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• St. Kitts Athletics hosts field events seminar with renowned Grenadian coach Paul Phillip

  St. Kitts Athletics (SKNA) has launched a four-day sports seminar focused on field events, led by renowned Grenadian throws coach Paul Phillip. With participation from 32 athletes and 26 coaches, the seminar aims to strengthen field events training and development on the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis.

   Phillip, who brings a wealth of experience in coaching top-tier throwing events, is guiding the seminar participants through intensive sessions designed to refine techniques in discus, shot put, and javelin. The program emphasizes foundational skills essential for athletes competing at the junior level and beyond.

  

   SKNA President Delwayne Delaney highlighted the strategic focus on field events as part of SKNA's broader commitment to developing a diverse range of athletic disciplines. “We have seen progress in the field events areas at the junior level and decided it was imperative we honed in this area at a youth and junior stage,” Delaney explained. “We intend to host additional workshops on hurdles and middle-distance events, following last year’s sprints seminar with Glen Mills.”

   The seminar underscores SKNA’s dedication to a holistic development approach, ensuring young athletes receive specialized training across multiple disciplines. The organization’s initiative continues to expand opportunities for athletes and coaches, with plans for more seminars and workshops in the near future.

• Ardenne High School launches second Optima 5K to fund Wellness Centre construction

  Ardenne High School has launched its second annual Optima 5K Run/Walk, a major fundraising initiative to support the construction of a wellness centre on the school’s campus. The event, scheduled for Saturday, November 16, at 6:30 am, will be managed by Running Events Limited for the first time, with registration available through runningeventsja.com.

  The 5K, organized by the Ardenne Alumni Foundation under the leadership of Chairperson Flo Darby, is the foundation’s largest fundraiser to date, with all proceeds going toward the wellness centre, which will be the first of its kind for a Jamaican high school. With a growing student population of over 2,000, Ardenne High sees the wellness centre as crucial for supporting both the physical and mental health of its students and staff.

  “We are planning to build a wellness centre for Ardenne High School, a space that focuses on physical and emotional health,” said Darby. “We’ll have a nurse on site, as well as rooms for guidance counsellors, a part-time psychiatrist, psychologist, and social worker. It will be the first of its kind in Jamaica, improving the environment for our students.”

  Current estimates place the cost of the wellness centre at J$64 million, with a targeted completion date before the school’s 100th anniversary in 2027.

  Two Olympians, 400m specialist and past Ardenne student Brandon Simpson and decathlete Maurice Smith, attended the event launch to endorse the initiative. Smith, whose siblings attended Ardenne, will also join Simpson at the start line on November 16, encouraging fellow athletes and supporters to participate in the cause.

  Alfred “Franno” Francis of Running Events Limited expressed his excitement for the project, noting the importance of fostering a healthy lifestyle. “We will try our best to execute a well-organized event, giving participants the support they need while raising funds for this exceptional cause,” he said. “This initiative is exemplary for other schools to follow, and we hope to see strong participation from current and past Ardenne students, along with anyone interested in health and wellness.”

  The route, as outlined by Francis, will start on Ardenne Road, then proceed through Trafalgar Park, onto Trafalgar Road, and follow a path along Lady Musgrave Road to Vale Royal. The course then turns onto Upper Montrose Road, onto Seymour Avenue, and returns to Ardenne Road, where participants will cross the finish line.

  Registration costs are J$2,000 for adults and J$1,500 for students, with proceeds directly benefiting the wellness centre.

  Terrence Ram, the head boy at Ardenne, emphasized the need for the centre, explaining that expanded facilities will provide students with a safe place to connect, relax, and engage with guidance staff. “The Ardenne Wellness Centre will give students a space to interact with guidance counsellors, share their thoughts, and develop personally,” Ram said.

  The launch was attended by several prominent supporters, including school principal Jacqueline Pinto, Ardenne Alumni Association President Dr. Winston De La Haye, alumni, foundation members, and representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, including Takese Foga, Director of Health Promotion and Education.

  The Ardenne Optima 5K Run/Walk is poised to bring together students, alumni, and community members in a meaningful effort to foster a culture of wellness at Ardenne High School and build a lasting resource for future generations.

   

   

   

• Samuda empathizes with Comm Games Federation over scaled-down 2026 event; urges possible compensation for excluded sports

  Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president, Christopher Samuda, has expressed understanding and empathy toward the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) as they face the challenge of hosting a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

  With the event, traditionally a grand celebration of sport, culture, and unity, being reduced in size due to economic pressures, Samuda acknowledges the difficulties facing the CGF while also stressing the need to find ways to address the impact this decision will have on several sports that have been cut from the programme.

  Diving, rugby, squash, badminton, table tennis, hockey, triathlon, and cricket are among the sports that will not feature in the 2026 edition.

  The CGF initially struggled to find a host after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year, before Glasgow, known for its rich sporting history as a host city—including hosting the 2014 edition of the game—stepped in to save the 2026 Games. However, this comes with the reality of hosting a more compact edition than previous iterations.

  

  For Samuda, the situation is an unfortunate but understandable outcome in a global landscape.

  “The circumstances in which the Commonwealth Games Federation unavoidably found itself inevitably led to a scaled-down edition of the games. I regret the exclusion of badminton, table tennis, squash, and hockey; for those sports, the Jamaica Olympic Association has earmarked for real transitioning. The CGF’s decision was clearly influenced by commercial factors and the economy of a diminished sporting agenda, for at the end of the day, the games must be viable to ensure sustainability,” Samuda said.

  However, Samuda also noted that the decision to reduce the scope of the Games, which will see several sports omitted from the 2026 programme, raises important questions about the future of those disciplines within the Commonwealth sporting family.

  He argued that the CGF must find ways to compensate the sports that have been excluded, as they are integral to the diversity and spirit of the Commonwealth Games.

  “Going forward, however, the CGF has to develop a strategy that will compensate those sports that are being excluded so as not to lose the interest and confidence of their international federations, commercial partners, and most importantly, the players and athletes for whom sports exist,” he reasoned.

  Despite the current challenges, Samuda remains optimistic about the future of the Commonwealth Games and the role it plays in uniting nations through sport. He sees the 2026 edition in Glasgow as an opportunity to innovate and adapt, ensuring that the Games remain relevant in a changing world.

  

  The Games will feature a 10-sport programme across four venues within an eight-mile corridor, with more than 500,000 tickets made available for spectators.

  Athletics and swimming are included as compulsory sports for 2026, while there will also be track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, and 3x3 basketball.

  “It is critical that the next games, while being an economic reinvention, should retain that unique traditional value that has given many sports and invaluable space on the Commonwealth sporting agenda and which have made it competitive as a sporting and commercial product amidst growing competition for the partnership dollar and public viewership and appeal,” Samuda said.