The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) created a total economic impact of US$39,470,999 for Saint Lucia during the 2023 tournament.
There were six matches scheduled in Saint Lucia between 16 and 20 August with games taking place at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground with all six CPL teams visiting the island over that period.
The total event impact is calculated by world renowned research organization, YouGov Sport with the final figure being determined by organiser spend, visitor spend and media and promotional value for Saint Lucia. During CPL’s stay in St Lucia, CPL booked 12,818 hotel room nights, made up of players, coaches, administrators, TV and media crews, team owner groups, league and franchise event management teams, alongside overseas visitors who arrived to watch the games. A meaningful part of the total economic impact figure stems from the money spent by these overseas visitors.
Saint Lucia also benefited from the tournament being broadcast around the world with CPL’s audience reaching 853.5million total viewers in 2023. As always, CPL worked closely with the local tourism authorities to create world class content which helped promote the spectacular benefits on offer to visitors to Saint Lucia. These exclusive features and vignettes were shown during the CPL matches, further promoting the tourism message.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “Saint Lucia was once again a wonderful host for CPL matches in 2023 and we enjoyed the unrivalled hospitality in such beautiful surroundings. We are looking forward to returning for the 2024 season to once again contribute positively to the Saint Lucian economy.”
Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, said: “Through the synergy of sports and tourism, the Republic Bank CPL has not only brought thrilling cricket action to Saint Lucia but has also catalyzed a ripple effect of economic prosperity. Some of our household names have developed through the sport even beyond the boundary. The tournament's impact resonates across sectors enriching our local economy and showcasing the unparalleled beauty of Saint Lucia to a global audience."
Facteur Cheval is likely to head to Royal Ascot after his Dubai World Cup night heroics in Meydan.
Jerome Reynier’s five-year-old has been the most consistent of operators when campaigning predominantly over a mile, finishing no worse than third in six starts in top company last season and ending the campaign by chasing home Big Rock at Ascot on British Champions Day.
Upped in distance to nine furlongs for a red-hot renewal of the Dubai Turf, the French challenger finally got his moment in the spotlight, revelling around the turns of Meydan to prevail by a short head in the hands of Maxime Guyon.
Further international assignments could be on the horizon once a trip to Royal Ascot for the meeting-opening Queen Anne Stakes is out of the way, with connections keen to explore more opportunities to race around a bend.
“I think the conditions favoured him and he’s more of an American type of horse to tell the truth,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Gary Barber.
“I think he wants to run on a round track and with a pace to run at.
“He can handle any kind of surface, but I think he prefers a sounder surface and most of those races in Europe he ran in when he was finishing second and third, they were too tactical – especially in France, where they go so slow – and he doesn’t have that instant burst of speed.
“I think now we have figured out what he enjoys doing, we’re going to figure out a programme around that.
“We will go to Ascot probably and run in the Queen Anne because it’s an exciting race and people would like to see it, but after that I think we will focus on international races on a round course.”
Facteur Cheval could also be seen plying his trade on dirt before the end of the year, having impressed in his trackwork on that particular surface out in the Middle East.
Although no concrete plans are made, that would bring some valuable prizes in America into the equation, including the season-ending Breeders’ Cup, which this year takes place at Del Mar in November.
“Another thing is, he trained great on the dirt over there in Meydan and I think we will try him on that also,” continued Irwin.
“I wouldn’t run him in the Breeders’ Cup Mile because that is two turns and at Del Mar it is too tight a turf course and he’s too big a horse to adapt to that.
“Santa Anita would be a little better but a mile and a quarter on dirt is something we will take a good look at. We haven’t planned anything yet after Ascot, but after that every option is open.”
Irwin also reserved special praise for the son of Ribchester’s handler, who he credits with formulating the successful Dubai Turf plan.
He added: “I’ve got to give all my credit to my trainer and he figured the whole thing out.
“He took a chance not prepping the horse beforehand and he knew what he had. For a young guy, he is quite the thinker and a very impressive individual.”
British racing has launched a new campaign designed to promote and share the facts around welfare in racing.
HorsePWR will have its own dedicated website (www.horsepwr.co.uk) to provide information about the sport and the thoroughbred, the lives they lead and the high welfare and safety standards within racing.
The website explores the areas that racing has committed to improve, such as the lives after racing horses go on to have, reducing risk on and off course and facts surrounding the whip.
Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell said of the new campaign: “This is just what racing needs. We must provide the facts, help educate, and confront the tough questions head on.
“The facts matter. We understand our responsibility and respect our horses, and we want to make sure the public know this too.
“It’s good to see us taking a new approach, showing pride in the lives we give our horses, and challenging and correcting inaccurate information which is put into the public domain by those who are opposed to the sport.”
Robin Mounsey, BHA head of communications and member of the sport’s Horse Welfare Board, said: “The HorsePWR campaign sees the sport take a new approach when it comes to talking about welfare.
“It is about being up-front, open, and transparent. It is about tackling head-on the elements of the sport that we know are areas of concern and providing information to educate and reassure.
“Those who work in the sport are rightly proud of our record and standards when it comes to welfare. This campaign provides a platform to allow those connected with the sport to share their pride.
“It will be aimed at racing’s current and potential fans, seeking to ensure that future generations of racing followers are not lost to the sport due to negative perceptions around the welfare issues which are tackled by this campaign.
“HorsePWR has received significant support from across the racing industry, and we are especially grateful to the Jockey Club for providing additional funding to support the initial stage of the campaign.”
This afternoon’s National Hunt meeting at Warwick has become the latest victim of the current wet spell, with course officials left with no option but to abandon the fixture due to a waterlogged track.
While persistent rain continues to play havoc with the racing programme, no inspection was planned at Warwick, with only minimal rainfall forecast overnight.
However, the track posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday morning: “Following 16 millimetres of rainfall overnight and into this morning, which is a significant change from the three millimetres initially forecast, the track is now waterlogged and therefore unraceable.
“All tickets will automatically be refunded.”
Southwell’s Thursday card is set to go ahead as scheduled after the course passed a precautionary check at 7.30am, but racing at Clonmel in Ireland has been called off.
Further disruption looks likely heading into the weekend, with Friday’s meeting at Wetherby subject to a 3pm inspection this afternoon and Saturday’s Premier Raceday at Kelso also under threat.
The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which will is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is currently heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am on Friday to assess the latest state of play.
Barbados copped the West Indies Under-15 Rising Stars title following a stunning 192-run victory over Windwards Islands in the final round of the tournament on Wednesday.
Jahidi Hinds with a top score of 84 from 105 balls propelled Barbados to 297 runs in 49.2 overs, and later returned to grab two wickets that assisted to restrict Windward Islands to a paltry 105.
Hinds, who slammed five fours and three sixes in his knock, was one of three batsmen that scored half-centuries for the Barbadians at Bethesda. Captain Damarko Wiggins supported with a 69-ball 62, including five fours and three sixes, while Justin Parris contributed 58 from 61 balls.
Earsinho Fontaine was the pick of the Windward Islands bowlers, as he ended with five for 18 from 4.2 overs.
Windward Islands in their reply failed to get going with Jorden Charles the only batsman to offer little resistance with 32. No other Windwards batsman got to 20, as they were dismissed in 26.2 overs.
Javed Worrell, with 3-17 from five overs, led the Barbados bowling, while Kelani Clarke and Hinds took two wickets apiece.
It was the fourth win in a row for the Barbadians after their opening match against Guyana was washed out without a ball bowled.
Last year, Trinidad & Tobago emerged victorious in the tournament which was also held in Antigua.
The annual tournament represents Cricket West Indies continued investment in the development of the region's rising stars.
In a message resonating with pride and admiration, Keith Joseph, President of the Caribbean Association of Olympic Committees (CANOC), has reflected on the remarkable achievements of Caribbean athletes at the recent Carifta Games in Grenada and the Carifta Aquatic Championships in the Bahamas.
Jamaica secured a 38th consecutive title at the 51st Carifta Games in Grenada winning 84 medals, 45 of them gold, while in the Bahamas, the home team won a record-extending sixth aquatics title further enhancing their reputation as kings and queens of the pool.
"We have recently celebrated the annual Easter weekend events across the world. For us in the Caribbean, we are still reflecting on the outstanding performances of our athletes at both the Carifta Athletics Championships in Grenada and the Carifta Swimming Championships in the Bahamas," the CANOC president said.
Joseph wasted no time in lauding the athletes, acknowledging their remarkable efforts and dedication. "While not all athletes would have won medals," he remarked, "scores of them have achieved personal best performances. All participating athletes are winners insofar as having gained national selection is itself a major feat and an important part of their personal and their respective country’s sporting history."
Indeed, the records shattered and the triumphs achieved at these championships were nothing short of extraordinary. Jamaica's 38th consecutive title at the Carifta Games in Grenada, along with an impressive haul of 84 medals, exemplified the caliber of talent present in the Caribbean. Similarly, the Bahamas' record-extending sixth consecutive swimming title, won in front of their passionate home crowd, showcased the region's dominance in aquatic sports.
"Records have been broken by athletes we expect will follow the long-held tradition of becoming the next generation of sporting stars of the Caribbean," Joseph enthused. "Small we may be as countries in the global environment but through sport we have competed well and blazed a trail of success consistent with our immense potential, resilience, and resolve."
Joseph extended heartfelt congratulations to all the athletes who represented their countries at these prestigious events, emphasizing the significance of their accomplishments. He also expressed gratitude to the governments and people of Grenada and the Bahamas for their unwavering support and financial commitment to the sporting spectacles.
Moreover, Joseph emphasized the importance of government involvement in facilitating the sports development process in the Caribbean. "The continued challenges of hosting major sport competitions at the Caribbean level impact the broader sport development process," he noted. "There is an important need for us to have governments play a more important role in facilitating the sport development process in the Caribbean."
In closing, Joseph highlighted the call for Caribbean unity and collaboration in sport, as advocated by Grenada's Minister of Sport, Gayton J La Crette. He underscored CANOC's commitment to facilitating research initiatives aimed at developing a sustainable sport development strategy for the region.
"Together," Joseph concluded, "we can show the difference sport can make to our Caribbean reality."
Further adjustments to the National Hunt programme have been “under discussion” as the British Horseracing Authority seeks to improve competitiveness within that sphere.
A total of 300 jumps races and 20 jumps meetings were removed from the 2024 fixture list as part of a package of initiatives focussed on increasing field sizes.
However, the BHA’s director of racing and betting Richard Wayman reports that while the numbers of runners for all-weather meetings on the Flat in the first three months of the year have been pleasing, National Hunt numbers have not reached similar heights.
While citing the wet winter as a possible reason for a lack of competition, Wayman admits jump racing is “short of where we want it to be”.
He said: “It is a mixed picture. If we wanted to look at it positively, on the all-weather through the winter our Flat fixtures have generated probably more competitive racing than we have had for a long time.
“If we look at the percentage of races that have attracted eight runners, you’ve got to go back to 2007 to find the sort of percentage we have achieved in the first three months of this year.
“Obviously, jumping isn’t where we want it to be and we continue to face our challenges with the competitiveness of jump racing. The numbers for jump racing on core fixtures are around 47 per cent, a little bit better at the Premier meetings but either way that is short of where we want it to be.
“I think we haven’t been helped by the ground conditions that we have faced through the first three months of this year – 78 per cent of races have been run on soft or heavy ground compared to 44 or 43 per cent in the last two years, it just demonstrates how wet it has been and that clearly will have had an impact on field sizes.
“However, it is important to stress we’re not using that as an excuse, I think that has been a factor in where we are this year but the challenges we face with jump racing competitiveness are beyond just the fact we’ve had a wet three months.
“We’ve introduced measures this year, we made changes to the programme, we took out 300 races through the year and some will have fallen in the first quarter. It is certainly under discussion whether we need to go further for 2025 in an attempt to make racing more competitive at this time next year than it has been in the last few months.
“Having said that, in our view, you can’t just keep reducing fixtures and/or races with a view to making jump racing more competitive. There are more fundamental issues that as a sport we are going to need to tackle to try to support the long-term future of jump racing.
“We are looking at that and I think we will need to introduce further measures beyond race volume to try to support the future of jump racing longer term.”
During a briefing call, the BHA’s director of communications and corporate affairs Greg Swift confirmed discussions remain ongoing with the Betting and Gaming Council over a reform of the levy, with gambling minister Stuart Andrew due to issue an update later this month.
Swift said: “Meetings are accelerated between BGC and DCMS – in fact, I had a meeting with them this morning.
“We will have at least two next week and we had two last week and there are conversations and meetings that take place outside of those formal arrangements with DCMS at which the minister is trying to bring us closer to an agreed position.
“We continue to work at pace, in good faith on all sides. We are not there yet but we will keep our shoulder to the wheel to try to get an arrangement agreed with the sports minister in time for him to update the house on April 24.”
Tomorrow’s National Hunt meeting at Southwell and Friday’s jumps card at Wetherby will need to survive inspections to go ahead.
While the Flat season is now under way, the persistent rain is playing havoc with the new campaign, with the meeting at Nottingham on Wednesday abandoned.
Catterick’s card did go ahead after passing an inspection but there is no sign of the wet weather abating and Southwell has called a precautionary check for 7.30am.
The course is currently raceable, but should more rain than the forecast showers fall overnight, then there may be an issue.
There is a jumps meeting at Warwick where the ground is heavy but no inspection is currently planned.
It is a similar story at Fontwell on Friday but at Wetherby there are “multiple areas of standing water/waterlogged ground”.
An inspection will be held at 3pm on Thursday after 7mm of rain fell on Tuesday night and a further 6mm arrived through Wednesday up to 1pm. The forecast for Thursday is mainly dry but another 11mm is forecast for Thursday night.
Kelso are also keeping an eye on the situation ahead of their Premier meeting on Saturday.
A post on social media read: “We are closely monitoring the weather conditions with regard to racing on Saturday. We will be in a better position to assess the impact of today’s rainfall by Thursday morning, when declarations will be made for Saturday’s races.”
Fiona Needham is one trainer who hopes the rain keeps falling ahead of Sine Nomine’s potential Coral Scottish National bid.
An ‘old-fashioned’ winner of the Cheltenham Hunters’ Chase in that Needham is strictly an amateur behind her day job as Catterick’s clerk of the course, the grey’s victory was one of the most popular at the Festival.
The Congratulations Fifi & Sine Nomine Handicap took place at Catterick on Wednesday in homage to her achievement, something she knew nothing about, but while the racing world is counting down to Aintree, Needham, who won the Cheltenham race as a jockey on Last Option as well, has her eyes fixed elsewhere.
“It was 22 years after riding the winner but it was a dream come true – I didn’t think I’d have a horse good enough to run in it again, so to win it was unbelievable,” she told Racing TV.
“I never think I’m going to win, I’m the biggest pessimist, but my boyfriend did back her and when I asked why he said ‘you must be quite confident, as you said we might be placed, which is as good as it ever gets’ – so I suppose you could say I fancied her.
“She always travels well in her races, which is what you need there. She’d run there twice before, the first was first time over fences and the second we thought she might not have got up the hill, but she over-raced a bit.
“My only instructions to John (Dawson) were to save a bit for the hill but he was very cool.
“She’s come out of it very well, she’s very much a confidence mare and knows she’s won. She’s entered for the Scottish National, obviously she’d need to get in, but it keeps raining, which is in our favour, so we’ll see where we go from there.”
The Middleton Stakes at York and the Lockinge at Newbury are among the races likely to come under consideration for Nashwa following her creditable comeback run in Dubai last weekend.
John and Thady Gosden’s filly has struck gold three times in Group One company, landing the French Oaks and the Nassau Stakes in 2022 before adding the Falmouth Stakes to her CV last summer.
She was also placed against the colts in both the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes last season and headed for the Middle East to make her five-year-old debut on Dubai World Cup night.
Drawn widest of all at Meydan in stall 16, Nashwa managed to get into a prominent early position in the Dubai Turf and was not beaten far in the end – and connections are taking the positives out of her performance.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner-breeder Imad Alsagar, said: “Her chance was certainly compromised by the draw, but it is what it is. She’s run a super race and got a great ride and everything pretty much went to plan.
“She just had to use herself up a little too much, but she was beaten just over four lengths, so overall we were very encouraged really.
“We’d hope she’ll improve, as she did last season. She’s due back tomorrow and we’ll see how she is, but I think we’ll probably look at the mile, mile and a quarter races.”
Nashwa is entered in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York on May 16 and the Al Shaqab Lockinge at Newbury two days later. The daughter of Frankel appears likely to contest one or the other on her next appearance.
“Of course, it depends how she comes out of the race. She recovered fine, but we’ll see how she takes the trip home etc, and then we’ll make a plan,” Grimthorpe added
“She’s in the Middleton and the Lockinge and I think those would be the most likely potential targets.”
On the 20th anniversary of Graham Lee winning the Grand National on Amberleigh House, a new racing club was launched to help raise money for the jockey after he suffered life-changing injuries in a fall at Newcastle in November.
The 48-year-old had a long and distinguished career in the saddle – under both codes. As well as winning the Grand National, he completed the unique double of riding the Gold Cup winner at Royal Ascot, via Trip To Paris.
The Graham Lee Racing Club has been set up by the Good Racing Company, founded by Phil Hawthorne, who established a similar venture for former rugby league player Rob Burrow.
They have purchased a two-year-old filly called We’ve Got This, in reference to a message Lee’s wife Becky posted on social media after the accident.
Lee’s daughter Amy and son Robbie have been at the forefront of the fundraising, with the latter designing the club’s logo, featured around Lee’s favourite number 17, also the number Amberleigh House wore at Aintree and the cost, £17, to join the venture, while Amy set up the initial Just Giving page.
She said: “It’s so nice that something so positive comes out of something so awful. I love meeting people who know dad, everyone has their really cool stories and everyone has been wanting to help so much. It’s nice to create something positive.
“When we set up a Just Giving page for dad, the target was £100, last week it hit £200,000 – which is crazy. I never expected that.
“I’ve always said to dad every time he has a negative thought, there’s a donation to show him he needs to keep going, there are so many people behind him.
“When he’s had his down days, we’ve sat there and we’ve read all the lovely messages and it always puts a smile on our faces.
“We’ve had so much support and the McCoys have been like a second family to us – the night it happened AP picked me up, as I live near him, and he brought me up home.”
She went on: “Dad is just dad to me. I never really clicked how incredible he was. I’ve always thought the world of him but another jockey said to me ‘he’s like God, he’s who everyone wants to be like’. It’s so nice to hear something like that.
“I wish that I could be half the person. I’m a performer, I’m studying musical theatre, and to have that competitive mindset to be a winner, to be a champion, is admirable.
“While he was a jockey, it was onto the next thing. When he won the National, he was just thinking ‘I need to go to Hexham tomorrow’, he never got to celebrate it really, but since his accident, he’s really reflected and we’ve pulled out the old photos and old videos.
“When his friends and fellow jockeys come and see him, they reflect on races from years ago and his memory is insanely sharp. I think it’s starting to click that ‘actually, I think I was all right. I don’t think I did too bad a job’.
“So many people have come to see him or got in touch with a message, it’s been so nice and really kept dad going.
“The world goes on but for us four, we’re still at November 11, time’s just stopped since then. Everyone has been carrying on, as they should. But it’s nice that people are still caring at this point, five months down the line. They are still showing up, ringing, messaging.”
Lee’s former weighing room colleague and dual champion jockey Paul Hanagan is now assistant trainer to Craig Lidster, who has been entrusted with looking after We’ve Got This.
“It’s an honour to be involved in this, Graham’s family are closely involved, Steve and Wendy Burdett, who own Eboracum Stables, have given us the horse, so a lot of thanks go to them,” said Hanagan.
“The filly is by Invincible Army, she’s been doing everything right and I’ve sat on her myself. She’s flourished these last few months and we’re really looking forward to the season.
“Obviously, I’ve had a few sleepless nights hoping I’ve picked a good one! Hopefully she’ll be running in the next five to six weeks.
“Graham has made a huge contribution to racing all through his career and I’d love to give something back.”
Lee himself said: “I’m really humbled that a fundraising racing club has been set up in my honour, and that Paul Hanagan has chosen the horse for me. I’ve been shown videos of the horse and she looks very promising. No pressure Paul, but I hope you’ve picked a winner!
“I’ve seen what the Good Racing Company has achieved for Rob Burrow and how it’s united the racing community. I have high hopes that this new racing club achieves the same success with We’ve Got This, and my family and I look forward to following the excitement and being part of this new community.”
Lidster, whose yard is flourishing, said: “As you can see, she’s a nice, big filly, so hopefully we might get to York at some point.
“I don’t want to put her on a pedestal but she’s going the right way, she’s got a great attitude, she loves her work and we’re pleased with her.
“She has size and scope about her, so we’ll be choosing the right track for her; galloping tracks like York and Doncaster.
“This is a special cause. Family is family, whether that is your own or the racing industry – and that is how we look at Graham and anyone else in this sport, we all look to help each other when these things happen.”
More information can be found at: https://thegoodracing.co/
Last year’s runner-up Vanillier and Cheltenham Festival heroine Limerick Lace could be joined by Malina Girl to form a three-pronged assault on the Randox Grand National for trainer Gavin Cromwell.
Vanillier charged home from the rear to finish best of the rest behind Corach Rambler 12 months ago and warmed up for his return to Merseyside by finishing second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February for the second year in succession.
The grey is a Cheltenham Festival winner himself, having landed the 2021 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, and Cromwell is optimistic of another bold showing at Aintree on Saturday week.
“He’s good, I’m happy with him now, he’s come out of the Bobbyjo well and come forward since that,” said the County Meath handler.
“I’d like it if it stopped raining so the ground isn’t too testing. If it dried up a little bit it would be no harm.
“If you look back at his form, he won the Albert Bartlett in the spring time when there was a bit of nice ground coming and we think he improves for it.
“This has been the plan for the year, we’re pretty happy with how it’s gone and we’re happy with where he is now, that’s the most important part.”
Limerick Lace has won three of her four starts over fences so far this season, most recently edging out fellow JP McManus-owned runner Dinoblue in a thrilling Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham.
The seven-year-old will step up almost two miles in distance in the Grand National, but William Hill ambassador Cromwell does not feel she is lacking in the stamina department.
“At the moment, the plan is to run her, she’s come out of Cheltenham well,” he said.
“She jumps well, so hopefully she’ll take the fences.
“She was second in the Troytown in Navan back in November and stayed well that day over three miles on testing going. I know the National is a bit further again, but the Troytown is a big stamina race and she did stay well, so hopefully she can stay a bit further.
“She certainly handles soft ground and she’s very clear winded, but the softer the ground, the more stamina that’s needed. Hopefully she can stay.”
Malina Girl, who won a staying handicap chase at Cheltenham in November, is currently the 39th horse in the order of entry, meaning she is not yet guaranteed a place in the final field of 34.
But with an allotted weight of just 10st 5lb, Cromwell is keen to let her line up if she does make the cut for the world’s most famous steeplechase.
“She’d probably prefer it if the ground dried out a little. She’s only small, but she does jump really well and she’s off a light weight, so we plan to run her anyway,” he added.
“She’s probably not got much in hand off her handicap mark, but at the same time she jumps well and stays well and has a light weight, so hopefully she can run well.”
West Indies cricketer John Campbell finds himself in a frustrating state of limbo as his appeal hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his four-year ban is postponed for a sixth time without any explanation.
The saga began in April 2022 when Campbell was handed a four-year ban for refusing to submit a blood sample. Despite the ban being retroactively effective from May 10, 2022, Campbell and his attorneys were determined to fight the decision. In December 2022, they filed an appeal with CAS, seeking justice and the opportunity to clear Campbell's name.
Months have turned into years as the appeal process drags on. The matter was finally heard before CAS in April 2023, raising hopes for a resolution. However, those hopes were dashed when the decision, initially scheduled for August 31, 2023, was postponed repeatedly, with the latest ruling date set for May 31, 2024.
For Campbell, each postponement brings a fresh wave of frustration and uncertainty. The prolonged legal battle takes its toll on him, both mentally and emotionally. As a professional athlete, the uncertainty surrounding his future is particularly agonizing.
Unfortunately, Campbell's case is not an isolated incident. Many athletes, across different sports and countries, find themselves entangled in the web of the sports dispute resolution system, unable to access timely justice. The ineffective processes of CAS leave athletes like Campbell stranded, facing the daunting prospect of abandoning their careers due to the financial and emotional strain of prolonged legal battles.
Calls for reform echo loudly across the sporting world. Human rights experts urge CAS to overhaul its processes to ensure fairness and transparency for all athletes. Player associations, including the World Players’ Association (WPA), the Federation of Cricketers’ Association (FICA), and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA), stand in solidarity with Campbell, demanding immediate action from CAS.
In the heart of Nassau, at the Betty Kelly-Henning Swim Complex, history was etched into the aquamarine waters as the Bahamas achieved a feat unparalleled in the annals of CARIFTA Swimming Championships. With resounding cheers echoing through the stands, the Bahamian swimmers surged to victory, clinching their sixth consecutive title..
The stage was set for a showdown of aquatic prowess, with 25 nations from across the Caribbean vying for supremacy. Yet, from the outset, it was clear that the Bahamian team was on a mission — a mission to etch their names into the record books once more.
Led by the indomitable spirit of Head Coach Travano McPhee, the Bahamian contingent unleashed their full potential. With each stroke, each turn, they surged ahead, leaving their competitors trailing in their wake.
Day after day, the Bahamas increased its lead, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind of their dominance in the pool. From the precision of their starts to the power of their finishes, every swimmer embodied the essence of excellence, pushing themselves to their limits and beyond.
As the final day of competition dawned, the tension was palpable. Yet, amidst the nerves, there was an air of confidence among the Bahamian swimmers. They knew that this was their moment, their chance to make history once more.
And make history they did.
With a final surge of speed and determination, the Bahamas clinched their sixth consecutive CARIFTA Aquatics Championship title, sending shockwaves of celebration throughout the nation. Tears of joy mingled with the waters of the pool as the triumphant swimmers embraced, their hearts filled with pride for what they had accomplished.
In the medal standings, the Bahamas reigned supreme, topping the table with 34 gold, 39 silver, and 28 bronze for a total of 101 medals. Trinidad & Tobago followed with 24 gold, 15 silver, and 17 bronze for 56 total medals, securing second place. The Cayman Islands claimed the third spot with 18 gold, 13 silver, and 19 bronze, accumulating 50 total medals. Jamaica, with 18 gold, 12 silver, and 15 bronze, earned a total of 45 medals, securing the fourth position. Barbados rounded out the top five teams with 15 gold, 15 silver, and 7 bronze, totaling 47 medals.
Speaking to the Nassau Guardian in the aftermath of their historic win, Coach McPhee expressed his gratitude to his team and the Bahamian people. "This is our house, and we were able to hold it down," he declared, his voice ringing with emotion. "I'm proud to be a part of this team, and I'm very proud of everyone who contributed to this sixth straight win. We're not done yet... next year, we're going for seven straight."
And with that vow hanging in the air, the Bahamian swimmers basked in the glory of their triumph, knowing that they had not only made history but had also etched their names into the hearts of a nation. For in the waters of the Betty Kelly-Henning Swim Complex, the spirit of the Bahamas soared to new heights, a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the unbreakable bond of a team united in pursuit of greatness.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
