As the CARIFTA Games return for the first time since 2019, SportsMax, the Caribbean’s premier sports and entertainment broadcaster, will broadcast the games live on its channels and Mobile App.
Cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CARIFTA Games first held in 1973, returns to the Caribbean sports landscape with the promise from the broadcaster that it will be bigger and better than ever. Jamaica will host the Games scheduled for April 16-18 at the National Stadium in Kingston and SportsMax Limited, the holder of the broadcast rights, plans to take the broadcast to a whole new level.
SportsMax will produce the CARIFTA Games and broadcast on linear TV via its many cable partners across the region and on CEEN TV outside the Caribbean and on its SportsMax and SportsMax+ channels within the SportsMax App in addition to partnering with several free-to-air entities across the region, ensuring that fans get to see their favourite athletes engage in pulsating track and field action over the Easter Weekend.
When the CARIFTA Games get underway, SportsMax, through its partnership with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) and the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), will ensure that the action on the track and on the field will be seen live on CNC3 in Trinidad, CBC in Barbados, CVM TV in Jamaica and Winners TV in St Lucia.
SportsMax CEO, Nicolas Matthews has also assured that viewers are in for a unique experience.
“SportsMax will bring its world-class expertise and team to deliver the highest level of production, bringing quality to viewers across the world like never seen before for CARIFTA. Our team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals will ensure viewers get the best seat in the house. As the Caribbean’s leading broadcaster, we will showcase athletes on screen from across the region as they compete to see who is the Caribbean’s best.”
Matthews said the broadcast will be of the highest standard that will include elements that are sure to enhance the viewing experience.
“As the Home of Champions, we plan to give our audience the best viewing experience as never seen before for CARIFTA. We have prepared features highlighting athletes from the many competing countries. You can expect to view over 20 hours of live coverage with daily highlight packages. Our world-class production comes with our first-class commentary team including world-renowned Lance Whittaker, Ricardo Chambers and other expert analysts from around the region.”
“There will be interviews with past CARIFTA athletes, now greats, and other special guests.”
In addition to the live broadcast on SportsMax and the SportsMax app, viewers can find clips of the action on the SportsMax YouTube channel.
“We look forward to a great competition and SportsMax will ensure a true track and field broadcast, where CARIFTA gets the quality attention it deserves,” Matthews concluded.
Kim Collins named first-ever track & field ambassador for St. Kitts Athletics to boost global sponsorship
St. Kitts Athletics has proudly named Kim Collins, the 2003 100m world champion, as its first-ever Track and Field Ambassador. This historic appointment celebrates Collins' enduring impact on the sport, as well as his record-breaking career spanning over two decades. Collins, who holds the national record of 9.93 seconds for the 100m, is still the only man over 40 to break the 10-second barrier and also holds the world record for athletes over 35 in the 60m with 6.47 seconds.
Delwayne Delaney, President of St. Kitts Athletics, emphasized the importance of this appointment for the organization and the sport as a whole. “We felt that it was important for us as a body and as an executive, and track and field on a whole, to honour him in such a way, first and foremost, as well as to leverage what he has done for track and field in St. Kitts and Nevis and globally so that we can attain recognition in hopes of attaining sponsorships. We are living in a competitive environment as it relates to sponsorships, and we have to be strategic in our approach," Delaney said.
Collins, who won the bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships and continued to compete at a high level through 2011, is recognized as a household name by major players in the sport.
Delaney added, "We know Kim Collins has made a name for himself time and time again dating back to 2003, even before that in 2001 when he won the bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships, up until 2011 when he was still winning medals at the world championships level. He is known by the major players in the sport, and we want to ensure that we are able to collaborate with Mr. Collins so that it can be beneficial to the sport and the youth who are coming up.”
In his new role, Collins will focus on raising the profile of St. Kitts Athletics through global sponsorship efforts, helping to foster a vibrant track and field community for the next generation.
St. Lucia Olympic Committee President Alfred Emmanuel elected to Panam Sports Executive Board
President of the St. Lucia Olympic Committee, Alfred Emmanuel, was among persons elected to the Panam Sports Executive Board at the body’s elections held on October 2 in Paraguay.
The continental body of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected Nevin Ilic as President.
He got 37 votes from a total of 53 votes. His challenger, Keith Joseph of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, received 16 votes.
There were also elections for individual members from the three different groupings. In Group 2, of which Saint Lucia is a part, the two representatives elected alongside Emmanuel were Roberto Richards of Cuba and Dennis Knight of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The representatives of Group 1 elected were: Mario Garcia de la Torre of México, Tricia Smith of Canada and Damaris Young of Panama.
The representatives of Group 3 elected were: Nicole Hoevertsz of Aruba, Mario Moccia of Argentina and Jorge Delgado of Ecuador.
The three Vice Presidents are: Veda Bruno Victor of Grenada - 1st Vice President, Camilo Perez of Paraguay - 2nd Vice President and Sarah Hirshland of USA - 3rd Vice President.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce parts ways with Coach Walcott, to battle on in 2025 with new team
Five-time 100m world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is set to continue her illustrious track career for yet another season, despite facing significant injury challenges throughout 2024.
However, the sprinting legend will reportedly do so under new guidance. Sportsmax.TV understands that Fraser-Pryce will be leaving Reynaldo Walcott, the coach she helped establish at Elite Performance Track Club.
Fraser-Pryce, who has been hampered by a persistent knee injury over the past few seasons, made the decision to move on after a reportedly frosty relationship developed between her and Walcott during the 2024 season. Calls and a Whatsapp message to Coach Walcott went unanswered.
Though her next coaching destination remains unclear, Sportsmax understands that the two-time Olympic 100m gold medalist has moved to put together a team to guide her through the upcoming season.
The name of Andre Wellington has surfaced as the person who will be among Fraser-Pryce’s new coaching outfit. Wellington has coached World U20 100m silver medalist Bouwahghie Nkrumie at Kingston College (KC). He was a member of the Racers Track Club between 2011 and 2012.
Fraser-Pryce had been a founding member of Elite Performance Track Club, partnering with Walcott in early 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his guidance, The 37-year-old sprint queen achieved remarkable success, notably lowering her personal best from 10.70 to 10.60 seconds. In 2022, she became the first woman to run sub-10.7 seconds on seven occasions in a single season and secured her fifth 100m world title in Eugene, Oregon.
However, since that stellar 2022 season, injuries have taken their toll on the Jamaican icon. In 2023, at the World Championships in Budapest, Fraser-Pryce finished third in the 100m, a notable drop from her dominant form the previous year. Her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics was further curtailed, as she withdrew from the semi-finals for reasons that remain undisclosed.
Fraser-Pryce’s decision to continue competing, despite these setbacks, underscores her determination to finish her career on her own terms.
As the first Jamaican woman to win an Olympic 100m title in Beijing 2008, she has remained a dominant force in global athletics for over a decade. Now, with a fresh team in her corner, the sprinting icon is focused on overcoming the injuries that have plagued her and making yet another remarkable run in 2025.
The news, if confirmed, followed a recent development this wherein Olympic 110m bronze medalist Rasheed Broadbell has also left Elite Performance for the MVP Track Club.
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