their way back into the contest early. The score at the end of the first quarter was 12-10 in favour of the hosts.

England came out firing at the start of quarter number two, however, with three quick goals handing them an early one-point advantage and making it seem like the tide was turning in their favour.

With the home crowd rearing them on, the hosts regained their composure and, through some quick and accurate passing and shooting, re-took the lead at 15-13 with 11 and a half minutes left in the period.

Over the next few minutes, Jamaica continued to build momentum sending the home crowd into a frenzy with a seven to three run to lead 22-16 with six minutes left in the first half.

The two rivals continued to trade buckets for the rest of the second quarter, with England eventually closing the gap to three points at half-time, the Jamaicans leading 26-23.

The second half started like the first, with the hosts extending the lead to 32-25 within the first five minutes of the period.

England stayed strong, however, and, despite some spectacular defensive plays from Jamaica captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey throughout the rest of the quarter, the gap between the teams heading into the fourth and final stanza was still only three points with Jamaica up 38-35.

The first five minutes of the fourth quarter saw both teams showing why they are so highly ranked globally, producing timely goals and steals throughout. With 10 minutes to go, Jamaica’s lead was just two at 43-41 and the crowd was getting more pensive by the second.

Action continued back and forth and the nerves began to build even more when England made it a one-point game at 47-46 with three minutes to play.

Jamaica hit back, however, with two quick goals to restore the three-goal lead before England, displaying remarkable resilience, hit back once again with two goals of their own to make it a tied game at 49-49 with 50 seconds to play.

That would prove to be the last time England had the ball in their attacking third, however, as the Sunshine Girls strategically passed the ball around for the remaining time before, with one second left, Shanice Beckford hit what proved to be the game-winner, securing a 50-49 win for the hosts and sending the crowd into wild celebrations.

Beckford finished with 19 goals from 23 attempts while goal shooter Romelda Aiken-George had 30 goals from 34 attempts.

For England, Liv Tchine had 26 goals from 27 attempts while Lois Pearson had 18 goals from 21 attempts.

“I’m super happy for this win. Our fans brought us over the line today and we’re very grateful,” said Sunshine Girls captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey after the game.

“I think we won the game defensively today. We revisited our game plan after the games in England and came back out strong,” she added.

Jamaica head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry praised the performance and poise from her troops.

“I think they were exceptional. I’m quite excited for them. Thy have grown from the second game,” she said.

“Still we have a lot of rough edges that we need to fix but I must commend them. To beat England is a big thing for us right now,” she added.

England coach Jess Thirlby believes early errors cost her team the game in the end.

“I think we made too many errors at the start of the game. Everything we expected from the Sunshine Girls came at us tonight,” she said.

Despite the loss, Thirlby expressed positivity at the way her team played, especially in the final two quarters.

“We drew that third quarter and won the fourth quarter by two. An outstanding performance and huge credit to the Sunshine Girls. In the moments where they needed to be, they were super smart,” she said.

The decisive fourth game of the series will take place at the same venue on Tuesday starting at 7:00pm Jamaica Time.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Kimberly Percival added another accolade to her extraordinary season by winning the Bikini Fitness Category at the Mr Universe Chile IFBB Competition over the November 23-24 weekend. Percival’s victory came just a week after her triumph in the same category in Cancun, Mexico, solidifying her status as one of the sport’s elite athletes in 2024.

Competing in a field of 10, Percival topped a highly competitive lineup that included Franziska Lohberger of Germany, who finished as the runner-up, and Flavia Carneiro Mendes of Brazil, who placed third. Rounding out the top five were Anna Wozniakowska of Poland and Yissel Leon of Mexico, with Jamaica’s Deidre Lewis placing sixth.

Percival spoke passionately about the level of competition in Chile, noting that it was more challenging than Cancun due to the strength of the South American athletes.

“Chile, as expected, was definitely more competitive than Cancun. The South American countries tend to have a very standout lineup and a solid athlete pose,” she explained. “We had eight IFBB pros registered to participate, with two additional athletes earning their pro cards earlier in the day and joining the lineup. It was definitely a competitive pool, and I would say more competitive than Cancun.”

Percival highlighted the rigorous nature of the judging process, which involved multiple comparisons and rotations among the athletes.

Kimberly Percival triumphs in Chile.

“They definitely worked us, they turned us, they rotated us, they compared us, and I think everybody had to bring their best,” she said. “For me, my advantage would have been my aesthetic—being tall and the level of development that I carry, my shape, and general bikini aesthetic. But I still had to work hard, ensuring I showcased and represented my muscularity, development, and elegance as is expected in Bikini.”

The win in Chile marked the end of an incredible season for Percival, who competed in five shows this fall, earning four first-place finishes and one second place. Among her highlights was a victory at the Arnold Classic in October and a win at the Grand Gala St. Vincent in Italy.

“The plan was to come into both of these shows with the intent of adding two more feathers to my cap, rounding out my year on a high note,” Percival said. “I was over the moon that I was able to follow through on that intention and walk away with those two wins, Chile being the last one.”

Percival’s success has been consistent across different countries and judging panels, something she takes immense pride in.

“Different countries, different judging panels, and still consistently being able to have this success is really gratifying and very fulfilling,” she reflected.

Percival celebrates her win in Cancun, Mexico last week.

Beyond her achievements, Percival is driven by the legacy she is building for herself, her country, and the sport of bodybuilding.

“A big part of what pushes me is the consideration of the legacy that I am creating for myself, my name, my country, and my sport,” she said. “Bodybuilding is a little niche, so bringing that notoriety and fanfare to the sport and to a small island is really fulfilling. I am really happy to represent that the way I intended to.”

Percival’s latest victory and the exceptional season she has had underscore her passion, dedication, and drive, making her a true ambassador for bodybuilding and a source of pride for Antigua and Barbuda. As she continues to carve out her legacy, her success serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes across the Caribbean and beyond.