Related items

• Gilbert eyes strong JPL run after goalless stalemate with Real Hope confirms Caribbean Cup exit

  Arnett Gardens Head Coach Xavier Gilbert was left with a mixed bag of emotions following his team’s goalless draw against Haitian club Real Hope in their Group A Concacaf Caribbean Cup encounter.

  While pleased with their usual attacking intent and defensive resilience, which earned them their first point of the tournament, Gilbert admitted that he would have liked to secure all three points in the heated affair at the National Stadium on Wednesday to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

  The “Junglists” were more threatening in open play and felt they should have won the contest as they had a goal ruled out for offside, while a penalty call, which should have gone their way, was not given.

  As such, the result left them rooted at the bottom of the group on a point, as Cavalier (six points), Real Hope (five points), Police FC (four points), and Mount Pleasant FA (three points) remain in contention for the top two spots to the semis.

  With one game to come against Mount Pleasant on October 3, Gilbert is hoping they can secure a win to cap off what he described as a valuable experience for the team in the regional competition.

  “Honestly, it’s a bit of a bittersweet feeling; I think it was a tough encounter, but I can fault the guys for trying. I’m happy that the team showed great effort and fight, but decision-making in the final third could have been better,” Gilbert told Sportsmax.TV.

  

   

  “On the other hand, I thought we were just unlucky to not get the full points last night, especially in the way some calls went against us, but that's the way it is, sometimes we get them and sometimes we don't. We came into this game hoping to get the victory, but we were just a bit short in the final third,” he added.

  Despite the shortfall, Gilbert highlighted the positives of the Caribbean Cup campaign and believes the team has gained crucial exposure and experience testing themselves against regional opponents. This, he said, will serve them well for the remainder of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season.

  “We fight on nonetheless; we are happy for the exposure that we got at this level, and hopefully we can use this as a catalyst to do well in the local league and make it back here next season because these are the types of tournaments we need to be involved in more often,” he explained.

  “Playing teams from across the Caribbean pushes us to raise our level and exposes the areas we need to improve. The intensity and quality are slightly different from what we face locally, and the players have to adapt quickly. It’s an experience we’ll definitely build on going forward,” he noted.

  

  With the JPL season already in full swing and Arnett Gardens, Gilbert has already shifting his focus to ensuring that his team come out stronger for their next encounter against promoted Racing United on Sunday.

  The CFU Club Shield winning coach believes the lessons learned in the Caribbean Cup can propel the team to a successful domestic season, which would, in turn, put them back in contention for another crack at the regional tournament next year.

  Arnett Gardens currently sit second on the JPL standings on three points from their opening 3-0 win over Dunbeholden FC.

  “We have to take what we’ve learned here (in the Caribbean Cup) and channel it into our JPL campaign. The goal now is to be consistent, play good football, and secure one of those top spots to qualify for the Caribbean Cup again. This tournament has given us a taste of what’s possible, and I’m confident we’ll be better equipped next time around.” Gilbert stated confidently.

  

  The tactician is counting on his team’s mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talents to continue growing and improving as they look to reclaim domestic glory. He also expressed gratitude to the club’s fans for their unwavering support throughout the tournament and promised that they would see a revitalized Arnett Gardens as the JPL season progresses.

  “We’re going back to the drawing board with a renewed focus and determination,” he said.

  “The fans deserve nothing but our best effort, and we’re committed to making sure we’re back in the Caribbean Cup next year and, more importantly, compete for titles,” Gilbert ended.

• 'You can be where Julien Alfred is': Joanna Alfred encourages aspiring athletes to reach for their goals

  Joanna Alfred is a proud mother, and it is clear for all to see.

  But while she basks in the accomplishments of her daughter Julien Alfred and the recognition that comes with having a historic double Olympic medallist in the family, the senior Alfred used the opportunity to remind aspiring athletes that they too can become a national hero like her daughter.

  “Yes, she is one of the biggest heroes today because of where she came from and where she started. And I also want children to learn from that and understand that it doesn't matter where you come from; you can still be where Julien Alfred is,” a beaming Joanna said as the island continues to celebrate her daughter's homecoming.

  Having come from humble beginnings in Ciceron, situated in St Lucia’s capital Castries, Alfred honed her talent overtime and rose through the ranks on her way to copping an historic 100m gold and 200m silver at the Paris Olympic Games in August. Prior to that, she became the first St Lucian to win a World Indoor 60m title.

  

  Those accomplishments followed an impressive NCAA campaign in which she copped the NCAA indoor 60m and 200m titles, as well as the outdoor honours over 100m and 200m. She was also the 2023 Bowerman Award winner, the prize given to the outstanding collegiate track and field athlete each year.

  While the journey was by no means easy for either Alfred or her family, Joanna pointed to one thing in particular that assisted her daughter along the way –parental support.

  “You can support your child. God will do the rest. So everything's going to fall into place,” she declared.

  “They say it takes a village to raise a child, and indeed it does because if I didn't have the support of at least Twa Ti Ney [Julien’s local coach, Cuthbert Modeste] when her father passed, he became the father figure in this young lady’s life, then again I would have to struggle, so it took a village to raise a child as well,” Joanna shared.

  Beyond the background support, Joanna pointed out that Alfred’s grit, determination, and unflinching desire to become a successful athlete were the foundation on which she rose to prominence and inevitably became the sprint queen of the island with a population of just about 180,000 people.

  “It was not the food on her plate but the food in her mind that really encouraged her because even when she faced situations, the food in her mind really encouraged her to be where she is,” Joanna declared.

• Alfred named as official ambassador for St. Lucia’s tourism; honoured with mural at alma mater

  The hero’s welcome to St. Lucia for Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred has continued on Thursday with more great gestures honouring the 23-year-old’s historic achievements on the track in 2024.

  Alfred, who became her country’s first Olympic medallist when she sped to gold in Paris in August, has now been named as the official ambassador for St. Lucia’s tourism.

  As tourism ambassador, she will participate in promotional events for St. Lucia in key markets globally, alongside conducting media engagements and advertising initiatives to promote the island and its marketing campaigns.

  She will also engage in social media campaigns to highlight tourism in St. Lucia. A key feature of this collaboration is the co-branding of the prominent St. Lucia logo on Alfred's competition and warm-up kits.

  This partnership is expected to enhance the island's visibility and establish Alfred as a contemporary global ambassador for St. Lucia.

  In addition to this, a mural of the 2023 Bowerman Award winner was also unveiled at her alma mater, Ciceron Primary School.

  

  PUMA, who sponsors Alfred, has also pledged to provide footwear for all students of the school by 2025.

  This all comes a day after the Government of St. Lucia announced September 27 as ‘Julien Alfred Day.’

  Alfred returned to St. Lucia on Tuesday for the first time since her history-making performances in Paris.

  In addition to the 100m gold, Alfred also took silver behind American Gabby Thomas in the 200m.

  This came after earlier in the season when Alfred took home 60m gold at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

  Alfred’s celebrations are set to continue until October 2.