Jamaica’s Sports Minister Olivia Grange has revealed that the resurfacing of the track at the National Stadium in Kingston should be complete soon and that work on the one at the Montego Bay Sports Complex at the other end of the island is to begin soon.
The refurbishing work was carried out by German company BSW, who laid the previous surface in 2010.
The installation of the previous track in Kingston was completed in March 2011 and was expected to last for at least 10 years in line with international standards.
According to AthleticsBusiness, most modern tracks are built in three layers: a paved asphalt substrate, a rubber performance layer and a textured rubber top layer. Ideally, laser-levelling the asphalt to within a 3-mm tolerance is the first step toward making a consistent running surface across the entire oval. The middle layer can be poured on-site or manufactured in advance and delivered to the site — the latter scenario ensures the greatest consistency in terms of thickness.
According to Minister Grange, most of that work has now been done and the rest should be completed within days.
“The resurfacing of the National Stadium track is 90 per cent complete. We are a few days behind due to rain, but the resurfacing will be completed by the middle of next week, after which, the marking of lanes and boxes will commence,” the minister told Jamaica’s Daily Gleaner.
She said that after the marking is completed, World Athletics will send a technician to test the track and issue the expected certification of the Class One track, the highest possible certification.
The Minister had announced in November 2020 that work on the stadium track was set to begin and that the work on the one in Montego Bay was scheduled for the 2021-2022 financial year. She had asked that the Sports Development Foundation treat the Catherine Hall Sports Complex as a priority for the next financial year which starts on April 1, 2021.
At the time, she said two factors would determine when the work gets going at the National Stadium; the first is that because the track has to be laid on a completely dried surface, it must await the end of seasonal rains.
The other factor is the ability of the manufacturers’ representatives, BSW of Germany, to come to Jamaica to supervise the project and this will depend on covid restrictions.
The resurfacing comes at an opportune time as Jamaica is expected to have its national championships in June to select a team to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan scheduled for July 23 – August 8.
Wolmer’s Boys School will join forces with top locally based track club MVP in a bid to turn around its high school track and field program.
The 14-time Boys Championships winner last claimed the title in 2010, on the 100th year anniversary of the competition. Though being typically there or thereabout, the school has not been able to consistently compete for the Mortimer Geddes trophy.
The shakeup will see the school part ways with noted high school track and field coach Danny Hawthorne, who took over the job in 2016. The annual track and field event was cancelled last year, due to the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic, but the team has finished outside of the top five for the previous three years claiming 6th place positions in 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions. MVP club president Bruce James, a former student at the institution, confirmed the existence of the new arrangements.
“The headmaster of Wolmer’s Mr. Pennycoke has invited the MVP track club to play a positive role in the redevelopment of the Wolmer’s Boys track team, this takes effect on the first of January 2021,” James told Television Jamaica.
“The Wolmer’s Boys school happens to be where the MVP track and field club was founded and the MVP club’s management consists of Wolmer’s old boys such as Stephen Francis, Paul Francis, Andre Edwards, so we are happy to help the Wolmer’s Boys track and field team and the program he is building,” he added.
President of the Nevis Cricket Association, Carlisle Powell, has called for a level playing field when it comes to the selection of players for the West Indies cricket team.
The administrator has taken exception with what he believes is the unfair treatment meted out to opening batsman Kieron Powell, who is also his son. With 12 first team members opting not to go on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, Powell, the top runs scorer during last season’s Super50 competition, was left out of a hastily assembled second-string team.
According to Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper, the player had failed to meet the team’s fitness standards. The senior Powell, however, insists that was not quite true as while representing the Leeward Islands Kieron had passed the Yoyo fitness test more than once. He insists that the issue stems from the fact that the player has not being given another opportunity to prove his fitness by the regional governing body. By comparison, he claims that Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmeyer, who both failed the test at the same time as Powell, were quickly afforded opportunities to prove their improved fitness level.
“The West Indies Cricket Board has repeatedly said as recently as Roger Harper on the 29th…that Powell was left out because he has not yet met the fitness standard, which is absolutely inaccurate in that he has more than once met and passed the fitness test as administered by the Leeward Islands,” Powell told Television Jamaica.
“The West Indies Cricket Board should amend their statement to say that they have failed to give him a fitness test since he failed the test in December of 2019,” he added.
“By the same token others who failed the fitness test at the same time, Hetmeyer and Lewis, fitness tests were arranged for them by the board. We’re saying this is absolutely wrong there must be a level playing field for all the persons.”
Former West Indies batting coach, Toby Radford, has questioned the conventional wisdom of selecting so many spinners for the team's upcoming tour of Bangladesh.
The omission of promising pace bowler Chemar Holder raised more than a few eyebrows when the squad was named last week, especially on the back of a promising debut in New Zealand. The Test squad at current features four spinners in Rahkeem Cornwall, Kavem Hodge, Veerasammy Permaul, and Jomel Warrican along with the regular fast bowling trio of Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors, Roger Harper, went on to explain that Holder’s exclusion for additional spin bowling was based on the fact that the team was eager to take advantage of Bangladesh’s spin-friendly pitches.
Radford, who was part of a successful tour of the region in 2012, is unsure if that was the best approach.
“I’ve been listening to what people have been saying. We have gone heavy with a lot of spin. You expect the pitches to be slow and turn out there. Whether they need as many spinners as they are taking, I’m not too sure,” Radford told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“In fact, when we won in 2012 it was done with good batting, posting big scores and having pace, actually, guys who could get it down in the high 80s, 90 miles and hour, not just assuming that because it’s slow pitches spinners are going to do the work. I’m actually working for Bangladesh at the moment, I spent 6 weeks out there, they play spin very well, they’re brought up playing that kind of bowling.”
Jamaican track athlete, Briana Williams, the 2018 double World U20 sprint champion, will serve as the race patron for the 2021 Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run set for February 21.
Inter Miami have parted ways with manager Diego Alonso amid reports Phil Neville has been approached about taking over.
In their first season in MLS, Inter finished the regular season with a record of seven wins, three draws and 13 losses, which was sufficient to qualify for the play-in round of the playoffs.
A 3-0 defeat at Nashville on November 20 saw them fail to advance, however, and Alonso will not return to the dugout for a second campaign.
"Going through the journey of this inaugural season with Inter Miami has been an incredible experience, and I am thankful to the ownership group for the opportunity," Alonso said in a statement.
"I want to thank the staff for their work and friendship, the players for their efforts on the field, and especially the fans for their constant support throughout the year. I wish everyone the best this upcoming season."
Managing owner Jorge Mas added: "On behalf of the organisation, I want to thank Diego for his hard work and dedication during our inaugural season and wish him the best in his future endeavours.
"This was a difficult year and a very tough decision for everyone, but we believe it is the right step for the club. We have great expectations for Inter Miami in the short and long term."
England Women boss Neville is believed to be the frontrunner to replace Alonso.
Neville will step down from his role with the Lionesses when his contract expires in July but hoped to coach Great Britain at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in July and August.
The 43-year-old is a former Manchester United team-mate of Inter Miami owner David Beckham. They are also co-owners of Salford City in England's League Two.
Legendary Windies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose is hopeful a few of the players selected for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh will be able to take full use of the opportunity to represent the team, despite being surprise selections.
Twelve players, including West Indies captain Jason Holder, vice-captain Roston Chase and T20 captain Kieron Pollard opted not make themselves available for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh this month. The players cited health and safety reasons in their decision to reject the tour.
The absence of the team’s first-string players will see Kraigg Brathwaite, lead the Test squad with Jermaine Blackwood as vice-captain. Former West Indies A team captain, Jason Mohammed, will lead the ODI team with Sunil Ambris as vice-captain.
There will be first-time call-ups for Kavem Hodge to the Test squad and left-handed opener Shayne Moseley and all-rounder Kyle Mayers touring in the Test squad for the first time, after being part of the reserve team to England and New Zealand.
Two players earned first call-ups to the ODI squad - Akeal Hosein, a left-arm spinner allrounder, and Kjorn Ottley, a left-handed top-order batsman. Despite expecting difficult conditions for the tour, Ambrose hopes some of the players will use the opportunity to challenge for regular places.
“I think it’s the perfect opportunity for some of these youngsters who have been knocking on the door for some time now to show the selectors and the rest of the cricket people that they are ready for this kind of cricket,” Ambrose told the Good Morning Jojo radio show.
“I am hoping these guys do very well with Bangladesh. Whether we win the series, draw the series, or even lose the series, I hope they do extremely well so that when they get back home lead selector Roger Harper and company will have some headaches to decide who to select.”
Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Carlos Brathwaite are among several West Indies players who have made themselves available for the Pakistan Super League draft set for January 10, 2021, in Lahore.
Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons were also the players whose names were released on Tuesday by the PSL. They are among 25 international players who will be available for the six-team competition even though some of them will only be available for a part of the season due to a packed international calendar during the February to March window.
Gayle has played previously in the PSL for the Karachi Kings and the Lahore Qalanders.
Other notable players who are in the draft pool include Imran Tahir, Chris Jordan, Chris Lyn, Mohammed Nabi, Alex Hales and Morne Morkel.
The 25 foreign players have been placed in the 'Platinum' category, from which the six franchises will select.
Barbadian fast bowler Keon Harding has been selected to join the West Indies tour to Bangladesh later this month.
West Indies fast bowling legend Curtly Ambrose has applied for the position of elite pace bowling coach at the England and Wales Cricket Board, the bowler confirmed on Wednesday.
LA Galaxy have appointed former Toronto boss Greg Vanney as their head coach.
Vanney, who resigned from his position at Toronto in December, takes over after a difficult 2020 season for Galaxy.
The former Galaxy defender said he was looking forward to the opportunity as he replaces Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to coach the LA Galaxy," Vanney said.
"The LA Galaxy are an iconic club with a rich history in Los Angeles, MLS and North American soccer over the last 25 years.
"I am committed to working tirelessly for this club, our fans and Los Angeles to win a championship. I look forward to this new challenge in my career and am eager to get started."
Galaxy have missed the playoffs in three of the previous four seasons, winning just six games in 2020.
Vanney led Toronto to a treble in 2017, winning the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield and Canadian Championship.
"Greg is a part of the history of the LA Galaxy and we are confident that he is the right person to lead our team moving forward," Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese said.
"He has deep knowledge of this club and Major League Soccer as a player and a coach and has proven to be a consistent winner with a championship pedigree. His accolades as Toronto FC's manager are evidence of his ability to create and sustain success in our league.
"We look forward to working with Greg to continue to build a team that will compete for trophies."
Former West Indies fast bowler, Franklyn Rose, believes current players representing the team could benefit from a change in mindset as he believes many might be too focused on playing the game solely for financial benefit.
The 48-year-old Rose, who played for the West Indies between 1997 and 2000, has openly admitted to being upset by the current plight of the regional team, particularly on the back of a brutal run of recent results.
After a hiatus enforced by the coronavirus pandemic, the West Indies resumed international cricket with a three-Test tour of England in July. The Windies won the first match but were badly outplayed for the rest of the series in a 2-1 defeat. The team then headed to New Zealand, last month, where they were handily beaten in both a three-match T20 series and a two-Test series where they suffered an innings defeat in both matches.
In recent times, particularly with the advent of lucrative T20 leagues, some players have been accused of putting personal gain over the pride of representing the West Indies. Rose seems to among those that hold some form of that particular view.
“We need to focus more on the success of the game than just thinking about the big bank accounts,” Rose told Television Jamaica.
“Of course the guys are going to say that they have bills to pay and family to take care of and stuff but when you are at that level of the game, representing the West Indies, one of the greatest teams of all time, you need to have a different mindset.”
The Jamaica Football Federation has lauded the late Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, who died on Monday night in the United States from an undisclosed illness.
CONCACAF has announced the cancellation of both its Under-17 and Under-20 youth championships in light of FIFA’s recent announcement to shutter the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Men’s World Cups, scheduled to take place in Peru and Indonesia later this year.
The U-20 tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Honduras between 20 June and 5 July 2020. However, following the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic the tournament was initially pushed forward to later this year. The U-17 competition suffered a similar fate.
With the spread of the virus continuing to affect safety concerns and travelling ability, FIFA announced the decision to cancel both tournaments last week. With the CONCACAF tournaments serving as qualifiers for the World Cups, the confederation decided to follow suit. As part of the decision, FIFA announced the next editions will be held in 2023 at the venues that were to host the 2021 editions of the tournaments.
Jamaica (1999, 2011), Trinidad and Tobago (2001, 2007) and Haiti (2007, 2019), and Cuba (1989, 1991) are the Caribbean teams to have qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup editions. At the Under-20 level Trinidad and Tobago (1991, 2009) Jamaica (2001), and Cuba (2013) have qualified to the finals.
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