Either way, a Jamaican player would have become 2023 Suncorp Super Netball League champion but at the end of an intensely grand-final at the John Cain Arena on Saturday, it was the Jamaican defensive pair of Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson that sealed the deal as Adelaide Thunderbirds defeated New South Wales Swifts 60-59 in overtime.
Three-time champion Romelda Aiken-George who led the Swifts’ scoring with 27 goals had to settle for the position of runner-up in a match-up that will be remembered for ages.
Sterling was the first to make her mark on the match battling Aiken-George for the ball and drawing the offensive contact to put the Thunderbirds ahead.
Following suite, her teammate Wilson controlled the ball for another gain and the Thunderbirds then blitzed out to a five-goal lead.
Swift Helen Housby had her eyes firmly locked on the goal when she entered the Suncorp Super Shot zone during the Power Five to confidently narrow the Thunderbirds’ lead.
However, Sterling prevented the Swifts from getting too close with an intercept before the end of the quarter allowing the Thunderbirds to head into the break in front 16-12.
Eleanor Cardwell led the scoring for Adelaide with 31 goals and Lucy Austin had nine goals as Adelaide extended their advantage to eight points at half time after outscoring their opponents 19-15 in the second stanza to take a 35-27 led into the break.
The break proved to be a welcome one for New South Wales, who had eliminated last year’s champions West Coast Fever in last week’s preliminary final.
They emerged from the break with renewed focus and cut decisively into Adelaide’s lead after outscoring them 13-8 in the third quarter and was only down by three heading into the final stanza.
They used that momentum to outscore Adelaide 14-11 in the final quarter as the final whistle sounded with the scores locked at 54-54.
Overtime proved just as intense both Helen Housby and Cardwell stepping up to the challenge early slotting Super Shots for their respective teams.
However, the Thunderbirds’ defensive pressure forced the Swifts into a held ball and Cardwell capitalized again but then an offensive contact had the Swifts charging.
Fawns levelled the scores for the Swifts but Sterling showed why she’s the best interceptor in the league burying the Swifts dreams as her teammates made the intercept count.
The Swifts tried their hardest, however, were unable to halt the pink tide with the Thunderbirds winning by one goal.
Westover made the trip to France worthwhile by winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud for Ralph Beckett and Rob Hornby.
Winner of the Irish Derby last season, he had run two fine races in defeat this year behind Equinox in Dubai and Emily Upjohn at Epsom.
Sent off favourite to add a second Group One to his tally, he raced in third as Tunnes and Malabu Drive, Westover’s pacemaker, ensured a stiff gallop.
Hornby was keen to put the Juddmonte-owned colt’s stamina to good use and took over at the head of affairs with fully two furlongs to run, but was made to work hard as Christophe Soumillon appeared to be travelling the better on Zagrey, who was one place behind Westover in Dubai and having his first run since.
Westover, to his credit, galloped strongly to the line and ultimately ran out a clear-cut winner by two lengths.
Betfair cut the winner to 6-1 from 10s for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot later this month.
Hornby told Sky Sports Racing: “Winning a Group One in these colours is the stuff of dreams.
“I was brought up watching these colours win prestigious races and to be able to do it at Group One level is the highest honour and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way.
“Ralph has trained this horse so well from two to three and three to four, so to win a Group One at four is so important. These are things you dream of, so when they come true you don’t know how to think.”
Of the race, he added: “The pace was really good early on, Dougie (Costello on Malabu Drive) was able to keep it honest the whole way.
“When he dropped the bit he was able to work into it but funnily enough, once he shut down he took some stoking up again, so I was keen to get on my bike early. He hit the line strong and the time matches that.
“This is my third Group One for Ralph and fourth overall but it’s nearly a year since my last one and they are so important for a jockey.”
Beckett said: “Inevitably there was pressure as it was a long time since he won, over a year, and the longer that goes on the harder it gets.
“There was nothing wrong with his two runs this year, he’s only had the one blip in the King George. He was great today and it was a very fast time.
“For so long we had a reputation for training long distance fillies, so it’s important to change the dial, as Angel Bleu has done as well.
“I think we’ll either stay at a mile and a half or even have a conversation about going up in trip, because the peloton came to him but he stretched away in the last half a furlong.
“We’ll enjoy today and see what comes next, this was important.
“We’ll certainly consider the King George and see how he is closer to the time. There will be a bit of a monkey on the shoulder saying is this a good idea after what happened last year but we’ll see.
“The Arc will be under consideration too, he ran a great race in it last year (sixth) but got stuck in the ground.”
Paddington saw off the tenacious challenge of Emily Upjohn in a thrilling renewal of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old began the season in handicap company, but he had already successfully stepped up to win both the Irish Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes subsequently.
Upped in trip to 10 furlongs for the first time, Ryan Moore rode him as if there were no doubts about his stamina and so it proved.
His solid temperament allowed Moore to put him where he wanted in the race and having broken smartly, he found himself in front on leaving the stalls.
The field then raced in single file, with West Wind Blows and Jamie Spencer leading Paddington, Emily Upjohn and Dubai Honour.
Spencer tried to steal a march turning into the straight and took two lengths out of the others.
However, Moore breezed up on Paddington and went into the lead, although Emily Upjohn would not leave him alone.
With half a furlong to run it briefly appeared that the greater stamina of Emily Upjohn may prevail, but she could not quite get on terms with her younger rival, who was getting 7lb.
Paddington’s half-length verdict was O’Brien’s seventh triumph in the race, making him the most successful trainer in the contest’s history.
Wootton’Sun only got into the bet365 Old Newton Cup at Haydock as a reserve, but he took full advantage to provide Richard Fahey with his first win in the race.
The four-year-old was declared as the second reserve but, thankfully for his connections, his place in the race was confirmed by Friday afternoon and he gamely came out on top to claim the almost £80,000 first prize.
Ridden by 52-year-old Joe Fanning, who is enjoying an excellent season, the 15-2 chance first had to see off Cumulonimbus and then hang tough to repel the late run of Scampi.
Fanning and Fahey have not teamed up together that often in their illustrious careers, but they were the perfect combination on this occasion.
Fahey said: “To be very honest, when we were second reserve, Steve (Bradley, owner) rang me and wanted to book a jockey and I said ‘Steve, we’ve no chance of getting in’!
“It couldn’t have worked out better in the end as Joe was available, he had a light weight and to win feels like a ‘Brucey bonus’.
“It was a race we had in mind at the beginning of the season and I felt he should have won before now and he’d definitely have got in.
“He’s been running very well and if he had won before today he’d have gone up three or four pounds. For him to sneak in and win is fantastic.
“That was his Derby so it’s great it worked out.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced the appointment of Shane Deitz as the new Head Coach of the West Indies Women’s team. The appointment was confirmed at the CWI Board of Directors meeting on Friday 30 June 2023 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Deitz, 48, is a former first-class player who represented South Australia as a wicket-keeper/batsman in 66 first-class matches between 1998 and 2008. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position, having been coaching at the professional and international levels for over a decade. He was the Head Coach of Bangladesh Women team and is currently the Head Coach of the Netherlands Women.
Johnny Grave, CWI’s Chief Executive Officer said: “We are pleased to announce Shane as our new West Indies Women’s Head Coach following a robust global recruitment process. Shane is well equipped for the role having coached extensively in both the Men’s and Women’s game, in his native Australia, as well as other parts of the world. He is dynamic, energetic, and is very familiar with the requirements of the women’s game. He brings the right skills and experience to drive the team and the women’s game in the West Indies forward.”
Shane Deitz said: "I am very honoured to have the opportunity to coach the West Indies Women’s team. West Indies cricket both men and women have a great history of success whilst playing entertaining cricket and my aim is to continue with that formula. The team has a great blend of world class senior players and some talented younger players which is a good starting point to build from. We have a lot of work to do though as reality is we are behind the top few sides in the world and we need to bridge that gap and become competitive again to challenge for World Cups in the future.”
He added: “I do believe though the nucleus is there to create a world class competitive side and that is what I will aim to do. The standard of women’s cricket is at an all-time high and we need to strive to reach those heights through good planning, a lot of hard work and then executing on the pitch. I am very excited about that challenge and can’t wait to start working with this talented squad.”
Deitz will start the role in late August ahead of the Women’s CPL and the West Indies Women’s next international assignment, the away tour of Australia in October.
Poptronic finally enjoyed her moment in the spotlight when gamely holding off Sea Silk Road to win the bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.
Since winning the Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle last season, Karl Burke’s filly had come up just short in several big races.
In two runs previous runs this season, she had done herself no favours by racing keenly, but on this occasion she was far more tractable in the hands of Sam James.
Happy to take a lead off Peripatetic until the two-furlong marker, Poptronic (12-1) still looked a bit of a sitting duck as the three big guns, Mimikyu, Time Lock and finally Sea Silk Road all laid down a challenge.
After seeing off the first two it looked like she may have to give best to William Haggas’ Sea Silk Road, who had beaten Poptronic last time out in the Lester Piggott Stakes, but Burke’s four-year-old was not to be denied.
In the last 50 yards, the run of the 7-4 favourite just flattened out and Poptronic won by a neck.
Kelly Burke, daughter of the winning trainer who rides Poptronic every day at home, said: “I was delighted, she’s been banging on the door the whole time and she’s such a genuine, tough filly.
“I think the slight change of tactics, just going that little bit more forward, has helped. She can be quite keen and because of that we’ve tried to drop her in and not let her over-race, but she’s got more settled as the year has gone on.
“I think the key with her is not to pull her around and kick early because she hasn’t got a turn of foot, she just keeps grinding it out and if you ride her for a turn of foot, they always beat her.
“She ran well behind the favourite (Sea Silk Road) here last time and she actually beat her the time before. I think it’s just how the race pans out sometimes.
“I’m delighted she’s won a Group Two now.”
When asked whether a step up to Group One level in the Yorkshire Oaks could be next on Poptronic’s agenda, Burke added: “Definitely, there’s no reason not to go is there?
“She’s ran really well at York a few times, so that could be exciting.”
James said: “I spoke to Karl before the race and she used to be a bit keen in her races, Kelly rides her every day and she’s done a great job with her.
“She was keen last year and today she was grand. They went a nice gallop so I was able to just follow the lead horse, I would have gone on had they have gone steadily but it worked perfectly. I was able to just start stretching them.
“I was a bit surprised at the price she was as the second horse had only beaten us by a couple of lengths the last day, when we were still trying to switch her off all the time. Today I was able to go forward on her and ride a race whenever I wanted really.
“It’s a big win for me. Karl has been very good to me the last couple of seasons and this filly has been very good to me. I won a Group Three at Newcastle on her and now I’ve won a Group Two and she deserves it as well.”
Equality produced a career-best performance to run out an easy winner of the Coral Charge at Sandown.
The Charlie Hills-trained five-year-old had won a handicap at Windsor in clear-cut fashion on his last outing but this was a first success at Group Three level.
Handy throughout under William Buick, he was given a lead into the race by Diligent Harry.
Existent had ploughed a lone furrow on the near side rail with Jim Crowley exploring the possibility of better ground following some heavy rain, and with two furlongs to run he was still in contention.
That was just at the point Buick asked his mount to put the race to bed, though, and he sprinted clear.
Ed Walker’s filly Makarova added some more valuable black type, beaten a length and a half in second, while Tiber Flow claimed third. The favourite Marshman faced an uphill battle following a slow start.
Hills said: “He is a horse in form, obviously. I was delighted with his win at Windsor last time. It has always been the plan to come here since then.
“He had a nice draw and pinged the gates. Normally he can be a little slow from the gates, it probably wasn’t the ideal plan to be in front, but he didn’t seem to get taken on too much and that did suit him, I would have thought.
“He travelled very well and he’s a good sprinter. He’s a horse that I’ve always really liked – it has just take a while to get to here.
“I hope he can build on it. He has won by taking a lead before, so I think he can be ridden any way, really.
“I will certainly look at the King George at Goodwood next time, but that little bit of rain, probably two millimetres, probably helped as well.
“I would be afraid of very fast ground, unlike his father, Equiano, who loved it like a road. It’s strange, but William has always said he likes to get his toe in.”
He added: “The King George has always been a lucky race for me in the past, so I think that’s where we go with this fella.
“I’ve always thought he was a horse who would be a Group performer, but it has taken a while to get to where we are. Just looking at some of the family, it is just a slow-maturing family.”
Shericka Jackson is making a habit of writing down her goals and speaking them into reality.
That was the case again on Friday night when in a breathtaking display of speed and power, Jackson successfully defended her Jamaican 100m title, leaving spectators in awe as she blazed across the finish line in a world-leading time of 10.65 seconds.
This remarkable achievement not only secured her victory but also etched her name among the fastest women in history, now holding the title of the fifth fastest woman ever. Only world-recorder holder Florence Griffith-Joyner, Marion Jones, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have run faster.
After first revealing her methods in 2022 when she wrote down her 21.45s 200m to win gold at the World Championships, Jackson explained that it has now become the norm for her explaining that if you fear telling someone about your goals then you fear that you are not capable of achieving them.
After her remarkable run Friday, she revealed that she had written down the desired time back in June after clocking 10.78 seconds at the national stadium in Kingston.
She placed the written goal on her fridge earlier on Friday, using it as a constant reminder of her aspirations.
"I rewrote the time again this morning and I stuck it on the fridge, and I said today is the day. I'm happy I did it in Jamaica, and now it's time to go back to the drawing board," Jackson shared.
While Jackson had already secured a bye to the upcoming World Championships in Budapest for the 200m event, she expressed her intention to participate in the 200m at the championships.
Despite having fewer opportunities to compete in the event this year, she viewed the race as an opportunity for a proper run, aiming to execute her race plan flawlessly.
Elaborating on her strategy, Jackson emphasized her commitment to always giving her best performance. "For me personally, the hundred was the focus. I already have a bye in the 200, but because I haven't run so many 200s this year, I definitely want to run the 200 at the championships," she explained. "Every time I touch the track, I want to run fast. If it doesn't happen, I'm still grateful. But if I do run fast, I'm super grateful."
Reflecting on her victory and the statement it may have made to her competitors, Jackson remained humble, emphasizing that her primary focus was on her own progress and self-improvement. "I don't think there was a statement made. As I said, it's just a focus on myself, and I think I'm doing that pretty well," she said with gratitude.
With her eyes set on the upcoming challenges and opportunities, Jackson plans to consult with her coach to analyze her performance in the 100m race and identify areas that require refinement. Determined to continue her success at the World Championships, she highlighted the importance of preparation and fixing any aspects that need adjustment before she departs for Budapest.
In a remarkable display of resilience and determination, Olympic relay gold medallist, Briana Williams, defied the odds and made a triumphant comeback at the Jamaica National Athletics Championships on Friday night.
Despite battling injuries throughout the season, she managed to finish fourth in the highly competitive 100m race, clocking in at a season's best time of 11.01 seconds.
The race was dominated by some of Jamaica's finest sprinters, with Shericka Jackson leading the pack and setting a world-leading time of 10.65 seconds to claim victory. Sashalee Forbes, who achieved a personal best of 10.96 seconds, secured second place, closely followed by Natasha Morrison in third place with a time of 10.98 seconds.
For Williams, this achievement was nothing short of miraculous. Just a week prior, her hopes of participating in the trials seemed bleak after suffering an injury. However, through the relentless efforts of the staff at the YB Rehabilitation Centre, she made a remarkable recovery, defying the odds to secure a spot on Jamaica's team for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
In a post-race interview, Williams expressed her gratitude, acknowledging the support she received during her challenging journey. "Last week, the unbelievable happened to me, and I wasn't even sure if I was going to run at trials this week. The YB Rehabilitation Center worked tirelessly on me, and I just want to thank God that I made it out here and was able to run all three healthy races," she revealed.
While the fourth-place finish may not have been her ultimate goal, Williams remained positive, focusing on the progress she had made despite the setbacks.
"The season's not over. I still have more personal bests to run, but I just want to thank God that I still made the team," she said, emphasizing her determination to continue improving.
The Olympic relay gold medallist also highlighted the improvements in her race execution, crediting her coaches at Titans International for their unwavering support and guidance. She acknowledged the hard work they put into refining her performance and expressed confidence in her increased strength compared to the previous year.
“Definitely a lot stronger than last year. Just a few more things to work on and just focused on being healthy for the rest of the season so I can get lower my times each race.
“Right now it's going well. I'm just happy that I made it without feeling it (the hamstring) and I'm so grateful.”
Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge and Javorne Dunkley of St Elizabeth Technical were crowned national Under-20 girls’ and boys’ 100-metre champions, after both staved off tough challenges from rivals on day two of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.
Terrelonge, who was fairly comfortable throughout the rounds, was seemingly reserving her energy for a big performance which came in the form of a new personal best 11.47 seconds in a positive 1.4 metres per second wind speed.
The 15-year-old, whose previous personal best was 11.49s, held off her older Edwin Allen teammate Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.49s) and the fast-finishing St Catherine’s Asharria Ulett, who also bettered her previous personal best of 11.67s, with her 11.55s-clocking for third.
Dunkley, 18, then followed suit with an even more impressive showing. He got out well from lane four and had rivals struggling in his wake at the half-way point, before powering through the line to stop the clock in 10.17s in a positive 1.2 metres per second reading.
That smashed Dunkley’s previous best of 10.59s, as he won ahead of Jeevan Newby (10.26s) of Motorcade Track Club and Camperdown’s Junior Harris (10.32s).
Holy Childhood’s Abigail Wolfe expectedly topped the girls’ Under-18 100m final in comfortable fashion in a 0.9 metres per second tailwind. She covered the distance in 11.76s, ahead of Canelia Hope (11.95s) of Camperdown and Athletico’s Shanoya Douglas (12.05s).
Another St Elizabeth Technical standout Tramaine turned back the challenge of the Wolmer’s Boys pair of Gary Card and Ainsley McGregor, to win the boys’ Under-18 crown.
Todd clocked 10.46s for the win in a positive 1.2 metres reading, as Card and McGregor who both achieved new personal best marks of 10.61s and 10.66s respectively, had to settle for the minor placing.
Earlier, Chennai Jarrett of St Elizabeth Technical topped the girls’ Under-18 400m hurdles event in a time of 1:01.52, ahead of Rhianna Lewis (1:04.51) of Rhodes Hall and Covent of Mercy’s Halyncia Henry (1:05.95).
The Under-20 girls’ event was won by Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford, who continued her superb form with a 58.78s-clocking. T’Kyla Bennett (1:02.26) of Excelsior and Titchfield’s Vanessa Ward (1:04.23) took the minor placing.
Daniel Wright of Excelsior proved too strong for rivals in the boys’ Under-18 400m hurdles, as he went out hard in the early stages and wasn’t for catching. He stopped the clock in 50.82s, ahead of Hebert Morrison’s Trevoy Smith, who clocked a new personal best 50.41s and Deandre Gayle of Jamaica College who also achieved a personal best 52.63s.
Meanwhile, St Jago’s Jaheene Bell won the boys’ Under-20 event in a new personal best 51.30s, with Antonio Forbes (51.54s) of Kingston College and Tyrece Hyman (51.60s) of MVP as the runners up.
In the field, Jamaica College’s Michael-Andre Edwards was the lone competitor to record a jump over seven metres, as he claimed the Under-18 boys’ long jump title with a mark of 7.20m.
The Old Hope Road athlete finished well ahead of Coke High’s Anthony Hall, who registered a jump of 6.83m for second, and Javid Malcolm (6.07m) of Petersfield High.
It was Munro College’s Javontae Smith, who came out on top in the Under-18 boys’ shot put with a throw of 16.63m. Kingston College’s Despiro Wray (16.17m), was not too far off in second, while a mark of 13.28m was enough to clinch the third-place spot for Joseph Salmon of Clarendon College.
Jaeda Robinson and Davine Dickenson, the duo from Immaculate Conception, claimed a one-three finish in the Under-18 girls’ triple jump.
Robinson achieved her best mark in the second-round when she cut the sand at 11.90m for the win, while Dickenson recorded a jump of 11.12m for third. They were separated St Catherine High’s Rohanna Sudlow separated the pair for the runner-up spot with a best mark of 11.73m.
Aided by a strong tail wind, the boys’ Under-20 long jump competitors produced some big leaps, as Royan Walters of Kingston College finished tops with a mark of 7.75m in a positive 3.4 metres per second reading. He bettered the St Jago pair of Demario Prince and Balvin Israel were second and third with mark of 7.62m and 7.32m respectively.
After a pair of scintillating 100m finals on day two of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships, Shericka Jackson and Rohan Watson emerged as the champions.
Jackson, already the second fastest woman ever in the 200m, became the joint-fifth fastest woman of all-time in the 100m with a magnificent, world-leading 10.65 to defend her national title.
Sashalee Forbes was second in a personal best 10.96 while Natasha Morrison ran 10.98 for third.
Briana Williams ran a season’s best 11.01 for fourth while double Olympic sprint champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, was fifth in 11.06.
In the men’s equivalent, Rohan Watson, the 21-year-old who turned heads when he ran a then-personal best 9.98 in the heats on Thursday, proved that was no fluke as he held his nerve to stun the field, and the National Stadium crowd. His winning time was 9.91, another personal best.
Ryiem Forde dipped under 10 seconds for the first time, running 9.96 for second while Oblique Seville ran 10.00 for third, narrowly finishing ahead of Jamaica’s leader in the event this year, Ackeem Blake, who ran 10.01 in fourth.
Janieve Russell can now call herself a five-time Jamaican champion after she won a thrilling 400m hurdles final on day two of the JAAA/Puma national Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.
Russell, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, produced a season’s best 53.75 to hold off the fast finishing Andrenette Knight (53.78) and Rushell Clayton (53.81) who finished second and third.
For Knight, this serves as redemption. Last year, she missed out on a national title after falling with 100m to go in the final after leading the whole race.
On the men’s side, Roshawn Clarke produced one of the performances of the Championships to win his maiden national senior crown.
Clarke, still only 19, brought the National Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant, world junior record-equaling 47.85. Clarke’s time also puts him second on Jamaica’s all-time list for the event behind Winthrop Graham’s 47.60 done in 1993.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist and three-time national champion, Jaheel Hyde, was second in a season’s best 48.45 while Assinie Wilson ran a massive personal best 48.50 for third.
Adelle Tracey won the Women’s 1500m title on day two of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
With a field of only two competitors, the 2022 NACAC silver medallist ran a time of 4:19.23 to finish ahead of 2018 Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase gold medalist, Aisha Praught-Leer (4:23.05).
The automatic qualification standard for the 1500m to the Budapest World Championships is 4:03.50 which Tracey achieved when she ran 4:02.65 at the Ostrava Golden Spike in August 2022.
While claiming his first Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Senior Championships high jump title is all well and good, Romaine Beckford is more intent on hitting the World Athletic Championships automatic qualifying mark of 2.32 metres, which is one of a few objectives he has set for himself this year.
Though ranked in the top 25 at joint 16th with his personal best mark of 2.27m, achieved at the NCAA finals in Austin, Texas last month, Beckford is by no means satisfied with his current position, as he wants to make certain of his spot in Budapest, Hungary next month.
The 20-year-old made the declaration after topping rivals in the high jump finals on Friday’s second day of action at the National Stadium.
His first-time clearance at 2.23m bettered MVP’s Christoff Bryan, who also cleared 2.23m, on a countback, while dethroned national champion Lushane Wilson (2.15m) of GC Foster College.
“This is my second year jumping as a senior, so it is really exciting to know to have won my first senior championship on this occasion and I am just excited about the win,” said Beckford, formerly of University of South Florida, who contested the event as an unattached athlete.
“But I am still trying to work on getting the (Automatic World Championships) height and at the same time, I am also trying to get as much points as possible so I can stay in the points ranking,” he added.
To say that it has been a very successfully season for Beckford so far, would be a great understatement, as he completed the double of the NCAA outdoor and indoor championship honours, with this national title, now topping the cards.
Beckford attributes those achievements to the experienced gained last year, particularly at the Commonwealth Games where he finished among the top eight finalists.
“The biggest thing for me was garnering all that experience last year, jumping with the seniors at the Commonwealth Games as well, I think it kind of boost my confidence to know that I can really get to the top by virtue of not only jumping with some top jumpers, but also finish close to them. So, I am just using that experience and just trying to fulfill my goals,” he shared.
Such was his confidence and form coming into the championships that even the strong winds that swept across the Stadium, couldn’t through Beckford off his rhythm.
“Most of track and field is a mental thing, just as it is physical, so you just have to keep your mind ready at all times for any condition and it is just how you execute on the day, so I just kept my mind steady and adjusted to the conditions,” Beckford noted.
That said, the soft-spoken pointed out that getting to and, by extension, producing a quality performance at the World Championships, marks the first target on his list of ambitions.
“That’s one of my biggest objectives because from Germaine Mason stopped jumping for Jamaica, we haven’t had a high jumper qualify for the Olympic Games. So that’s what I am working on to make sure I am one of those high jumpers that will perform on the biggest stage for Jamaica, so I am trying to pick up the legacy and set a good trend for myself,” Beckford ended.
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