The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has confirmed that St Kitts & Nevis will be hosting matches during the 2022 tournament which will run from August 30 to September 30. St Kitts & Nevis will host seven matches between August 30 and September 4 with the home team and current champions, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, playing in four of those games.

 Hero CPL will return to St Kitts & Nevis again in 2022 after the Federation successfully hosted the whole tournament in 2021.

 Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s CEO, said: “The 2021 Hero CPL was an enormous success, and we are hugely grateful to the government and people of St Kitts & Nevis who were fabulous hosts. Warner Park is a fantastic venue, and we are very excited to be back there as St Kitts & Nevis Patriots get their championship defence underway in front of a home crowd.”

 The Hon. Jonel Powell, Minister of Sport for St Kitts & Nevis, said: “The hosting of the CPL in its entirety in 2021 in St Kitts & Nevis proved a success in every way for our people. Tremendous direct economic gains were made in our economy and to individuals at a difficult time due to the pandemic. Our people were able to receive some much-needed ‘Covid relief’ socially through the amazing matches, and our very own St Kitts & Nevis Patriots won its first CPL title in the most dramatic style.

 “This is why we are very pleased to partner with CPL once again as a host venue for their 2022 edition, and to have the opportunity to see our Patriots defend their title right here at historic Warner Park.”

The 2022 season will take place in four countries, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana with the final set to talk place at Providence on September 30.

Canada blanked the Dominican Republic 10-0 in their opening match of the CONCACAF U17 Women’s Championships to move to the top of Group F on goal difference over Jamaica on Sunday.

Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association and Jamaica’s sports minister Olivia Grange have hailed Elaine Thompson-Herah on her historic win of the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award on Sunday.

No Jamaican female athlete had ever taken home the prestigious award that began in 2000.

The Jamaican sprint queen won on the back of her historic achievements last summer when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100/200m sprint double at consecutive Olympic Games and added a third gold medal to her trophy case when she ran the second leg of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that won in a national record of 41.02.

She would go on to create even more history when she ran times of 10.54 to become the second-fastest woman of all time while winning the 100m in Eugene, Oregon, and then added times of 10.64 and 10.65 to be the only woman to run faster than 10.7 on four occasions.

Her achievements topped USA’s Allyson Felix (athletics), Australia’s Ashleigh Barty (tennis), Australia’s Emma McKeon (swimming) and USA’s Katie Ledecky and drew praise from the JAAA and the Jamaican government.

"Becoming the second Jamaican and the first female to win the prestigious Laureus Award is a significant achievement for Elaine and by extension Jamaica,” said Gayle.

“This is also a boost for women in track and field and other sports to aim for the highest. We are particularly proud of Elaine for her continuous achievements on and off the track. This definitely sets the tone for a great year for all our athletes.”

Meanwhile, in a missive from the United Kingdom where she will launch the Jamaica 60 programme of activities in the United Kingdom on Monday evening, Minister Grange said Thompson-Herah was most deserving of the honour of “best athlete in the world”.

“This latest success for the fastest woman alive is a tribute to Thompson-Herah’s hard work and sacrifice,” Minister Grange said.

Thompson-Herah is the second Jamaican to win the award. Usain Bolt, won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.

Inter Miami kept in touch with the mid-table in the tightly packed Eastern Conference after beating Atlanta United 2-1 on Sunday.

The home side had to come back from an early deficit after Atlanta's Ronaldo Cisneros broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, but a well-directed DeAndre Yedlin cross found Leonardo Campana for the equaliser 15 minutes later.

Campana then turned provider for the second goal, setting up Bryce Duke for the eventual winner in the 64th minute.

The hosts survived their second VAR review as Atlanta pleaded for a penalty in the closing stages, but it was not to be.

It was a gutsy effort from the Miami side, with just 37 per cent possession – including just 28 per cent in the second half – and seven shots, compared to Atlanta's 20.

Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman kept his side in the contest with six saves, while it was a very different game at the opposite end for Atlanta's Bobby Shuttelworth, who was not credited with a save.

It was an absolute barn-burner when New York City FC hosted Toronto FC, with the home side holding on for a 5-4 win.

Incredibly, Toronto scored the first two goals of the game to lead 2-0 in the 27th minute thanks to a Jesus Jimenez brace, before a Valentin Castellanos reply kept New York in the game, trailing 2-1 at half-time.

In a remarkable start to the second half, New York added three goals in 13 minutes after Keaton Parks' finish made it 4-2 in the 58th.

When Gabriel Pereira made it 5-2 after 75 minutes, it seemed like icing on the cake, but it turned out to be crucial as Toronto snatched back two late goals in the 87th and 91st, ultimately running out of time.

It was much smoother sailing for New York Red Bulls, beating Orlando City 3-0 away from home to move up to second in the Eastern Conference.

Luquinhas delivered the only goal in the first half, before Cristian Casseres doubled the advantage shortly after play resumed, and Lewis Morgan put the finishing touches on with a late penalty.

Meanwhile, an Acosta scored for both teams in Los Angeles FC's 2-1 win against Cincinnati.

Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta broke the deadlock deep into first-half stoppage time, before Los Angeles' Kellyn Acosta equalised in the 59th minute.

Carlos Vela put Danny Musovski in to net the winner for Los Angeles in the 79th minute, holding onto top spot in the Western Conference.

A goal in each half from Maya Raghunandanan helped steer Jamaica to a 7-0 drubbing of Bermuda in their opening match in the CONCACAF U17 Women’s Championships in the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Raghunandanan opened the scoring in the seventh minute and added a second in the 65^th as Jamaica dominated the lop-sided affair to go top of Group F which also comprises Canada and the home team, the Dominican Republic.

Jamaica took 39 shots at goal, 12 on target and should have won by a more handsome margin. Notwithstanding, Avery Johnson added a second in the 11^th minute and Tiny Seaton added a third in the 16^th as Jamaica threatened to run rampant.

However, through faulty finishing by Jamaica, Bermuda managed to make it to the break without going further behind.

Jamaica added a fourth in the 47^th minute courtesy of Tyesha Nelson but Jamaica had to wait a while before Raghunandanan got her second 18 minutes later. Shaneil Buckley added Jamaica’s sixth in the 78^th minute.

Natoya Atkinson, who came on as a substitute for Johnson in the 64^th completed the rout seven minutes from full time.

The Dominican Republic is set to face Canada later Sunday.

Panama defeated Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 and the United States swamped Grenada 20-0 on Saturday.

Tokyo Olympics triple gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah has won the Laureus Sportswoman Award for 2022. In doing so, she became the first Jamaican female athlete to win the coveted award that began in 2000.

The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah created history in Tokyo last year when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100m and 200m titles at consecutive Olympic Games. She won the 100m in 10.61, breaking the previous record of 10.62 set by American Florence Griffith Joyner at the Seoul Games in 1988.

She then won the 200m in a lifetime best of 21.53, the second-fastest time in history. She won a third gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that set a national record of 41.02, the third-fastest time in history.

However, she was only getting started. Following the Olympics, she ran 10.54, the second-fastest time in history, to win the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Oregon and then ran times of 10.64 and 10.65 to become the only woman in the history of the sport to run the 100m in under 10.70 four times.

“I really don’t think I can really express how it feels to be nominated amongst these wonderful and super talented ladies across their respective disciplines but to think that I could come out as the chosen winner of this prestigious award is just mind-blowing for me,” Thompson-Herah posted on Instagram in reaction to the news beneath a photograph of her holding her award.

“I would like to thank the Laureus Sports Academy for this wonderful recognition. I want to thank all my friends and family who have continuously supported me throughout my journey.”

She also thanked her sponsors Flow Jamaica, NCB Jamaica and Nike as well as her many fans.

“My fans, my fans! I love you guys so much, continue to motivate and pray for me as I set out to continuously rewrite the record books.”

Only one other Jamaican athlete has ever won the Laureus Sports Award. Usain Bolt won the Sportsman of the Year Award in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.

Formula One driver Max Verstappen won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award after winning his first title albeit under controversial circumstances.

Lamara Distin’s impressive season continued on Saturday when she won the high jump at the Michael Johnson Invitational at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium in Texas.

Re-stating her intentions to prolong her career until the 2024 Games in Paris, two-time Olympic 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is targeting 10.5, perhaps 10.4 seconds in the blue ribbon sprint.

The 35-year-old Fraser-Pryce revealed her revised objectives after coasting to a second-place finish over 200m at the Velocity Fest meeting at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday evening. The 2013 200m world champion, ran 22.79 after easing down 50m from the finish line in the race won by Bahamian Athonique Strachan in 22.55.

“The aim was to come out here today and get a run in. I haven’t raced in a while so I was definitely good to come and get a good run,” said the four-time 100m world champion before revealing what her new goals are, having achieved one of her goals of running 10.60 last season.

“10.6 after having that season last year has definitely opened a new door for me in terms of the dreams and the goals I am chasing this season. I am looking forward to running 10.5 and possibly 10.4, so that’s the aim and I think I am on my way to doing that, I just have to continue to trust that God will give me the strength, trust the coach and just continue to put in the work.”

Fraser-Pryce said her training has been going well, especially now that her training group at Elite Performance has grown over the past season with like-minded athletes Olympian Julian Forte and Rushell Clayton and the 2019 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist among others.

“It’s good. It’s good to have training partners that have a similar mindset in terms of the work and what is required to be successful. To have teammates like those, you come to training in the morning, you’re feeling a little down or something is not happening, the work ethic also motivates you to put that work in. The vibe is good, the environment is good.

“It’s a great group and I am really in an expectant mood for them as club mates.”

Austin FC momentarily moved to the top of the Western Conference in the MLS, securing a 3-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.

A Maximiliano Urruti double within the opening half-hour put Austin in a commanding position at the interval, but they struggled in the second half, giving up eight shots to three despite 62.3 per cent of possession.

Sebastian Driussi clinched the result for Josh Wolff's side in the 68th minute, though, getting on the end of a flick-on from Nick Lima's long-throw at the back post to head home.

Austin have now gone five games undefeated in the league, bouncing back from Wednesday's elimination at the hands of San Antonio FC in the US Open Cup.

They remain a point ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who scraped a 1-0 win at home to Nashville via Dejan Joveljic's winner in the 86th minute. Real Salt Lake slipped up away to Portland Timbers, playing out a goalless draw.

There were also goalless draws between Sporting KC and Columbus Crew, and Colorado Rapids and Charlotte FC.

They were leapfrogged by FC Dallas, who claimed their fourth win of the season with a 2-1 win over Houston Dynamo.

They left it very late in the Texan derby after Sabastian Ferreira's opener for Dynamo in the 33rd minute, only equalising in the 87th minute through Tsiki Ntsabeleng.

Facundo Quignon claimed the three points for the Toros, lurking unmarked at the back post from a corner to score in the third minute of injury time.

Philadelphia Union remained top of the Eastern Conference despite a 1-1 draw at home to Montreal CF, giving the impetus to Orlando City and New York RB to make up ground on Sunday.

San Jose Earthquakes moved from the bottom of the Western Conference with a shock 4-3 win over the Seattle Sounders. Cristian Espinoza scored the winner for his hat-trick in the fourth minute of injury time via the penalty spot.

In Saturday's other results, Minnesota FC defeated Chicago Fire 3-0, while DC United claimed a 3-2 win over New England Revolution.

Olympic champion Steve Gardiner turned in a quality performance to open his outdoor season after clocking a world-leading 44.22 seconds at the LSU Alumni Gold meet on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Gardiner continued to build momentum from a series of impressive indoor performances earlier this season, where he competed in the 200m.  On Saturday, the Bahamian beat back a challenge from the USA’s Vernon Norwood, who ran 44.59 for second place.  The time was the fourth-fastest of Norwood's career.

Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith finished third in 44.61 seconds and the USA’s Tyler Terry was fourth in 45.00.  The time was Gardiner’s fastest ever 400m season opener and seems to set him in good stead to defend his world title at the Eugene 2022 World Championships later this summer.  Gardiner’s time bettered the earlier mark of 44.28 seconds, set by the USA’s Michael Cherry last weekend.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s LSU hurdles star Damion Thomas finished third in the men’s 110 metres hurdles.  Thomas’ time of 13.79 saw him finish just behind Canada’s Joey Daniels who clocked 13.78 for second, while the event was won by LSU’s Eric Edwards Jr who took top spot in a time of 13.34.

Olympic 110m hurdles champion, Hansle Parchment, opened his 2022 season by running 13.20 to win the Men’s 110m hurdles, at Velocity Fest 11, at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Parchment used an excellent start to win ahead of Rasheed Broadbell (13.31) and Michael O’Hara (13.52).

Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was also in fine form running 12.80 to win the Women’s 100m hurdles ahead of Crystal Morrison (13.02) and Amoi Brown (13.33).

Nine-time World Championship gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also made her 2022 season debut with a second-place finish in the 200m.

Fraser-Pryce had her trademark fast start before jogging the last 50m of the race to finish with a time of 22.79. Bahamian Anthonique Strachan ran a season’s best 22.55 to take the win while Natasha Morrison was third in 23.06.

Remona Burchell ran 11.13 to win the Women’s 100m ahead of Jodean Williams (11.51) and Krystal Sloley (11.74).

The Men’s 100m was won by Ackeem Blake in a new personal best 10.08. 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake was second in a season’s best 10.11 and Kadrian Goldson was third in 10.20.

In the Women’s 400m, Candice McLeod won Section A in 51.20 ahead of Janieve Russell (51.96) and Rhonda Whyte (52.26).

Zandrion Barnes won the Men’s 400m in a personal best 45.69 ahead of Anthony Cox (45.84) and Demish Gaye (46.19).

Antonio Watson ran 20.56 to win the Men’s 200m ahead of Kishane Thompson (20.92) and Riquan Graham (21.25).

Left-arm spinner Chevonne Grant was instrumental as the Middlesex Titans secured an 18-run win over the Middlesex United Stars, via the D/L method, in their rain-affected fixture in the Dream 11 Jamaica T10 at Sabina Park in Kingston on Saturday.

After the United Stars won the toss and elected to field, they bowled well to restrict the Titans to 81-8 off their 10 overs.

Sherdon Allen (36) and Oshane Walters (10) were the only Titans batsmen to reach double figures as West Indies U-19 representative Andel Gordon led the United Stars bowling with 3-10 off his two overs.

Dwayne Hamilton also took 2-21 for the United Stars.

The Stars reply never got out of first gear as only Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Alwyn Williams was able to get to double figures with 16.

At the time the rain came down, the United Stars were teetering at 41-7 off 7 overs. There was no further play as the match was then called off with the Stars 18 runs short of their target via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The aforementioned Grant produced an excellent spell of bowling, taking 4-9 off his two overs.

Jeavor Royal and Kennar Lewis were in fine form with the bat to help the Surrey Kings defeat the Surrey Risers in their Dream 11 Jamaica T10 encounter at Sabina Park on Saturday.

After the Risers chose to field first, after winning the toss, the powerful Kings batting line-up continued their excellent form so far in the tournament by posting a formidable 139-4 off their 10 overs.

Royal, a former West Indies Under-19 player and current member of the St. Lucia Kings CPL franchise, was the chief scorer for the Kings with 45 off just 17 balls, including four fours and three sixes.

Lewis, a current member of the Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL, was also in belligerent form with an 18-ball 41, including one four and five sixes, including four in one over off left-arm wrist-spinner Dennis Bulli.

West Indies Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood contributed 28 while Andre McCarthy made 17.

Left-arm spinner Warren Campbell was the most economical bowler for the Risers with 1-14 off his two overs.

Despite fighting knocks from Sadique Henry (58 not out) and Delbert Gayle (40 not out), the target of 140 was just too much for the Risers as they finished 109-2 off their 10 overs, 30 runs short of the Kings.

Henry’s innings came off 37 balls and included six fours and four sixes, while Gayle’s knock came off 16 balls and included four fours and three sixes.

Andre Dennis was the pick of the Kings bowlers with 2-15 from his two overs.