As they set out on the final leg of their Olympic journey, the Jamaica Football Rugby Union (JFRU) is expressing appreciation for the unrelenting support provided by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).
The JOA had outlined a goal of attaining higher than normal sporting variety and qualification to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, in its ‘10 in 20’ plan. So far track and field, boxing, gymnastics, aquatics (diving) and swimming have made the mark.
For rugby, both Jamaica’s national men’s and women’s teams, the Reggae Crocs and Lady Crocs will be participating in the Olympic Repechage, which will decide the final qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.
The teams’ quest for Olympic participation started several years ago and included funding from the JOA as they prepared for a number of tournaments such as the 2017 Rugby America’s North Sevens at which Jamaica’s Reggae Crocs emerged as champions and the Lady Crocs placed third.
That victory launched Jamaica into the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco, United States, the Central American and Caribbean Games, Commonwealth Games and Hong Kong Sevens.
“Being a member association of the Jamaica Olympic Association has some wonderful benefits and being in an Olympic qualification hunt affords us good support from the Jamaica Olympic Association,” said JFRU Chairman Jerry Benzwick.
“This is a wonderful initiative from the JOA that allows member unions to access funds and for this Repechage, access to these funds has been given to us by the JOA and without that support, I can tell you, our team would not have the funding to cover the expense of the preparations.”
Ryan Foster, the JOA’s Secretary General/CEO, expressed appreciation for rugby’s progress.
“We are extremely happy with the progress of rugby under Mr Benzwick and his team. The sport has seen tremendous growth and has increased their regional and international presence in the sport,” said Foster.
“The JOA will continue to provide avenues for our members such as the JRFU to find avenues to self-actualise and the Olympics is just one such avenue.”
“Under our Olympic Invest program, we have committed already over $40m to our members for which track and field, surfing, judo, skateboarding, karate, wrestling, gymnastics, fencing, boxing, aquatics, table tennis and rugby have all benefitted thus far.”
Rugby’s final qualification tournament will take place on June 19-20 in Monaco, featuring 12 women’s and 10 men’s teams. The teams represent each of World Rugby’s six regions and this tournament is their final chance to qualify for the Olympics.
In the men’s category, where two will qualify for the Olympics, Jamaica is drawn in Pool B, playing alongside France, Hong Kong, Chile and Uganda.
Pool A comprises Samoa, Ireland, Tonga, Zimbabwe and Mexico for a tournament format in which each team will play all opponents in its pool, with the top two progressing to the knockout stages. Pool winners will face the runners-up from the corresponding Pool, to book their ticket to the final and Tokyo.
For the women’s Olympic Repechage, the Lady Crocs also drew a spot in Pool B, where they will go up against Papua New Guinea, Kazakhstan and Tunisia. Pool A comprises Russia, Argentina, Mexico and Samoa, while Pool C consists of France, Hong Kong, Colombia and Madagascar.
The top two teams in each pool, plus the two third-placed teams with the highest point totals, will qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. As there are two Olympic qualification places available for women, the Repechage will feature two rounds of knockout games with the final round featuring four teams competing in two matches, where both winners gain Olympic qualification and claim their tickets to Tokyo.
Benzwick said while the teams did not prepare adequately, owing to COVID and not being granted approval to play or practice, the teams are working overtime to catch up and he believes they will do well in the Repechage.
“The girls are working hard, they are pushing themselves and our boys are having a good go at it to get themselves ready. So regardless of the setback and all the obstacles we think we are going to pull off a really good performance in this tournament,” he shared.
“I think our players have the spirit of crocodiles – they are resilient, they are tough, they are patient and they are hard-working. So they are thriving off their own energy right now and I’m watching them face adversity, watching them adapt, learn to be adaptive and accepting and just living the moment.
“I think that is very important for the success of any team. If you can seize the moment, it will always be the best team on the day that wins and the hungrier team. Mind you, fitness and experience and all the other attributes of being a sports person come into play, but sometimes it comes down to just grit and determination and that is something that the Crocs are not short of.”
The Jamaican teams have been involved in a pre-tournament camp and will have another in Monaco prior to the Repechage. Benzwick again lauded the JOA for the support to boost its preparation and Olympic hopes.
“We have been afforded a rare opportunity to host an actual camp before we go to the Repechage and this has made a world of difference so far,” said Benzwick. “So we are truly grateful.”
Jamaican sprinter Oblique Seville eager for clash with 100 World Champion Noah Lyles at Racers Grand Prix
Jamaican sprinter Oblique Seville is gearing up for an electrifying showdown against world champion Noah Lyles at the upcoming Racers Grand Prix on June 1, setting the stage for a thrilling test of readiness ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Seville, who finished fourth at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest where Lyles clinched his first 100m world title, is optimistic about his chances this season, having managed to steer clear of injury thus far. Seville's coach, Glen Mills, revealed earlier this year that an injury at a crucial stage last season hindered Seville's performance in Budapest, where he clocked 9.88 seconds, narrowly missing out on a medal.
Reflecting on his preparation for the upcoming races, Seville expressed confidence in his improved health and training regimen this season. "This year I have taken some drastic steps with regards to my injuries and injury management. I am cautious with what I'm doing so I am healthy at this point, and everything is going well," Seville explained at Tuesday's launch of the Racers Grand Prix at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston.
Seville's recent performances, including a 47.44-second 400m and a 20.17-second 200m, demonstrate his dedication and hard work leading into this pivotal season. "The 47.44 and the 20.17 that I ran show my dedication and hard work, so it is a possibility that I can make it onto the medal podium if things work out as planned," Seville remarked.
“Last year, I didn’t get to train the way I really wanted to but this year I got to train the way I wanted so everything is working out. I am stronger because I have got more chances training wise to do things I didn’t get the chance to do last year because of some niggles that I had.
“I had some issues with my back and stuff which caused me not to be able to lift weights as much as I could but I got it sorted out now and I am good.”
Looking ahead to the Racers Grand Prix, where he will face off against Lyles and training partner Zharnel Hughes, Seville expressed excitement about the opportunity to race against the world's best. "The last time I competed against Lyles was at the World Championship finals, so it's good to run with him before the Olympics to get a feel of what is to come," Seville emphasized.
The clash between Seville, Lyles, and Hughes at the Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston, promises to be a thrilling preview of what's in store for the Olympic Games in Paris, as Seville aims to secure his first global medal.
On this day 2013: Six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy announces retirement
Six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy announced his retirement from competitive cycling 11 years ago, admitting: “I know it is the right decision.”
The 37-year-old Scot had been contemplating continuing until the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but revealed he was quitting the sport at a press conference in Edinburgh on April 18, 2013.
Hoy was Britain’s most decorated Olympian after his haul of two gold medals at London 2012 saw him surpass rower Sir Steve Redgrave’s record of five, although he was overtaken by former team-mate Sir Jason Kenny in 2021.
In explaining his decision, Hoy said: “I think in sport at the highest level you’re dealing in such small margins and you can tell when you’re good but not good enough.
“It was very emotional coming in there (to the press conference) and I was trying not to watch the video montage with the sad music.
“I don’t want it to be a sad moment.
“I want to celebrate it and be happy because I know it is the right decision.
“It’s a decision that I didn’t take lightly and I thought about it very hard.”
As well as six Olympic titles, Hoy’s 13-year career featured 11 world titles and two Commonwealth crowns.
Hoy’s final race was the Olympic Keirin final on August 7, 2012 – on the final day of the London 2012 track programme.
Following retirement, Hoy pursued his passion for motorsport, including competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours, while he has also written children’s books.
In February 2024, the 48-year-old announced he was undergoing treatment for cancer.
No Pressure: World 400m champ Watson sets sight on remainder of season with confidence, determination
As the track and field season prepares to hit high gear, the performances of reigning World 400m champion Antonio Watson is among those that will attract some degree of interest, as Jamaican sporting enthusiasts, in particularly, have harboured hopes that he can repeat his gold medal-winning feat at this Summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
But amidst the anticipation and scrutiny of track and field fans, who often accept nothing short of excellence, Watson remains unfazed, exuding an aura of calm and confidence that all but indicates his readiness for the tasks ahead.
In fact, Watson in sharing his outlook for the business end of the season, revealed a mindset rooted in resilience and self-assurance, as he prepares to grace the track for a second time over 400m this year at the sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix, on June 1.
“No pressure. I'm not really pressured because I'm just focusing on myself and executing my races to the best of my ability. Yes, the title of World Champion comes with some amount of pressure to perform, but the aim is just to perform at my best,” Watson said during the event's launch at Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, on Tuesday.
“I am still trying to gauge my competition form because I haven't run in 400m since my race in February, but I'm feeling good in training, so I'm just excited to go out there and try to ensure that my fans and my friends have a wonderful show,” he added.
Interestingly, it was at the Racers Grand Prix that Watson broke the 45-second barrier for the first time in his career, and from there, he went on to top a quality World Championships field, with a new personal best 44.13s, in Budapest.
With that in mind, the 22-year-old has every reason to be confident, especially after proving that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Apart from the pedestrian 46.10s he clocked in February, Watson also had a 200m breeze at the Velocity Fest in March, where he clocked 20.84s.
“Well, I'm very excited about it. It's my second year competing at Racers Grand Prix, and I enjoyed last year, so I just want to go out there this year again and put on another good show. My training has been good, I’ve been working on a lot of things over the past few weeks, getting them right, so I'm really excited to just go out there and perform, as the aim for this season is to lower my personal best, obviously, and also get more silverware this season,” he declared.
Despite his achievements, over the past year, Watson remains humble and grounded, never allowing room for complacency or even to underestimate his opponents. This, as he won’t be facing a field of the World Championships or Olympic Games quality, but still views other competitors as equals.
Along with Watson, the 400m field for the Racers Grand Prix includes, American Champion Allison, Nigerian NCAA champion Emmanuel Bamidele, Demish Gaye, Zandrion Barnes and Javon Francis.
“For me, everyone is a threat because just like how I popped up last year, anyone can come out here and pop up this year. So I'm not downgrading anyone, these are good athletes Champion Allison is a sub-44 man, so too is Bamidele from Nigeria.
“So it's a good field and I am looking forward to competing against them. It's going to be a big race and one that sets me up for trials and possibly the Olympics after. So it's going to be a very important race for me and I am just trying to go out there, perform to my best and hopefully get a great time,” Watson shared.
While the rigors of training under celebrated coach Glen Mills at Racers Track Club can sometimes be overwhelming, Watson is unflinching in his desire to achieve excellence and, as such, leaves no stone unturned, as he braces for the challenges to come in the quest for greatness.
“For me, hearing from coach daily really boosts me. He always has encouraging words and when I'm not performing or training to my best, he always points it out. So, for me it's good and also can be stressful at times, but coach says I'm on the right path, so I'm just sticking to the path that I am on, and hopefully I can better it,” Watson reasoned.
“So, once I turn up at training, I'm ready to train, sometimes, it's hard to be focused for a million and one reasons, but as a professional, you have to know that it is time for you to be focused. So, I always try to stay locked in, and I have a good team around me that keeps me focused and ensures that I'm ready,” he ended.
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