Don't wish for it. Work for it.
That is the motto that United States-born Barbadian gymnast Olivia Kelly lives by, as she has always been motivated to turn her thoughts into actions.
In fact, at 17 years old, Kelly has her eyes set on accomplishing a goal which, if successful, will propel her budding career to higher heights. The goal? To be the first gymnast to represent the Eastern Caribbean Island at the Olympic Games.
Achieving such a dream is by no means impossible and Kelly, also known as "Storm," in gymnastics circles, positioned herself to bring it to fruition when she placed 10th at the PanAm Gymnastics Championships in Medellin, Colombia recently, and earned a spot to the World Gymnastics Championships for a second year consecutively.
The championships scheduled to begin late September in Antwerp, Belgium, serves an Olympic qualifier and, as such, Kelly is focused on ensuring her performance quality and the details of her routine are on point, while staying physically and mentally healthy.
"I’m not really aiming to do anything much different other than to stay healthy and keep training hard. My goals this year were always to just train hard, trust my training at Worlds, and hopefully qualify for the 2024 Olympics," Kelly, who has a number of first for Barbados, declared.
"I've devoted a lot to this sport and so I always want to be competitive, but my best is all I can do and if I do that, I will always be satisfied," she added.
At the PanAm Championships, Kelly, who earns her Barbadian stripes through her father, Tori, scored 12.867 for her vault routine, 11.867 on uneven bars, 12.267 on the balance beam and 12.467 for her floor routine, for an All-Around total of 49.468.
"Colombia, was so much fun and I’m very pleased with the performance. I definitely feel like I can work on little things for Worlds, but I think this was a great meet for me," Kelly noted.
That performance, she said, was a reflection of the lessons learnt from last when she made her debut appearance on the international stage.
"I gained a lot of experience from last year which was a learning year for me in the international field. At both the Pan American Championship in Rio and the World Championships in Liverpool, I fell on bars, but even then, I still had a great experience. So, coming into this year, I felt way more prepared and confident because of my 2022 season.
"That season taught me that I can be resilient and bounce back in the next event. I’ve learned that I can push that negative energy back and really focus on what’s happening now instead of the past," Kelly reasoned.
While she is clearly identified as one of, if not the best young gymnast for her country, Kelly, who got involved with the sport at two years old, when she took tumbling and mommy-and-me classes, knows she still has some ways to go.
As such, the North Stars Gymnastics Academy stalwart, guided by coach Ashley Umberger, a former member of the United States senior international gymnastics team, is determined to continue working over 30 hours per week to improve physically and mentally challenges to realize her dream.
"The aim is always to be better than you were before. So, I am going to add some skills for Worlds and clean up my routines, as well as build up my mental toughness and my confidence a little bit more," Kelly, who is homeschooled with Florida Virtual Global School, ended.
Just Beautiful will miss the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot as connections plot a course to the Breeders’ Cup.
Trained by Paddy Twomey, the five-year-old built on a comeback run in the Athasi Stakes to claim the Group Two Lanwades Stud Stakes from the front in great style at the Curragh last month, a victory that saw Just Beautiful trimmed to 5-1 for the Duke of Cambridge behind general favourite Inspiral.
However, with the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita highlighted as the mares’ main objective at the back-end of the season, a trip to Ascot is off the cards with Newmarket’s Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (July 14) or a cross-Channel raid to Deauville entering the agenda as a potential next port of call.
Twomey said: “She’s not going (to Ascot). I would say she will go to Deauville maybe. We may look at the Falmouth, but she might go to France for the Prix Maurice De Gheest (August 6) or Prix Rothschild (July 30).
“The long-term aim would be the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.”
While Just Beautiful will not be sighted at the Royal meeting, one who looks to have a fine chance of breaking Twomey’s duck at the summer showpiece is well-regarded two-year-old Noche Magica.
An impressive winner at Cork on debut, he was agonisingly rUn down when sent off favourite for the Marble Hill over six furlongs next time, a reverse that will see him drop back in trip for the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot.
Twomey continued: “We’ll run Noche Magica in the Norfolk Stakes. He’s a nice horse with a high cruising speed and we’re looking forward to running him.”
Mimikyu bids to open her account for the season in the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock.
The daughter of Dubawi saw off the reopposing Time Lock to land a novice event over this course and distance 12 months ago and went on to win a Newmarket handicap and the Group Two Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster before the end of her three-year-old campaign.
She was narrowly beaten by River Of Stars in the Bronte Cup at York a fortnight ago and joint-trainer Thady Gosden is expecting her to take a step forward in a race his father John and owner George Strawbridge won in 2016 with Mimikyu’s sister and subsequent Group One heroine Journey.
He said: “She ran a very nice race first time out this year in the Bronte when just denied.
“She’s come out of that well. She’s obviously dropping back down in trip two furlongs at Haydock and she’s got the hood off, which will help we think.
“It was fast ground at York last time and she’s won on soft, so she’s not ground dependent, and Haydock is a nice, even track for her.”
Following her neck defeat to Mimikyu at Haydock in June last year, Time Lock went on to push fellow Juddmonte-owned filly Haskoy close in the Galtres Stakes at York.
The winner went on to go close in the St Leger and won a Group Three on her recent reappearance, while Time Lock again finished second on her comeback in a Listed race at Goodwood.
Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon is hoping for a sound surface on Merseyside to give Time Lock the best chance of running up to her best.
He said: “Hopefully we get good to firm ground as we want proper summer ground for her, so hopefully there’ll be no over-watering going on.
“I think she’s going to develop into a good filly this year. She’s a big, scopey filly and hopefully she could develop into a very good filly.”
Roger Varian switches Modaara to the turf following a 13-length victory on the all-weather at Kempton, while German hopes are carried by the Peter Schiergen-trained Nachtrose.
William Haggas won last year’s renewal with Sea La Rosa and would love to follow up in a race now named in honour of his legendary late father-in-law with Sea Silk Road.
Haggas said: “I think it is a great honour that officials at Haydock Park have named the race in memory of Lester. The family are absolutely thrilled.
“Haydock was the place where Lester had his first winner and rode his last winner so there is no more appropriate venue to have a race run in his memory.”
He added: “It would be lovely if Sea Silk Road could win on Saturday. She is a filly that has not yet won a Group race but she won a Listed race last year and was second in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.
“First time out this year in the Middleton they went too slow for her over that extended mile and a quarter and she didn’t really relax.
“She has come forwards for that run though and going back to a mile and a half I think will suit her. We are hopeful she will go well.”
The field is completed by Poptronic, who finished third behind the Gosdens’ Free Wind in the Middleton Stakes and trainer Karl Burke feels she may have been underestimated in the market.
“She ran a good, solid race first time up and will improve for stepping up to the mile and a half. I think they’re making her the outsider of the field, but she’ll run a good race, she’s a good filly and she’s in good form,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
Australian challenger The Astrologist gets the opportunity to reassert his Royal Ascot claims in the Sky Bet John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
Trained in partnership by the father and son team of Leon and Troy Corstens, the six-year-old has been placed at Group One level on multiple occasions in his homeland and was beaten just a head by Danyah in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan in March.
That excellent effort encouraged connections to target the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the big meeting and he made his British debut in last month’s 1895 Duke of York Stakes under Ryan Moore.
While on the face of it The Astrologist’s performance in finishing seventh at York was underwhelming, hopes in the camp are high he can bounce back to something like his best on Merseyside.
“We’re very happy with the way he came through York. Obviously, as everyone knows, he needed the run and that is why he is having another run before Ascot,” said assistant trainer Dom Sutton.
“It is a strange one because we were hoping he’d have a little bit more residual fitness from Dubai, but it was a formula we’d never used before – he’d never had eight weeks between a run and obviously he had to deal with the flight and the travel.
“Back in Australia we use barrier trials as stepping stones to getting them to the races and obviously we couldn’t do that here, so we were kind of a little bit in the dark.
“He handled everything well leading up to York and we were hoping he could run a nice, bold race, but Ryan got off him and said in the last furlong he really needed it.”
With a step up from six to seven furlongs not expected to be an issue on a flat track and fast ground, Sutton is optimistic about his chances of victory, with Moore once again in the saddle.
He added: “He’s been pretty competitive over seven furlongs back home, the ground should suit and he’s ticked every box fitness-wise and gallops-wise in between runs, so hopefully it shouldn’t be a problem.
“Looking at the field you’d hope that he’ll be going pretty close. If circumstances mean he doesn’t win, as long as he’s hitting the line and running well we’ll be happy.”
A horse going the other way in distance is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Jumby, who was last seen finishing down the field over a mile in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
The son of New Bay won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes over the intermediate trip last summer and his trainer is confident of a bold showing.
She said: “He’s won a Group Two over seven furlongs and a mile just stretched him in the Lockinge.
“He likes fast ground and we’ve been very pleased with him since Newbury.”
El Caballo bids to get his season back on track for the in-form Karl Burke team.
The four-year-old won his first four starts of last year, including the Group Two Sandy Lane at Haydock, but disappointed in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and missed the rest of the campaign.
He trailed home last of 10 runners on his reappearance in the Cammidge Trophy on heavy ground at Doncaster and Burke is hoping conditions will be more favourable.
“We don’t want fast ground and I’m just hoping they put a decent amount of water on – they usually do at Haydock,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
“We’ve got to get him started, he’s working really well and if we can’t run here on good, fast ground we’re going to struggle for the rest of the summer.
“Hopefully he can go and show himself to good effect. We’re stepping up to seven furlongs, he’s won over seven and I think that will help him.
“This looks a nice race for him to go for and he’s still got the ability, I have no doubt about that.”
Tim Easterby’s Boardman and the Charlie Fellowes-trained Gorak are both course and distance winners but face a step up in class, while Stan Moore’s The Wizard Of Eye, who also contested the Lockinge last month, completes the line-up.
Karl Burke expects to have a clearer idea of Cuban Slide’s capabilities after he contests the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy at Beverley on Saturday.
The Spigot Lodge handler has been firing in juvenile winners left, right and centre this season and few were more impressive on debut than this son of Havana Grey.
Cuban Slide was an odds-on favourite for a five-furlong novice event at Musselburgh and justified the cramped odds with a nine-length demolition job.
But while that Scottish success was visually striking, Burke is not convinced of the depth of the race and is anticipating he will learn more about his colt’s big-race credentials in East Yorkshire this weekend.
“I think he’s a nice horse, he’s obviously got good ability and he works well at home,” he said.
“I don’t think it was much of a race that he won, so we’re on a finding-out mission as much as anything.
“I do think he’s useful, but whether he’s top class or not I’m not sure. Stepping up to six furlongs could see him to good effect, but he’s not slow and a stiff five with a good draw should be fine.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him run and learning a bit more about him.”
Richard Fahey is represented by Bombay Bazaar, a Kodiac juvenile who also comes into this in winning form having been victorious over the course and distance last month.
He was previously third in a Thirsk maiden when beaten four lengths, with Kevin Ryan’s Sergeant Wilko the winner and Dominic Ffrench Davis’ Valadero the runner-up.
The latter was previously second in the Brocklesby, while Sergeant Wilko has some positive collateral form having finished second on debut to Hugo Palmer’s Balon d’Or – subsequently third in the Lily Agnes and second in the Woodcote.
Next time out Bombay Bazaar got off the mark by an easy four and a quarter lengths and Fahey is looking forward to seeing him return to the Westwood.
“He improved a lot for his first and second runs and he seems to have gone on again,” Fahey said.
“I don’t know what he beat that day (at Beverley) but he beat them well, he will be a better horse again and whether or not he’s good enough, we’ll see.
“The form will do and we’re getting better, so we’ll see.”
Other contenders include the Ryan-trained Room Service, who was a debut winner at Wetherby, and Richard Hannon’s Fusterlandia, second on his introduction at Leicester late last month.
Andrew Balding’s Loaded Gun, David O’Meara’s Scoops Ahoy and the unraced Mehigburn from Roger Fell and Sean Murray’s yard complete the field.
Natalie Neita Garvey, the Opposition Spokesperson for Sports, is advocating for the implementation of a Sports Incentive Act. During her sectoral presentation in the House on Tuesday (June 6), the Member of Parliament for North Central St Catherine put forth several recommendations under the theme of "Looking at the Bigger Picture."
"I propose the enactment of a Sports Incentive Act, which would introduce a short-term incentive program aimed at generating a significant amount of robust business activity to support the growth and development of this massive sector," expressed Neita Garvey.
She emphasized the importance of establishing a public-private sector partnership to create an incentive program that would attract investors from both domestic and international sources. Additionally, this program would serve as a means to incentivize industry stakeholders within Jamaica.
The proposed incentive program seeks to provide a ten-year relief from GCT (General Consumption Tax), income tax, and import duty for the following entities:
All registered Sports Clubs.
New clubs with 50 or more paying members, with a minimum addition of 20 members per year.
Existing Clubs that have undertaken or plan to undertake substantial structural improvements and possess a lease of 50 years or more or own their clubhouse.
Clubs engaged in community peace management initiatives.
Clubs involved in sustainable environmental projects and activities, such as water harvesting, greenhouse technology, recycling, and energy conservation.
Neita Garvey recommended several categories that would make a Club eligible for any of these incentives, including equipment and supplies, apparel, footwear, educational material, purchase and/or lease of additional physical space to enhance the sport/s, and housing/dormitory facilities.
The objective of these incentives is to stimulate growth within the sub-sector and attract stakeholders from low to middle-income groups.
The proposed measures include:
Exemption from GCT and customs duty for specific items imported for a period of five years (utilizing the discretionary authority of the Minister of Finance & The Public Service).
A five-year exemption from corporate taxes for investors in sporting attractions (utilizing the discretionary authority of the Ministry of Finance & The Public Service).
Private sector investments in physical infrastructure for sports development would receive the necessary tax write-offs to incentivize their contributions.
Neita Garvey highlighted that prior to finalizing incentive packages, clearance must be obtained from the Ministry of Finance & The Public Service through the Ministry of Sport, as they consider the bigger picture.
Furthermore, the Opposition spokesperson called for the reinstatement of the National Sports Council, noting that it has not convened since 2016.
Ziggy’s Phoenix makes a swift return to action as she bids for a third win this season in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley on Saturday.
The two-year-old, who is owned by Middleham Park Racing, won a Ripon novice earlier in the season and was then victorious in the Lily Agnes at Chester.
She subsequently headed to Chantilly in search of Listed honours in the Prix la Fleche, but could finish only fourth of eight runners in the hands of Gerald Mosse.
Richard Hannon sends the Kodiac filly back into battle just six days later, with connections “hopeful” the quick turnaround will not be a problem.
“She got caught out on a wing and raced away from the rail in France, but she kept on well to the line,” said Middleham Park’s director of racing, Tim Palin.
“She is down in grade a notch to a level she’s already been successful at and escapes a penalty.
“We’re backing her up quite quickly, but she’s got a decent draw (stall four) this time and we go there hopeful.”
Richard Fahey saddles Midnight Affair, a daughter of Dark Angel who caught the eye finishing second to the Royal Ascot-bound Soprano on her debut at Newmarket last month.
Midnight Affair was unlucky not to make more of a race of it after meeting traffic problems and is a hot favourite to go one better on the Westwood under Danny Tudhope.
“She ran a good race first time out. Things didn’t happen for her, but she still went well for a first run,” said Fahey.
“She’s drawn in stall six and I’d be happy with that.”
Other hopefuls include Charlie Johnston’s Never Fear, the winner of a Wolverhampton maiden, and Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, who was beaten just half a length when fourth at Sandown on debut.
Tallulabelle (David O’Meara), Alfa Moonstone (Craig Lidster), Callianassa (Brian Ellison), Miss Woo Woo (Robert Cowell) and La Boo (Mick and David Easterby) complete the field.
Ackelia Smith fouled her first two jumps and was in danger of not advancing to the finals but she then found her footing to advance to the final round. There, with her final jump of the competition, she won gold on day two of the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
Smith, a sophomore at the University of Texas, uncorked a leap of 6.88m to take the lead late from Alyssa Jones of Stanford, who had earlier produced a lifetime best of 6.86m.
Jones fouled her final jump and thus had to settle for second place.
Jasmine Moore of Florida took the bronze with 6.66m.
Smith’s victory came a day after fellow Jamaican Carey McLeod representing the University of Arkansas won the men’s long jump with a leap of 8.26m with Wayne Pinnock, his college teammate and fellow Jamaican, finishing second with 8.15m.
A third Jamaican, Jordan Turner of the University of Kentucky (8.13m) was third.
The final of the 100m barn burner as medal favourites Ackera Nugent, Alia Armstrong and Masai Russell all advanced to the finals. Razorback Nugent won her heat in 12.55, the second fastest time of the finalists. LSU’s Armstrong was only 0.01 faster having won her heat in 12.54.
Russell won her heat in 12.76.
Demisha Roswell, the 2022 Big 12 champion, failed to advance with her time of 12.99, the 11th fastest time of the semi-finals.
Having dominated the sprints all season, it was no surprise when Texas Longhorn senior Julien Alfred advanced to the final of both the 100m and 200m on Saturday.
The St Lucian led a Texas 1-2-3-4 in the first of three semi-final heats winning in 10.99 with Kevona Davis finishing second in 11.04. Davis’ time was the third-fastest heading into the final as Texas Tech’s Rosemary Chukwuma, the last woman to beat Alfred, ran 11.01 to advance.
An hour later, Alfred won her 200m semi-final heat in 22.33, the same time as Davis, who also won the first of the three semi-finals. Alfred (22.321), however, was the fastest having run 0.007 faster than Davis (22.328), who has been rounding into form throughout the season.
The pair were running on tired legs after the 100m semis and a blistering 4x100m relay heat that Texas won in 41.55, a new meet, facility and championship record.
Former Vere Technical runner, Nickisha Pryce, a junior at Arkansas, ran a lifetime best of 50.31 to advance to the final of the 400m. Only, the two gold medal favorites Britton Wilson also of Arkansas, who ran a new meet and facility record of 49.36 and Texas’ Rhasidat Adekele, who won her heat in 49.86 were faster.
Plans remain fluid for Soul Sister following her Betfred Oaks triumph at Epsom last week.
Disappointing in a soft ground Fred Darling at Newbury on her three-year-old debut, the Frankel filly bounced back with a surprise victory in the Musidora Stakes at York last month.
Soul Sister proved that was no fluke by clinching Classic glory on the Surrey Downs a week ago under Frankie Dettori and she holds an entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, while joint-trainer Thady Gosden reports the three-year-old to have taken her Epsom exertions well, connections have not got as far as finalising the next plan of attack.
“She’s come out of it well. Obviously every Classic is a hard race, but she seems happy and well in herself at home,” said Gosden.
“We’ll see how she is, but it was fantastic to win the Oaks with her.”
On the other side of the coin there was disappointment for the Gosden team ahead of the Oaks, with their other leading contender Running Lion withdrawn on veterinary advice just seconds before the off after kicking the back gate of the starting stalls.
The daughter of Roaring Lion is set to bid for compensation and redemption in the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, at Chantilly on Sunday week.
“It was obviously frustrating with Running Lion, it was sort of a freak event really. The plan is for her to go to France, I think,” Gosden added.
Frankie Dettori will replace Richard Kingscote on Desert Crown in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Kingscote won the Derby on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old last season, but the colt was beaten on his first run since Epsom in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown by Hukum.
With Dettori available, owner Saaed Suhail has decided to snap up his services in what will be the Italian’s last ever Royal Ascot ahead of his retirement later this year.
Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast: “He (Suhail) just feels that for Desert Crown to win this race is all important and while Frankie is around he wants to give the horse every chance.
“He believes Frankie is unbeatable around Ascot and that is why. It’s no disgrace for Richard at all, I myself was jocked off Carroll House when he won the Arc.”
Waipiro will drop back in trip for the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot, as trainer Ed Walker felt he did not see out the Betfred Derby trip.
Runner-up to Military Order in the Lingfield Derby Trial, Waipiro was sent off a 25-1 chance in the premier Classic at Epsom, where he did not help his chance at the start.
Tom Marquand’s mount made up plenty of ground and was in contention with two furlongs to race, before his run petered out, eventually finishing sixth, some 10 and a half lengths behind the impressive Auguste Rodin.
Walker was making no excuses, however. He said: “It was a good run. I don’t think had he probably jumped better, he would have finished too much closer.
“I don’t think he truly stayed. I wasn’t convinced at Lingfield and I wasn’t convinced again at Epsom.
“His last furlong was weak and at Lingfield that was the same. He came to Military Order and eyeballed him, and looked like he was going to beat him, then just in the last 100 yards, he didn’t quite see it out.
“I hoped it was just immaturity and inexperience at Lingfield, but I think Epsom reiterated he didn’t see it out.
“If he truly stayed, he would have gone with White Birch (third) and I think him and The Foxes didn’t stay, didn’t go with White Birch, who stayed extremely well.”
The Group Three Hampton Court Stakes over 10 furlongs on June 22 is now on the cards for the son of Australia.
Walker confirmed: “I think we will go back to 10 furlongs. He came out of it well and the Hampton Court is the plan. I hope the race doesn’t come too soon, but that’s the plan. The quicker the ground the better for him, really.”
Plans thereafter remain fluid, although the Lambourn handler believes the colt’s future could lie in the Far East.
“Obviously the Siu family, who own him, have lots of horses in training in Hong Kong,” added Walker.
“His half-brother which they owned, Waikuku, was a Group One winner in Hong Kong, having finished runner-up in the (Hong Kong) Derby in 2019, and if he’s not looking like competing at the highest level here in the UK, I think there is a good chance they will understandably take him to Hong Kong.
“It’s kind of my job description for them to identify horses for them and qualify horses for Hong Kong. If he can’t be winning the best races in the UK, then he’ll probably win a lot more money in Hong Kong than he will here.
“There’s a chance he will get his head back in front, (and) he’ll stay here. We’ll see what happens at Ascot and go from there.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced that Johnson Charles has been named as the replacement for Gudakesh Motie in the 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament to be played in Zimbabwe, starting on Sunday 18 June.
Left-arm spinner Motie has not recovered from a lower back injury. Charles recently made a return to the West Indies ODI team for the ongoing three match ODI series against United Arab Emirates in Sharjah. He scored 63 in the second match, his 50th ODI appearance, and was named Player of the Match.
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “We want to wish Motie the best as he continues his rehabilitation. He is one of the players who we expect to feature in West Indies cricket going forward, so we want to see him recover fully so he can participate when called upon.”
Haynes added: “When we discussed the replacement player, we looked at the possibility of another spinner in the squad. However, we felt it was better to go with Charles. He is experienced at the international level, he will add value to the team for what will be a very important tournament. He also has knowledge of the Zimbabwe conditions having played ODI matches there before, so we see him as the right man for the job at this stage.”
West Indies will arrive in Harare on Saturday 10 June, where they will prepare for the 10-team tournament. They have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Zimbabwe, Nepal, Netherlands and the USA.
West Indies face the USA in the opening Group A fixture on Sunday 18 June at Takashinga Cricket Club, followed by Nepal on Thursday 22 June at Harare Sports Club. West Indies meet Zimbabwe on Saturday 24 June at Harare Sports Club. The fourth preliminary match will be against the Netherlands on Monday 26 June.
Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from the groups progressing to the Super Six stage from Thursday 29 June to Friday 7 July. The teams each play three Super Six matches against the sides they did not meet in the group stage.
All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group. The final will be played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday 9 July. The two finalists will both progress to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
FULL SQUAD
Shai Hope (captain)
Rovman Powell (vice-captain)
Shamarh Brooks
Yannic Cariah
Keacy Carty
Roston Chase
Johnson Charles
Jason Holder
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Kyle Mayers
Keemo Paul
Nicholas Pooran
Romario Shepherd
West Indies Match Schedule
All matches start at 9am local time (3am Eastern Caribbean/2am Jamaica)
Sunday 18 June: v USA at Takashinga Cricket Club
Thursday 22 June: v Nepal at Harare Sports Club
Saturday 24 June: v West Indies at Harare Sports Club
Monday 26 June: v Netherlands at Takashinga Cricket Club
Count D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney among the many who are excited about Lionel Messi coming to Major League Soccer.
After Messi announced on Wednesday that he would be joining Inter Miami CF after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain, Rooney said the move is a major win for MLS.
"I think it's great, to bring Messi into the league," Rooney said on Thursday. "We've all seen, over the years, the impact of (Inter Miami co-owner) David Beckham coming in, (former Los Angeles Galaxy striker) Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) coming in.
"Different players from overseas. To get Messi in the league, arguably the greatest player of all time, and still – he’s a little bit older – but not long ago he won the World Cup almost single handed.
"It's going to be great for the league, for Miami."
Messi, 35, is expected to make his MLS debut sometime in July, and D.C. hosts Inter Miami on July 8.
"It'd be nice if we were his first opponents for D.C. fans to see him up close and for us to challenge ourselves against him," Rooney said.
"One thing I will say – it’s not going to be easy for him. The league's a difficult league and I don't think he's going to come over here and absolutely tear it up immediately.
"He'll have to adapt because it's a bit different, it won't be an easy ride for him."
Messi dragged Argentina to their first World Cup success since 1986 in Qatar last year, and the Barcelona great has won the Ballon d'Or trophy a record seven times.
"He's the best. Simple as that," Rooney said. "In my view he's the best player to ever play the game. That's how he's different.
"The fanbase around him will be huge, commercially, for the league I'm sure it'll be huge as well. It's massive for MLS. With Messi coming here – I know MLS has always brought players in – but I think it'll do that again, and it shows MLS can compete.
"It shows it’s a league where people want to come and want to play and it's a huge first step."
Aidan O’Brien’s Buttons just grasped a debut success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown.
The two-year-old is by Kingman and out of the 2011 Oaks runner-up Wonder Of Wonders, with Ryan Moore opting to ride her ahead of her equally well-bred stablemate Content.
Wayne Lordan took the ride on the latter, by Galileo out of Mecca’s Angel, and the two were engaged in a very tight finish with Ger Lyons’ Serious notions.
On the line Content was visibly beaten, but the judge had to split the other two fillies and Buttons was eventually announced the winner by a nose.
“We’re delighted with her. We rushed her a little bit to get her out because we thought she could be a Chesham filly, but Ryan just said she’s too babyish for that,” said O’Brien.
“We’ll just pull back and give her a bit of time before we go again.
“Ryan said even though she’s by Kingman she will stay and seven (furlongs) would be her minimum. She was green turning and everything. She’s a very well-bred filly.
“Wayne’s filly finished very strong and she’s a well-bred filly as well.”
O’Brien and Moore did miss out when the strong late charge of Salt Lake City proved not enough to overhaul 15-8 favourite Moon De Vega and Billy Lee in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes.
The market leader hit the front deep inside the final furlong when taking over from Vega Magnifico and ultimately had a neck to spare over the Ballydoyle runner.
The winner was making it two from two since joining Paddy Twomey, who said: “She’s a nice filly to have. She won her winners’ race and now she’s after winning her Listed race.
“I thought initially that nine furlongs might be a bit sharp for her, but she did it well in Gowran over nine and a half and Billy said there that she’s very comfortable at that distance.
“I’d say she’ll go for the Kilboy Stakes on Oaks weekend, it’s nine furlongs and a Group Three. That would be the logical next step.
“We haven’t been hard on her at home so hopefully she can keep improving.”
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