Spanish Town Primary were crowned champions of the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Central Athletics Championship after seeing off Naggo Head Primary and Greater Portmore Primary in a thrilling three-way battle to the line at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine.
Spanish Town amassed 313.50 points as after winning the final two 4x200m relays, emerged 10 points clear of a fighting Naggo Head Primary on 303 with dethroned champions Greater Portmore Primary finishing third with 273 after fading a bit in the latter stages.
St Catherine Primary finished fourth on 110 points with Jericho Primary surprised many with their fifth-placed finish on 98 points. Angels (90), St John’s Primary (77), Homestead Primary (49), Kensington Primary (36) and Bridgeport (35) completed the top 10.
It was a much-improved display from Spanish Town Primary that finished third last year with 225 points, 125 behind Greater Portmore. Having turned it around they walked away with JMD$ $250,000 winning prize.
Naggo Head which led seven points at the start of the final day and held a lead for most of the day, were awarded JMD$200,000 while third-placed Greater Portmore got $150,000. The teams finishing fourth to 10th each get $75,000.
Jevaney Findlay (Spanish Town), Zandane Banton (Greater Portmore) and Mercadco Williams were the Overall Champion Boys with 18 points each. While four girls, Shanice Williams (Greater Portmore), Moesha McLaren, Sarah McDonald (Naggo Head) and Jamilia Alves (Spanish Town), were named Overall Champion Girls.
Each girl also scored 18 points.
Principal Roogae Kirlew, principal of Spanish Town Primary, praised his team and the coaching staff for the extra effort this year fueled by the additional sponsorships.
“I am very, very happy,” he said.
“We have put a lot of work into it and I must thank my PE department and I must name the coach and the parents because we actually camped out this year and put proper nutrition in place for our runners this time around.”
With two of the three regional championships decided with Lyssons Primary of St Thomas winning the Eastern Championship and St Catherine’s Spanish Town the Central champions, the focus now turns to the Western Championship which starts on Thursday (May 11) at the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and concludes on Saturday.
Sixteen teams have already qualified for the National Championship set for May 25-27 and another eight teams will earn spots from the Western Championship.
Lyssons Primary are the defending National champions.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has confirmed the dates and host countries for the remaining 2023 West Indies Rising Stars age-group Championships following the Rising Stars Men’s U15s Championship which took place in Antigua last month.
The final three upcoming tournaments are the Women’s Rising Stars Under 19s, Men’s Rising Stars Under 17s and Men’s Rising Stars Under 19s Championships which are all important steps in the development pathway for the next generation of West Indies men’s and women’s cricketers.
The Women’s Rising Stars Under 19s Championship, consisting of six rounds of 30-over matches, will take place in Trinidad from 2 to 16 July. The Men’s Rising Stars Under 19s Championship will take place in St Vincent between 2 July and 1 August, consisting of five rounds of 50-over white ball matches and four rounds of three-day red ball matches.
The Men’s Rising Stars Under 17s Championship will take place in Trinidad between 10 August and 1 September featuring five rounds of 50-over matches and for the first time also three rounds of two-day red ball matches.
The Men’s Rising Stars Championships will feature both red ball and 50-over white ball cricket which will help the players develop a strong foundation of skill-sets, both mental and technical, that they can build on as they progress through the CWI development pathway system.
Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket spoke of the importance of the West Indies Rising Stars Championships and age group cricket across the region and how essential they are to develop the next generation of young talent in the West Indies.
“These age group tournaments are of paramount importance, and we want to ensure the players get maximum opportunities and exposure. Many of our current and former international players have graduated from these tournaments and we continue to see this as the ‘nursery’ for West Indies cricket,” Adams said.
“With over 250 teenagers due to participate in these championships, this is the ideal platform for them to launch their careers and the tournaments will allow for ongoing talent identification and development of our best young players”.
TOURNAMENT DATES
2 to 16 July: Women’s Rising Stars Under 19s Championship, Trinidad
2 July to 1 August: Men’s Rising Stars Under 19s Championship in St Vincent
10 August to 1 September: Men's’ Rising Stars Under 17s Championship in Trinidad
Thelston Payne, the former Barbados and West Indies wicketkeeper batsman died on Wednesday at the age of 66. Reports emerging from Barbados said he died of pancreatic cancer. He had been ailing for some time.
A capable wicketkeeper, the floppy-hat wearing Payne spent most of his Test career as an understudy to Jeff Dujon with whom he shared a resemblance.
He served as Dujon’s back up during the 1984 tour of England, in Australia 1984-85, and on later trips to New Zealand, Pakistan and Sharjah. His only chance came when Dujon missed the second Test against England at Port-of-Spain in 1986 through injury, and he held five catches in a comprehensive win.
He played seven One Day Internationals for the West Indies scoring 126 runs at an average of 31.50 and took six catches.
He was more successful in his first-class career that spanned more than a decade.
Payne played 68 first class matches, scoring 3391 runs at an average of 36.85 for Barbados with six hundreds and 25 half centuries. Behind the stumps, he took 103 catches and completed eight stumpings.
In paying tribute, Cricket West Indies President Dr Kishore Shallow said Payne's contributions to West Indies Cricket will be cherished.
“On behalf of CWI, I offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of Thelston Payne. He is one of those unsung heroes of West Indies cricket who served the game at all levels for over four decades. During his playing career, he was a dynamic keeper and stylish batsman and was part of the great era of West Indies cricket when we dominated world cricket, under Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards.," Dr Shallow said.
“After his playing days were over, he made a meaningful contribution as a coach and mentor in Barbados at the grassroots level. He also played a key role in the development of many players. His contribution will be remembered and we will remain grateful to this stalwart of cricket.”
Fresh off winning her first-ever Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award on Monday, five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce arrived in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday eager to get her season going at the Kip Keino Classic this coming weekend.
The two-time Olympic 100m gold medallist was slated to begin her season at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 29, but withdrew citing a ‘family emergency’, the details of which remain a mystery. However, with the emergency hopefully behind her, the 36-year-old track and field star, said she keen on seeing where she is at this season.
“I am just looking forward to just competing well. I have not run since September last year and it’s a different year so you kind of want to see where you’re at as opposed to last year when I ran a 200m in Kingston before I came here; this time I didn’t run anything so this is me just coming to see where I’m at and having a good time and execute and I am sure it will be fantastic,” said Fraser-Pryce who ran a world-leading 10.67 at the 2022 edition.
Fraser-Pryce, who at 35 won her fifth world 100m title in Eugene, Oregon last summer to become the oldest female ever to win a global sprint title, said she believes she in great shape heading into the meet on Saturday but was quick to temper expectations on what she will deliver on Saturday.
“I am feeling good, to be honest, I’m feeling 21, which is good,” she joked, “but no two years are ever the same so you continue to work and trust that whatever things that you correct in training or things that you are working on that you would come and execute those things and it will all come together.
“But last year, it’s just to build on that, build on the experiences and the moments that I had last year into this year.”
Naggo Head Primary assumed the lead on the penultimate day of the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Athletics Central Championship amassing 94 points after 10 finals and holds a seven point advantage over defending champion Greater Portmore Primary with 87 points.
Lurking just behind are Spanish Town Primary sitting in the third spot on 83 points. St Catherine Primary are fourth with 37 points with Angel Primary fifth on 30 points.
With 28 finals set for the final day, the stage is set for a three-way battle for the title between Naggo Head, Greater Portmore and Spanish Town as only 11 points separate the teams.
With eight records established, Naggo Head was responsible for four of them as Kiara Watson broke the first in the Girls’ Cricket Ball Throw with 43.40m. At the Eastern Championship, Taheisha Brown of Lyssons threw 44.66 for that record. The stage is set for an epic battle at the Nationals later this month.
Ryandre Barteley of Greater Portmore won the boys Cricketball Throw with 58.38m ahead of Jardane Doyley of Homestead primary with 54.75m.
Meanwhile, seven of the eight 4x100 relay records were erased and Naggo Head were responsible for three of them. They won the Girls’ Class Four 4x100 in 1:03.26 ahead of Spanish Town who also dipped below the previous record clocking 1:03.33. Greater Portmore was third in 1:03.45. Naggo Head were at it again capturing the Girls’ Class Three and Two in 56.28 and 54.52 respectively.
Spanish Town won three relays, two of which were in record fashion capturing the Boys’ Class One (49.96) and Girls Class (53.49). Spanish Town also won the Boys’ Class Four in 1:02.59.
Greater Portmore won the Boys’ Class Three 4x100m in 55.00 ahead of Naggo Head in 56.13. Angel Primary was third in 56.31. St Catherine win the Boys’ Class Two in a record 53.41.
As part of their preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, the West Indies men’s cricket team will play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Sharjah next month.
The day-night matches will be played on Monday 5 June, Wednesday 7 June and Friday 9 June. Both teams will depart for Zimbabwe at the end of the series for their World Cup qualifying campaign which begins on 18 June. The all-important tournament will confirm the remaining spots for the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, India.
“We are delighted to host a former World Champion side like the West Indies ahead of the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. In recent months, our team has produced some sensational performances in the ODI format which have helped raise UAE cricket’s profile,” said General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Mubashshir Usmani.
“Our qualification for the tournament in Zimbabwe is a testament of our recent achievements. We want to ensure we provide the best possible preparation to our team and this series will most certainly help in achieving the goal. We look forward to welcoming the West Indian team. We want to thank Cricket West Indies for their continuous support towards cricket development in the UAE”.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies said the tour will prove valuable for several reasons.
“This is our first ever bilateral tour against the UAE and we are pleased to have agreed this historic three-match ODI Series as it will provide a good opportunity for our players to get some preparation ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers,” he said.
“It will also allow those players not going to Zimbabwe to get some valuable experience at the international level in foreign conditions, which would be hugely beneficial to their growth and development. We are happy to work closely with the ECB to arrange the three matches and we see this as a partnership which can grow in the future.”
UAE vs West Indies ODI series
5 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
7 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
9 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
The Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) issued a statement on Tuesday congratulating Reggae Girlz striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw on being named the Concacaf Player of the Year for 2022 on Friday.
Shaw was instrumental in leading the Reggae Girlz to a second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup berth as well as helping Manchester City secure the FA Women’s League Cup crown.
The statement read as follows: “The Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) is proud to congratulate Jamaican International Footballer Khadija Monifa ‘Bunny’ Shaw on her exceptional achievement of being voted CONCACAF's Women’s Player of the Year for 2022.
This prestigious accolade, awarded by the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), recognizes the outstanding performance, skill, and dedication of the best female footballer in the region.
Miss Shaw's victory not only highlights her individual talent but also reflects the strength and progress of Jamaican football on the international stage. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw's journey began in Spanish Town and at Harbour View where she displayed a natural aptitude for football from a young age. Her unwavering commitment and drive led her to represent Jamaica at various age levels, ultimately earning her a spot on the senior national team.
As a prolific goal scorer and powerful forward, Miss Shaw has consistently demonstrated her ability to lead and inspire her teammates, both on and off the field. In 2022, Miss Shaw enjoyed a remarkable season, showcasing her skills at the club level with her European team and playing an instrumental role in the Reggae Girlz success. Her exceptional performance has been pivotal in raising the profile of Jamaican Women’s football and inspiring young athletes across the nation.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's extraordinary accomplishment is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. She has not only brought immense pride to Jamaica but has also set a far-reaching shining example for aspiring footballers in our country, the diaspora, the region and the world.
On behalf of KSAFA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to her and wish her continued success in her illustrious career. As Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw continues to break barriers and set new benchmarks, KSAFA remains committed to supporting and nurturing football talent across Jamaica. We believe that this significant achievement will serve as an inspiration for future generations and contribute to the ongoing development and growth of Jamaican football.”
There were wins for Flow 4G Cayon Rockets, MFCR Old Road United Jets and S.L. Horsfords St. Paul’s United, as round two action continued Saturday and Sunday in the 2023 SKNFA Premier League.
Firstly, on Saturday, Flow 4G Cayon Rockets secured a 4-0 win over Security Forces.
Goals from Devontay Carty in the 27th minute and Carlos Bertie in the 30th and 33rd gave the Rockets a 3-0 lead at halftime before a Shaqkeem Butler 63rd minute strike completed the scoring.
In the other Saturday game, MCFR United Old Road Jets overcame a 0-1 halftime deficit to beat Newtown United 2-1.
Shaheem Prentice gave Newtown the lead in first half stoppage time before a double from Tiquanny Williams in the 51st and 55th minutes gave the Jets the win.
On Sunday, Fast Cash Saddlers and Sol Island Conaree played out a 1-1 draw.
After a scoreless first half, Tijani Fahie opened the scoring for Conaree in the 62nd minute before Navaldo Champagne equalized for Saddlers 12 minutes later.
Saddlers coach, Samuel Phipps, was pleased with his team’s performance, despite giving up a soft goal early in the second half.
“Unfortunately, we went behind again with what I think was a soft goal, but nevertheless, traits of a good team, we always come back and try to level the score so I am pleased with the guys and their performance,” Phipps said.
Coach Al Richards of Conaree was disappointed as he felt his team should have won the match.
“I am very disappointed today in giving up these points today. I think it was a game for us to win. We didn’t defend well the set piece from Saddlers and gave up a goal. This was a chance to go up the table, maybe to 4th position but we slipped it up again,” Richards said.
In Sunday’s second game, SL Horsfords St. Paul United secured a 2-0 win over Jones Group Sandy Point.
A 54th minute penalty from Keithroy Freeman and a goal from Diandre Challenger in the 78th minute secured the win after a scoreless opening half.
Manager of St. Paul’s, Austin Lewis, was not impressed with the performance of his team.
“The performance was not the best. I was not impressed with the performance today. I think we dropped our standard,” Lewis said.
Sandy Point player, Shaquan Pemberton, said the team played well but made a couple of mistakes, which cost them the match.
“I feel like the team played well today. Just a couple mistakes we made. Next time, we must come out and do what we do again,” Pemberton said.
On Friday, St. Peters FC scored a 2-1 win over Hobson Enterprises Garden Hotspurs.
St. Peters took the lead in the 30th minute through Shevene Boston. 52 minutes later, Spurs thought they rescued a point when Steve Archibald got their equalizer before St. Peters snatched victory five minutes later through Tyquan Terrell.
St. Peters Coach, Austin Dico Huggins, said despite this win, they still have a long way to go.
“The second round started today for us. We had a very interesting game…we had a training session yesterday and we were able to put some of the things that we did in training in order to be successful in the game. I think the game was very competitive and we managed to win the game. We are going to keep working because we have a long way to go,” Huggins said.
Assistant Coach of Spurs, Rohan Browne, said this result is disappointing.
“We worked hard to come back in the second half to equalize the game,” he said, calling the penalty call a “contentious” one.
“It’s disappointing and we worked hard,” he added.
In the earlier match up, Rams Village Superstars won by default as their opponent Bath United did not show up for the game.
Barbados opened their defence of the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup with a six-wicket victory over the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Divas at Warner Park on Monday. There were also wins for Windward Islands over Guyana and Jamaica over the Leeward Islands as the tournament got going in St Kitts.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Red Force Divas innings never got going despite a valiant effort with the bat from debutant Shunelle Sawh who top-scored with 68 from 113 balls.
Sawh, a member of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 19 team, hit six boundaries as she shared a 60-run stand with Britney Cooper who made a quick 32 off 48, as the Red Force Divas posted 161 all out.
Barbados debutant, right-arm medium pacer Allison Gordon, and experienced leg-spinner Keila Elliott ran riot on the Red Force batting line-up.
Gordon bagged the wickets of Shania Abdool (2), Reneice Boyce (0), Djenaba Joseph (6) and Anisa Mohammed (16), to finish with figures of 10-1-36-4 and Elliot 9-0-40-4.
When Barbados batted, twins Kyshona and Kycia Knight posted a 74-run partnership as the defending champs reached 162-4 to win by six wickets. Kycia made 37 off 66 balls and Kyshona was run-out soon after for a 61-ball 35.
Then, the experienced pair of Shakera Selman and Aaliyah Alleyne had a 72-run partnership as Barbados secured victory in 38.4 overs. Alleyne finished unbeaten on 48 from 51 balls while Selman was with her on 21 from 43 balls. Bowling for the Red Force Divas, Steffie Soogrim finished with figures of 9-0-36-2.
At Conaree, captain Afy Fletcher steered the Windward Islands to an easy nine-wicket victory over Guyana to take early points. Winning the toss and batting first, Guyana mustered 79 all out in 27.1 overs.
They were undone by left-arm spinner Qiana Joseph who finished with figures of 10-3-18-4. Realeanna Grimmond 20 and Mandy Magru 18 were the only Guyanese batters to reach double figures. Fletcher was also lethal with her leg-spin with figures of 5.1-2-10-2.
Fletcher then returned with the bat to finish unbeaten on 44 from 52 balls while Namiah Marcellin (29*) was with her when victory came in 21.2 overs.
At St. Paul’s Ground, Celina Whyte’s medium pace was too much for the Leeward Islands as Jamaica secured a six-wicket victory.
Winning the toss and batting first, Terez Parker (32) and Divya Saxena (30) took the Leeward Islands to 120 all out in 28.4 overs.
Whyte’s pace proved too much for the home team, as she finished with figures of 8.4-1-31-5 followed by Vanessa Watts with 8-0-23-4.
Natasha McLean then led the Jamaica run-chase with the bat finishing 33* with Rashada Williams providing good support with 31 as Jamaica reached victory in 24.1 overs. Amanda Edwards was the best of the Leewards bowlers with figures of 5-0-17-2.
The sixth time is the charm for Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who on Monday was named 2022 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year in Paris.
The 36-year-old track star, considered the greatest female 100m sprinter of all time, was rewarded for an incredible season during which she won an unprecedented fifth 100m world title in Eugene, Oregon and created even more history by becoming the first woman to run under 10.7 seconds for the 100m, a record seven times in the same season.
After opening her season in Nairobi, Kenya, the two-time Olympic gold medallist ran times of 10.67, 10.67, 10.66, 10.67, 10.62 and 10.65 to cap an amazing season.
She also won a fifth Diamond League 100m title during the season.
“I was thrilled to be nominated alongside such inspiring female athletes,” said Fraser-Pryce, who got the nod ahead of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, footballer Alexia Putellas, tennis star Iga Świątek, swimmer Katie Ledecky and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin for the prestigious award.
“To win this award, voted for by some of the greatest sportsmen and women of all time, is just amazing. This is the sixth time I’ve been nominated in this category, so to finally hold the Laureus statuette in my hands is one of the greatest honours of my career.”
Fraser-Pryce is the third Jamaican athlete to win the award. Elaine Thompson-Herah won in 2022 for her exploits in 2021, while Usain Bolt won in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.
A successful team of young gymnasts returns to Jamaica on Tuesday after its encouraging exploits at the recent Caribbean Classic in Trinidad and Tobago.
The 19-member group was assembled from schools in Kingston, Westmoreland, Montego Bay, Mandeville and St. Catherine after being selected from the Jamaica School of Gymnastics Regional Schools Championship recently held in March 2023.
These young athletes, considered by Jamaica Gymnastics Association President Nicole Grant to be the foundation of the Future Stars Program, won an array of medals on the bars, floor, beam and vault exercises.
Among them were Akayla Ireland, who was second on the beam and floor routines and third on the vault and bars, respectively and finished second overall.
Akeela Bonas was third overall after claiming second on the vault and bar and third in the beam and floor exercises. Jazharia Johnson won the beam, was second in the vault and third on the floor for second place overall.
Abigail Carpenter finished third on the beam while Kelli-Jo Reid was second on the beam and floor.
Bria Eubanks was third on the floor.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) have recently hosted a series of seven Coach Development Workshops specifically for coaches of all regional age group teams and the senior women’s teams.
The workshops were held in March and April with the main purpose of building stronger connections between all of the key regional pathway coaches as well as with the CWI High Performance team. Additionally, the workshops were geared towards providing the coaches with ongoing Coach Development opportunities to foster the best possible development environments for the talented players across the region.
The sessions included a mix of on-field and classroom sessions covering a range of topics including CWI online Athlete Management Systems (AMS), Individual Player Plan (IPP) upskilling session, batting against spin, developing tactical awareness through game sense scenarios, CWI High Performance programme insights, programme/game planning, elite talent identification and development.
“The CWI High Performance Unit are adding to the online workshop support that was provided to the coaches last year. This year we are also providing in-tournament support in the form of face-to-face workshops and coach observations both in training and on match days," said CWI Coach Development Manager, Chris Brabazon.
"This allows us to support the growth of the individual coaches whilst also learning more about some of the aspects that may need to be explored further with our broader coaching community.”
The groups of coaches have participated in a series of online workshops in the lead up to their respective tournaments with face-to-face development engagements taking place throughout the tournament.
All workshops were facilitated by CWI High Performance Unit staff including, Jimmy Adams (CWI Director of Cricket), Graeme West (CWI High Performance Manager), Chris Brabazon (CWI Coach Development Manager), Steve Liburd and Rohan Nurse (CWI Talent Pathway Managers).
This initiative is part of CWI’s “Cricket First” strategic plan to invest in building coaching depth and quality across the region, considering the vital role coaches play in developing cricketers’ skills across all age groups and abilities. It provides coaches with opportunities to further learn and develop contemporary coaching philosophies and techniques that will allow them to thrive in the various stages of the West Indies Cricket Pathway.
The next Coach Development Workshops will take place in St Kitts during the upcoming West Indies Women’s Regional Tournaments – the CG United Super50 and the T20 Blaze.
Over the last three years, CWI has accredited over 1000 new coaches across the region ranging from Foundation Courses to Level 3.
Just as they did last year, Lyssons Primary Schools of St Thomas successfully defended their INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Eastern Championship amassing a massive 300.50 points and won by nearly 100 as second-placed Harbour View of St Andrew were well back on 201.33 points.
Lyssons Primary, who is also the 2022 National champion, walked away with the JMD$250,000 winning prize while Harbour View collected JMD$200,000. Kingston’s St Patrick’s Primary were third with 112.33 and got JMD $150,000.
Windward Road Primary with 111 points were fourth while John Mill Primary completed the top five with 98.33 points. Teams placed fourth to 10th will get JMD$75,000 each.
Omeco Henclewood of Holy Rosary and Davere Walker of Lyssons were joint overall male champion boys after winning two events and amassing 18 points each. Kayla Lewis of John Mills was the Girl’s overall champion amassing 18 points as well.
The INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools series moved to GC Foster on Monday for the three-day Central Championship (May 8-10) of which Greater Portmore are the defending champion.
Following the Western Championship (May 11-13) there will be the all-island National Championship to be held on May 25-27.
Teams Combined Rankings - 40 Events Scored
1) Lyssons Primary School 300.50
2) HARBOUR VIEW PRIMARY 201.33
3) St. Patrick's Primary 112.33
4) WINDWARD ROAD PRIMARY 111
5) John Mills Primary 98.33
6) Half Way Tree 91
7) St Richard’s Primary 85
8) Rousseau Primary School 73
9) New Providence 60
10) St Jude’s Primary 55
Former world eventing champion Ros Canter is within touching distance of a first Badminton Horse Trials title after she conquered punishing cross-country conditions to take pole position.
Lincolnshire-based Canter flourished with Lordships Graffalo – Badminton runners-up behind Laura Collett last year – on a day when many combinations floundered.
Double Olympic medallist Tom McEwen described the stamina-sapping going as “horrific”, and none of the starters threatened to jump clear inside the optimum time.
Canter collected 11.6 time penalties for an overnight score of 33.7, putting her nine penalties clear of Irish challenger Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, with McEwen’s Olympic team gold medal-winning colleague Oliver Townend third aboard Ballaghmor Class on 45.9.
Canter, who won the world crown in North Carolina five years ago, can afford to have two fences down in Monday’s showjumping finale and still land the £105,000 top prize.
Thirty combinations completed the cross-country test, with almost half the field either being eliminated or deciding to retire.
“It felt hard work in terms of galloping,” 37-year-old Canter said.
“He had to dig deep, but he is so honest and is a fantastic jumper. He is economical with his jumping, and you can’t get much better.
“A horse like him should be celebrated – I have not sat on anything like him before. Tomorrow is another day, but whatever happens, he is a star.”
O’Connor rocketed 32 places up the leaderboard after dressage, adding just 10.8 penalties to his score in pursuit of a crown that has not been won by an Irish rider since Major Eddie Boylan in 1965.
Cork-born O’Connor, who is based in Oxfordshire, said: “The horse was amazing. He is the real deal.
“It was the hardest he has had to try in a five-star event, but he is full of class. I’ve got a great team at home and they have kept him very fit.
“He is one of the best horses in the world, and I am a lot older than I look! I have ridden a lot of cross-country courses in the wet before.”
McEwen, meanwhile, lies fifth on Toledo De Kerser, just behind world number one Tim Price, with Gemma Stevens in sixth and Canter holding seventh spot aboard her second ride Pencos Crown Jewel.
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