Former Kingston College standouts Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod, now both competing for the University of Tennessee, finished first and second in the Men’s Long Jump on Day One of the NCAA Division One Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday.
Pinnock and McLeod jumped 7.92 and 7.91, respectively, to finish as the top two ahead of Georgia’s Matthew Boling who jumped 7.86 for third.
St. Lucian Texas Junior and former St. Catherine High sprinter Julien Alfred turned heads in the Women’s 60m preliminaries with a personal best, collegiate and national record 7.04 to be the fastest qualifier to the final.
Jamaicans Charokee Young and Stacey-Ann Williams were the two fastest qualifiers in the Women’s 400m. Young, formerly of Hydel High and now competing for Texas A&M, advanced fastest with 51.70 while Williams, formerly of STETHS and now competing for The University of Texas, ran 51.89 to qualify second fastest.
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.
Being named tourism ambassador 'a special honour' for Olympic champion Alfred
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred expressed her deep pride and gratitude on Instagram after being named a Tourism Ambassador for her home country of St. Lucia. Alfred, who made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning gold in the 100m with a lifetime best of 10.72 seconds and silver in the 200m, said the new title has a special significance for her.
From September 24 to October 2, St. Lucia celebrated Alfred's remarkable achievements at the Games. The 23-year-old sprinter’s performances have earned her a place in the hearts of her fellow countrymen, and her contributions were recognized with several significant honours. Among the rewards, Alfred was presented with EC$1 million from the government of St. Lucia, EC$75,000 from the St. Lucia Olympic Committee, and a 10,000 square foot plot of land. In addition, a monument will be erected in her honour, and the Millennium Highway will be renamed the Julien Alfred Highway.
However, despite these accolades, Alfred revealed that being named Tourism Ambassador holds particular meaning for her. "September 26th was truly a special day for me," she shared on Instagram. "I’ve always taken much pride in representing my country both on or off the track, but being officially announced as a Tourism Ambassador and being the Tourism Gimie Awardee for 2024 brings me an unwavering amount of joy."
Alfred went on to express her gratitude to the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority for the opportunity, acknowledging the significance of this moment in her journey. "A huge thank you to the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority for allowing this young girl from Ciceron, with a dream, to receive such prestigious titles."
Her love for her island was evident in her closing remarks. "No matter where I may roam, I will forever LOVE my island home and represent as a proud Saint Lucian," she wrote.
Alfred's achievements on the track have undoubtedly made her a global icon, but her new role as Tourism Ambassador gives her a unique platform to continue representing St. Lucia with pride and passion, both on and off the track.
Weah and McKennie recalled as Pochettino names first USA squad
Mauricio Pochettino has named his first squad as head coach of the United States, with Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie recalled to face Panama and Mexico.
The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss, who was unveiled as Gregg Berhalter's successor last month, is gearing up for his first matches in charge of the Stars and Stripes.
Christian Pulisic retains the captain's armband with the AC Milan forward looking to build on his impressive start to the season, in which he has scored five goals and delivered two assists.
Meanwhile, the Juventus duo of Weah and McKennie are back in the fold after missing the September window, as are defenders Antonee and Miles Robinson.
Zack Steffen and Gianluca Busio also return to the squad, with the Colorado Rapids goalkeeper in line to earn his first international cap since March 2022.
The United States will face Panama at the Q2 Stadium in Austin on October 12, before travelling to Estadio Akron to take on Mexico three days later.
Full squad: Ethan Horvath, Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner; Marlon Fossey, Kristoffer Lund, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty; Brenden Aaronson, Gianluca Busio, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman; Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Timothy Weah, Haji Wright.
Olympic champions Julien Alfred and Roje Stona among nominees for Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year at inaugural CANOC Sports Awards
Olympic champions Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and Jamaica's Roje Stona are among the nominees for Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year at the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards, which will be held on October 19, 2024, in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. This event will celebrate the Caribbean’s top athletes, teams, and sports leaders, and will also feature the IOC Sustainability Awards, highlighting the region's commitment to sustainable sports.
The CANOC Sports Awards, the first of its kind, have been organized by the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) to honour athletes who have represented the region at the highest levels of competition. The event also recognizes teams, sports administrators, and media professionals for their contributions to the advancement of Caribbean sports.
Godfrey Been, President of the Turks and Caicos Commonwealth Games Association, expressed his pride in hosting such a significant event. “It is an honour for the Turks and Caicos Islands to host the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards,” Been said. “This event not only celebrates the remarkable achievements of our region's athletes and sports leaders, but also strengthens the bond of unity that sports fosters across the Caribbean. We are proud to play a pivotal role in recognizing the excellence that transcends our sporting communities and showcases the Caribbean on the global sporting stage.”
Alfred, who made history as Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold medalist in 2024, has been nominated in the Female Sports Personality of the Year category. She will compete against other global track stars such as Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' Shafiqua Maloney, and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts.
In the Male Sports Personality of the Year category, Jamaican discus thrower Stona, who also claimed Olympic gold in Paris, joins an elite field of nominees, including British Virgin Islands' 400m hurdles star Kyron McMaster, Grenada’s decathlete Lindon Victor, Cuban wrestling legend Mijain Lopez Nunez, Trinidad and Tobago’s 200m standout Jereem Richards, and Puerto Rican wrestler Sebastian Rivera.
In addition to individual honours, the CANOC Sports Awards will also recognize the best male and female teams from across the region. Notable nominees include the Dominican Republic Volleyball Team, the Barbados Triathlon Team, and the Curaçao Baseball Team. Julien Alfred has also been nominated for the Caribbean Breakthrough Award, further cementing her remarkable achievements in 2024.
Other categories, including the Caribbean Sports Media Award and the Caribbean Distinguished Service Award, will recognize those who have played significant roles behind the scenes, ensuring that Caribbean athletes continue to excel on the international stage.
As the event approaches, the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards promises to be a historic celebration of Caribbean sporting excellence. Athletes like Alfred and Stona are at the forefront of a new generation of Caribbean talent that continues to shine on the global stage.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
