Several Caribbean athletes were on show as the NCAA Indoor Track & Field season continued at the Kansas State Winter Invitational on December 11.
Bahamian Kyle Alcine, competing for Kansas State, won the high jump with a clearance of 2.05m.
Alcine, the silver medallist at the NACAC Under 23 Championships in Costa Rica earlier this year, finished ahead of Kansas State teammate Kamyren Garrett who also cleared 2.05 metres and Kaleb Clark of William Carey jumped 1.95 for third.
Guyana’s Chantoba Bright, also representing Kansas State, was also a winner at the meet soaring out to 13.31 metres to win the triple jump.
Bright, who won a silver medal in the same event at the recently concluded Pan Am Junior Championships in Colombia, finished ahead of Allanah Lee of Oklahoma who jumped out to 12.28m and Nevagant Jones of William Carey who was third with 11.77m.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Fredricka McKenzie, competing for William Carey University, was second in the Women’s 60 metres in 7.52.
McKenzie is a former Edwin Allen High School student who narrowly missed out on an individual medal at Jamaica’s Boys and Girls High School Track & Field Championships or “Champs” on two separate occasions. She was fourth in the Girls Class One 200m in 2018 and a year later, fourth in the Girls Class One 100m.
The race was won by Wurrie Njadoe of Kansas State in 7.45 while her teammate Velecia Williams was third in 7.54.
Williams is a former Hydel High School student, who won silver medals in both the long and triple jump at the 2018 CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas.
Another Jamaican representing Kansas State, Taishia Pryce, finished fourth in 7.60.
Pryce, a former student at the St. Andrew Technical High School, also ran 39.35 to finish second in the Women’s 300m that Njadoe won in 38.42, a new meet record.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Jamaica fifth in Women’s 4x100m relay final in Paris; USA wins gold ahead of Great Britain, Germany
For the first time since the 2008 in Beijing, Jamaica has failed to medal in the Women’s 4x100m at an Olympic Games.
Jamaica’s quartet of Alana Reid, Kemba Nelson, Shashalee Forbes and Tia Clayton produced a season’s best 42.29 fifth in the final at the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France on Friday.
The American quartet of Melissa Jefferson, TeeTee Terry, Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson combined to run 41.78 for gold ahead of Great Britain (Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt) who ran 41.85.
Germany ran 41.97 in third while France were fourth in 42.23.
Hayes seeking to solve "easy fixes" following United States win
Emma Hayes insisted that she will seek to solve "easy fixes" from her United States players despite a resounding 3-0 victory over Zambia in their opening game at the Paris Olympics.
Trinity Rodman's 17th minute strike was followed up by a quickfire double from Mallory Swanson to ensure a winning start to Group B.
Swanson's brace came within 66 seconds of each other, netting the fastest two goals by a single player in a major tournament in the team's history.
Lindsey Horan notched two assists in Nice, becoming the fifth player in USWNT history with multiple assists in an Olympic match, joining Mia Hamm, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz.
Plenty was made of the United States' form heading into the Games, having endured a goalless draw in their final pre-tournament fixture with Costa Rica.
However, their ruthless first-half showing saw Hayes become the first coach to win their first major tournament match in charge of the USA by a margin of three or more goals.
The former Chelsea head coach has also helped her side keep five clean sheets in her first five games in charge, a record only bettered by Greg Ryan (nine).
In spite of their strong showing, Hayes' side underperformed their expected goals (xG) by 1.96, with only eight of their 27 shots on target in the contest.
They missed a total of nine big chances, while also having 58 touches in the opposition's box compared to Zambia's 11.
But having seen other tournament favourites Spain and Germany kickstart their respective campaigns with victories, Hayes is confident her side can improve to claim a record-extending fifth gold medal.
“The first part of the first half was exceptional,” Hayes said. “To come out the way we did, the intention, the intensity, the decision-making, the execution, it should have been at least 5-0 at half-time.
"There was things within our structure I didn’t like. But that’s easy fixes.
“If we had asked me at the beginning of the game ‘would you be happy with a 3-0 winner?’ I probably would have said no.
"However, for the performance and the chances created and finding the back of the net, I don’t want to be too hard on the players.”
The United States continue their Group B campaign on Sunday where they will face Germany, before travelling to Marseille to face Australia next week.
Pollard, Pooran lead MI New York to Major League Cricket playoffs with four-wicket win over LA Knight Riders
On the back of a vintage display of power hitting from Captain Kieron Pollard and some responsible batting from Nicholas Pooran, defending champions MI New York booked a spot in the 2024 Major League Cricket Playoffs with a four-wicket win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Sunday.
Both teams entered Sunday’s clash knowing a win would be good enough for them to join the San Francisco Unicorns, Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings in the playoffs.
After winning the toss and electing to field first, MI New York restricted the LA Knight Riders to 130 all out off 19.1 overs.
The hard-hitting Andre Russell did the bulk of the scoring for the Sunil Narine-led knight Riders with 35 while Jason Roy hit 27 at the top of the innings.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the pick of the New York bowlers with 3-22 from his four overs while Nosthush Kenjige and Trent Boult supported well with two wickets, each.
MI New York then needed only 17 overs to reach 134-6 and book their spot in the playoffs after winning just one of their first six games of the season.
Nicholas Pooran led the way with 35 off 28 balls but it was Pollard’s blistering 33* off just 12 balls that sealed victory.
Pooran’s knock included two fours and as many sixes while Pollard hit two fours and three sixes.
Dewald Brevis also chipped in with a 19-ball 27.
Narine took 2-24 from his four overs for the Knight Riders.
Full Scores:
LA Knight Riders 130 all out off 19.1 overs (Andre Russell 35, Jason Roy 27, Rashid Khan 3-22, Nosthush Kenjige 2-22, Trent Boult 2-38)
MI New York 134-6 off 17 overs (Nicholas Pooran 35, Kieron Pollard 33*, Dewald Brevis 27, Sunil Narine 2-24)
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