Swimmers on their marks.
file
Raising an elite athlete is a financial challenge. That is something Jamaica’s swim parents know more than most, as they are stuck with the age-old burden of footing the cost to have their children represent the country.
Aside from occasional assistance from the ministry of sport and the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica’s (ASAJ), which covers a percentage of funding to some regional meets, or even when reimbursements are to come from World Aquatics, formerly FINA, for participation at some international meets, the task of covering travel expenses often leaves parents on edge to the point where they have to choose and refuse invitations to certain events.
The idea of not competing at certain events also takes a toll on the athletes, who at different levels of their respective careers, would be eager to rub shoulders with others from across the region or elsewhere around the world as part of their development.
In fact, while all swimmers at their respective levels are talented and focused, the hard truth is that it is those with the superior training and resources –hefty financial resources –who pull away from the pack.
It is with this in mind that Annelies Denny has reiterated the call for corporate Jamaica to partner with the ASAJ and parents to ensure that the country’s next Olympian doesn’t get left behind.
Denny, who will serve as Jamaica’s team manager to the Carifta Aquatics Championships, made the appeal as parents stare down a $400,000 budget to have their child participate at this year’s 37th edition of the event in The Bahamas from March 28 to April 7.
“We know swimming is not track and field as yet. We don't have that breakout star. Alia Atkinson has now retired and so I understand that corporate Jamaica may feel where is your Olympic medal or where is your world championship medal. I do understand that, but we would really welcome the opportunity to partner with you,” Denny said in a heartfelt plea.
“Some of these kids really have the potential to not just go to the Olympics or World Championship, but to actually do really well at the (age-group) level. But it's going to take a corporation to partner with us to make that happen. What you find is because they start competing at this young age group level, what happens is by the time the swimmers are physically matured and are ready to take it to that next level, the parents are kind of all tapped out because we bear the bulk of the cost,” she told SportsMax.TV.
While declaring that parents are happy to make the financial sacrifices in certain regards, it is during the build up to, and for participation at regional and international competitions that they require assistance to offset expenses.
Denny explained that partnering with the ASAJ also presents the opportunity for exposure to the company’s brand.
“Obviously, there's a lot of nutrition to think about, there's healthcare as well as your coaching fees. A technical suit which they have to race in, it can run up to US$500 or US$600, including the goggles, equipment, all of those things. So we bear those costs on a daily and ongoing basis. It is when it comes down to competitions where you're representing your country, you're looking for that partnership because these are age group swimmers,” Denny noted.
She continued: “So after a while it becomes a great burden, and you just can't do it anymore. And so, this is where we really need some partnerships because I think there's a lot of opportunity not just for the swimmers to do well, but also to, there's opportunity for branding and publicity that is unrivaled.
“When I think of the swimmers' deck T-shirts, those that they wear on the deck or the track suits, every time they're on the podium, you see the brand. It's a source of pride for them to wear the team T-shirt and bag and if a company’s brand is on those, it means their brand is being seen several times a week by hundreds of people all the time. So that’s one avenue and we're really ramping up our social media presence so there's a lot of opportunity there and I would just love for somebody to call and say they are on board.”
That said, Denny pointed out that the parent body under the guidance of the ASAJ’s sponsorship committee used initiatives, such as a bake sale to raise funds, which is a mere drop in the bucket when the overall figure of the team is taken into account.
Still, she remains cautiously optimistic that all members of the 28-strong team, will make the trip to assist the country in surpassing its fourth-place finish from last year’s event.
This year’s event, which serves as an Olympic qualifier, will also feature an 18 and over category to assist those swimmers hunting the Olympic qualifying standards.
“It is a strong team and so we're looking forward to some very strong performances from them. So, if there's anybody in corporate Jamaica who would like to get on board with this team and give them a hand, please don't hesitate to contact us,” Denny declared.
“We earned some money from the bake sale, and we’ve asked all of our swimmers on the Carifta team to go out and beg their school friends, auntie and uncle or teacher to just give a donation pledge for the number of laps they're going to swim at the event. This is to again help us collectively reduce the cost and we're still waiting to hear back from the Sports Development Foundation, so hopefully we'll get a decent amount from them as well,” she ended.
Teams: Girls -Kai Lawson, Kia Alert, Alexandria Cogle, Jessica Denniston, Skyelar Richards, Alyssa Jefferson, Imani-Leigh Hall, Leah Chin, Christanya Shirley, Carolyn Levy-Powell, Giani Francis, Leanna Wainwright, Sabrina Lyn, Aliyah Heaven, Lia Forrester
Boys -Noah Parker, Arush Rochlani, Matthew Heaven, Matthew Kennedy, Kai Radcliffe, Noah Barrett, Noland Barrett, Adlai Nixon, Nelson Denny, Brady Lewison, Zack-Andre Johnson, Benjamin Davis, Malcolm McKenzie
Officials: Annelies Denny (Manager), Kafia Rapley (Coach), Adolfo Morales Claro (Coach), Lemone Lowe (Assistant coach), Carleene Grant-Davis (Doctor), Anthony Miller (Physiotherapist), Michelle Parker (Chaperone)
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Yohan Blake set to take ownership of Butcher's Barrel restaurant in Fort Lauderdale
Yohan Blake, the 2011 World 100m champion and the second-fastest man in history over both the 100m and 200m, is gearing up for his latest business venture—this time in the United States. The Jamaican sprinting icon is set to take ownership of a Butcher’s Barrel franchise in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, expanding his entrepreneurial footprint beyond the track.
The highly rated Butcher’s Barrel is known for sourcing the finest USDA Choice, Prime, and wagyu beef. The restaurant’s dinner menu boasts a variety of premium dishes, including the Delmonico ribeye, foie gras burger, Colorado bison burger, and Nebraska wagyu burger, making it a go-to destination for steak lovers.
Blake, who in October 2023 launched the Revierie Purified Water brand in Kingston, has been venturing into various business opportunities as he plans for life after athletics. The Butcher’s Barrel marks his first major restaurant venture in the United States.
“If you’re in Florida, come have dinner with me on October 8th, reserve your table early or just come by,” Blake posted on Instagram on Sunday. The post accompanied a brief video where Blake personally invited patrons to the restaurant, saying, "You’re officially invited to my restaurant launch on October 8th in Fort Lauderdale. Come on down."
As he transitions from his illustrious career on the track to life as a businessman, Blake's latest venture signals his growing focus on expanding his brand and interests beyond sport. Fans and food lovers alike are now eagerly anticipating the launch of the Butcher’s Barrel in Fort Lauderdale, where Blake will bring his signature energy to the world of fine dining.
Cavalier SC triumphs over 10-man Waterhouse in dominant 2-0 win; Humble Lion held by Vere Phoenix
Defending champions Cavalier SC delivered a commanding 2-0 victory over a 10-man Waterhouse FC at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday, climbing to the top of the Jamaica Premier League standings. Early goals from Jalmaro Calvin and Dwayne Atkinson sealed the win, leaving Waterhouse struggling after goalkeeper Kemar Foster was sent off in the first half.
Cavalier wasted little time asserting their dominance. Calvin fired the opening goal in the 12th minute after Atkinson skillfully turned his defender inside out and set up Calvin to score from six yards out. The defending champions nearly doubled their lead in the 24th minute, but Adrian Reid Jr couldn’t convert a free kick from close range.
Waterhouse’s fortunes worsened in the 32nd minute when a poor back pass from Nickoy Christian forced goalkeeper Kemar Foster into a last-ditch tackle outside the box, resulting in a straight red card. With substitute goalkeeper John Wilson brought on, the pressure mounted. Just three minutes after entering the game, Wilson's pass from the back was intercepted by Atkinson, who slotted home to make it 2-0.
Atkinson nearly added a third goal two minutes before halftime, rattling the crossbar after more defensive errors from Waterhouse. Despite being a man down, Waterhouse showed resilience in the second half, with Elvis Wilson coming close to pulling one back with a towering header that Cavalier’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett had to save at full stretch.
However, Cavalier continued to exploit Waterhouse’s defensive lapses, with Shaquille Stein hitting the post in the 55th minute after another error at the back. Waterhouse failed to mount a significant comeback, and Cavalier comfortably saw out the match to claim their second win of the season.
The victory lifts Cavalier to seven points, one ahead of Harbour View, who secured a 2-1 victory over Molynes United earlier in the day.
Elsewhere, Humble Lion were left frustrated after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Vere United at the Wembley Centre of Excellence. Dominating much of the match despite the wet conditions, Humble Lion took the lead in the 73rd minute through a penalty from Karim Bryan after Vere defender Michael Forbes was sent off for bringing down Andre Clennon in the box.
However, Vere, despite being a man down, fought back in the dying moments of the game. Substitute schoolboy Kishane Gordon found the back of the net in stoppage time, slotting home after a neat pass from Josiah Daniel to snatch a point for Vere United.
Harbour View made their return to their home ground at Compound a successful one, securing a 2-1 win over Molynes United. The victory moves Harbour View to six points, just behind Cavalier on the Jamaica Premier League table.
In the late game on Sunday, Arnett Gardens and Racing United played to a exciting 1-1 draw.
Bajan coach Alison Jackson cautiously optimistic about chances in inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Champs
With the inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championships fast approaching, Barbados head coach Alison Jackson expressed cautious optimism about her team’s chances of topping rivals at the event, which will be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Jamaica.
Jackson, a long-time coach of Flip Gym, shared her views shortly after a 15-member team was named to represent the Barbados Gymnastics Association (BAGA) at the November 29-30 event.
She believes that despite Barbados being represented internationally at various levels over the years, the island is still yet to reach its full potential, and that scope for growth is again evident where team selection is concerned.
"Well, I have to say that we are at a disadvantage in terms of athlete selection. I’m the only one that offers a competitive programme at the moment, so all of the gymnasts have been selected from my gym through my staff. We sat and discussed and looked at results for the season to make our recommendations to the association about who we think our top athletes are going to be at each level,” Jackson said.
“Trinidad is ahead of us in terms of how long they’ve had organised gymnastics classes going. So Trinidad alone has 17 clubs to choose from. So our group is very small, we only have 15 girls going, but we’ve picked the best of our 15 girls. So I expect to definitely be coming back with some medals for Barbados,” she added.
The Carifta Gymnastics Championships, which has been under consideration for years now, will now come to fruition, with teams from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands set to take part.
“It’s finally happening. Jamaica is hosting the first one, and we are going to be having most of the countries in our region follow the USA’s developmental programme, which is level-based,” Jackson, a former vice president of BAGA, shared.
“So there’s 10 levels, so they’re going to have that, as well as elite level gymnastics, which is the International Gymnastics Federation or FIG level gymnastics. So there’ll be two streams, which is great because not all of the islands have elite level gymnasts as yet. So we’ll give all the kids who are eligible an opportunity to compete and represent their country at the Carifta Games at whatever level they’re at,” she explained.
That said, Jackson expressed hope that the advent of a regional competition for gymnastics will show people that Caribbean kids have other possible pathways to excel on the international stage.
“We’re hoping that it will broaden everybody’s horizons and bring more awareness to gymnastics generally within our own island and across the Caribbean. I’ve been coaching kids in Barbados for years. I’ve taken kids to the USA; I’ve taken them to training camps with the US national team coaches. I mean, we’ve done lots of stuff, but everyone’s just thinking this is only starting now. But it’s been going on for a long time, so it’s just getting it out there and getting more recognition,” Jackson noted.
Barbados team: Jazara Lavine, Ciara Freeman, Za’Nyah Bostic-White, Daniella Small, Juliette Sonny, Mariah Gill, Cyrina Walcott-Lloyd, Oyinda Buluro, Amber Haynes, Dominique Thompson, Khaleesi Marshall, Sya Franklyn, Freya-Rose Smith, Thaliyah Dowrich, Mishka Mapp.
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