Mattea Issa conquered the 16-18 age group at the RBL Trinidad & Tobago Junior Golf Open recently, winning the category by 15 strokes at the Brechin Castle Golf Club in the twin-island republic.
Issa shot rounds of 76, 81 and 78 for a combined score of 235 to be crowned champion over Chloe Ajodha 250 (90,79, 81) and Emily Whyatt who was further back on 271 (87, 95, 89) in third place.
"It’s always an honour to get to represent your country and I am so happy that I got the opportunity to do that in Trinidad,” Issa said afterwards.
“It was an extremely tricky course with very windy conditions but I was able to stay calm and bring the win home."
The tournament helped Issa prepare for the Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championship scheduled for July 3-8 in the Cayman Islands. She was second to Emily Mayne in the Girls 18 & Under category in the Jamaican trials to select the team for the championship and is looking to ramp up her preparation by competing in other high-level tournaments as she continues to hone her skills for the July championship
Led by a brilliant half-century from Christian Lall, Trinidad and Tobago were crowned champions of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 15 Championship, as they defeated the Leeward Islands by six wickets at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
The Leewards batting first posted 162 all out in 48 overs, with a half-century for skipper Matthew Miller. He shared in a 63-run partnership with Jaheem Clarke as the pair showed resistance to the spin of Yasir Deen and Alejandro Kassiram. Deen and Kassiram finished with figures of 3/34 and 3/9 respectively.
Lall and Dimitri Ramjattan then posted a 77-run opening partnership before Ramjattan was caught for 19. Trinidad and Tobago lost three more wickets in pursuit of victory, but Yasir Deen nudged the ball for the winning single in the last ball of the 35th over.
In the end, the champions reached 163-4 with Lall making 52 and Zane Maraj 28*. Kunal Tilokani finished with figures of 2/45.
The Windward Islands took home a four-wicket win over Jamaica at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to close of their championship on a winning note. Batting first, Jamaica posted 146 all out in 42.3 overs, thanks to a top score of 39 from Demarco Scott and 36 from Odane Binns. Theo Edward was the pick of the Windward bowlers with figures of 4/27.
Edward then starred with the bat as well with 59 as the Windwards reached 149-6 off 35.5 overs. Nicoli McKenzie, Geovanni Gray and Joel Williams all ended with two wickets for Jamaica.
In the third match, Guyana beat last year’s winners Barbados by seven wickets at Liberta Sports Ground. Batting first, Barbados was all out for 69 in 20.5 overs. Oliver Gooding top-scored for the Bajans with 23. Arun Gainda 3/10, skipper Dave Mohabir 3/13 and Jonathan Mentore 3/14 were the leading bowlers for Guyana.
Mentore then returned to score 17 runs and 14 from Romario Ramdeholl, but it was the 25 runs that came via extras that took Guyana home to a comfortable win at 70-3 in 23 overs. Akobi Crichlow-Byer was the best Barbados bowler with figures of 2/18.
Earsinho Fontaine of the Windward Islands finished as the leading run-scorer with 197 runs while T&T’s Yasir Deen ended with 14 wickets to lead the tournament. In the field, T&T teammates Christiano Ramanan (9) and Scyon Charles (6) led the tournament in dismissals and catches, respectively.
For the 37th year in a row, Jamaica have topped the medal table at the CARIFTA Track & Field Championships.
The unofficial medal tally saw Jamaica finish the 50th edition of the Games, which were held from April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas, with 78 medals, 32 more than the hosts in second and 47 more than Trinidad & Tobago in third.
The top five was rounded out by St. Kitts & Nevis with 11 and Barbados with 10.
Of those 78 medals, Jamaica took home 40 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze medals.
Furthermore, 36 of those medals came on the Boys side while 42 came on the Girls side.
Hosts, The Bahamas, also had an excellent showing at home with 46 medals including 10 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze while Trinidad and Tobago ended with nine gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze.
Trinidad & Tobago got their fourth consecutive win of the 2023 CWI Rising Stars Under-15 Championship when they comfortably beat Jamaica by six wickets at Coolidge on Monday.
The Jamaicans, who have only managed to score over 150 once in four matches, saw their batting woes continue when they were dismissed for just 102 in 34.4 overs. No Jamaican scratched 20 as Yasir Deen (3-18 off nine overs) and Alejandro Kassiram (3-20 off six overs) were the chief destroyers for T&T.
The chase was a simple one thanks to a second consecutive fifty (50) from Brendan Boodoo and 23* from Zane Maraj. T&T needed only 30.4 overs to reach 106-4 and complete victory.
At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, defending champions Barbados rebounded from back-to-back losses with an eight-wicket win over the Windward Islands.
Akobi Critchlow-Byer took 4-18 from his 10 overs and Javed Worrell claimed 3-18 from seven as Barbados dismissed the Windwards for 112 in 40.1 overs.
Barbados then faced only 20.2 overs to reach 113-2, completing the easy win. The successful chase was led by Gadson Bowens’ 45* and Oliver Gooding’s rapid 14-ball 25.
Guyana used an excellent bowling effort to complete a huge 101-run win over the Leeward Islands at the Liberta Sports Club.
Guyana used valuable contributions of 28 from Razam Koobir and 22 each from Dave Mohabir and Shane Price to post 154 off 36.5 overs batting first.
Kunal Tilokani took 4-21 off his 10 overs while Jaheem Clarke took 3-21 off seven for the Leewards.
The chase then went horribly for the Leewards with three of their top four batsmen being run out and two more falling to leave them 32-5 in the 12th over.
Eventually, they were dismissed for 53 in 28.2 overs as Arun Gainda ended with 3-13 off seven overs.
The fifth round takes place on Wednesday with Barbados facing Guyana at the Liberta Sports Club, Jamaica taking on the Windward Islands at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Leeward Islands facing leaders Trinidad & Tobago at Coolidge.
Brendan Boodoo starred with 82 as Trinidad & Tobago beat Barbados by 17 runs for their third win in as many games in the CWI Rising Stars Under-15 Championship at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday.
The Trinidadians made 235-8 off their 50 overs batting first. Boodoo was supported by contributions from Christian Lall (25) and Dimitri Ramjattan (22). R’Jai Gittens was the best bowler on the day for Barbados with 2-61 off eight overs.
Then, despite 65 from Gadson Bowens and 61 from Raphael Lovell, the defending champions were restricted to 218 all out off 49 overs.
Boodoo, Yasir Deen and Darrius Batoosingh all took two wickets apiece to lead the charge.
At Coolidge, the Windward Islands secured a 29-run win over Guyana. Tyler Venner top-scored with 45 as the Windwards were dismissed for 174 off 50 overs. Guyana captain Dave Mohabir led the way with 3-19 from his 10 overs while Shane Price and Adrian Hetmyer took 2-49 and 2-36 from 10 overs and five overs, respectively.
In reply, Guyana was then restricted to 145 off 40.3 overs with Razam Koobir (39) and Navin Boodwah (35) leading the way.
Jorden Charles took 4-31 off 8.3 overs and Theo Edward took 3-19 from seven for the Windwards.
The Leeward Islands beat Jamaica by six wickets at the Liberta Sports Club in the day’s other game.
Jamaica was bowled out for 117 in 26.2 overs batting first. Amoree Jones took 4-20 off five overs while Krishna Girdhari and Lythe Brown took two wickets, each.
The Leewards then needed only 33.1 overs to reach 119-4 thanks to 31* from Lawshorn Bergan and 23 from Matthew Miller.
Ryan Lyttleton finished with 3-36 off 9.1 overs for the Jamaicans.
The fourth round of matches take place on Monday with Jamaica facing Trinidad & Tobago at Coolidge, the Leeward Islands battling Guyana at the Liberta Sports Club and the Windward Islands facing Barbados at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
At the Liberta Sports Club, Trinidad & Tobago got their second consecutive dominant win with a seven-wicket triumph over the Windward Islands on Thursday.
In a match reduced to 20-overs-per-side due to rain, the Windwards, who comfortably beat the Leewards in their first game, were bowled out for 71 in 18.2 overs.
Only first game centurion Earsinho Fontaine (23) and captain Theo Edward (14) were able to get double figures as the Trinidadian bowling effort was led by Yasir Deen who took 3-9 from four overs and Brendan Boodoo who ended with similar figures.
With the bat, T&T needed just 11.5 overs to reach 75-3 with Zane Maraj and Christian Lall finishing 18* and 7*, respectively. Earlier, Boodoo top scored with 21 while Darrius Batoosingh got 16.
At the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Guyana got their first win when they defeated Jamaica by 15 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
The Guyanese were bowled out for 121 in 42.2 overs in their turn at the crease. Romario Ramdeholl led the way with an unbeaten 54 as Nicoli McKenzie took 4-25 off eight overs and Demarco Scott 3-21 off 10.
A rain delay with Jamaica 13-0 early in their reply meant they ended up needing 112 off 33 overs for victory.
They ended up being bowled out for 96 in the 33rd over. Tyson Gordon Jr made 23 while Joel Williams finished 19* as Dave Mohabir and Dhanesh Persaud took two wickets, each.
At Coolidge, the Leewards beat Barbados by four wickets via the DLS method.
Batting first, Barbados was restricted to 129 in 41.4 overs. Seth Smith top-scored with 23 and Jakeem Pollard made 19 against Kunal Tilokani’s 4-17 off seven overs and four balls and 3-19 off seven overs from Amoree Jones.
Due to lengthy rain delays, the Leewards’ target was reduced to 78 off 20 overs. They successfully reached 78-6 off 18 overs thanks to 18* from Matthew Miller.
The teams will next be in action on Saturday with the Leeward Islands taking on Jamaica at Liberta Sports Club, Trinidad & Tobago facing Barbados at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and Guyana facing the Winward Islands at Coolidge.
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and the Windward Islands all secured wins as the CWI Rising Stars Under-15 Championship bowled off on Tuesday in Antigua.
At Coolidge, Trinidad & Tobago easily got the better of Guyana by seven wickets. The Guyanese batted first and were only able to make 75 in 32.4 overs.
Yasir Deen and Darrius Batoosingh starred with the ball for the young Trinidadians with 3-8 off four overs and 3-10 off six overs, respectively.
It only took 15.2 overs for T&T to successfully reach their target, finishing 76-3. Christian Lall led the way with 34*.
At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the Windward Islands beat the Leeward Islands by 99 runs. The Windwards piled up an impressive 263-3 off their 50 overs thanks to a brilliant 130* off 146 balls by Earsinho Fontaine.
They also got healthy contributions from Jonathan Daniel (52) and captain Theo Edward (37).
In reply, the Leewards were dismissed for 164 in 44.1 overs. Jaheem Clarke led the way with 40* while captain Matthew Miller made 26 and Eirette Richards 23 against 3-15 from captain Edward and 3-14 from Elran Glasgow.
At the Liberta Sports Club, Jamaica pulled off an exciting 18-run win over defending champions Barbados.
Batting first, the Jamaicans made a modest 165 off 42.3 overs. Demarco Scott led the way with 49 while Savio Jones got 34 as R’Jai Gittens ripped through the Jamaica line-up to claim 4-24 from his seven overs.
The Barbados chase seemed to be going smoothly at 144-4 in the 36th over but things quickly went south as they lost their final six wickets for just three runs to be bowled out for 147 in 39 overs.
Gadson Bowens led the wat with 64 while Justin Parris got 47. The Jamaican fightback was led by hero with the bat, Demarco Scott, and Adrian Silvera. Scott took 3-12 in his six overs and Silvera bowled eight overs, finishing with 3-22.
Action continues Friday with Jamaica taking on Guyana at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the Leeward Islands facing Barbados at Coolidge and Trinidad & Tobago battling the Windward Islands at the Liberta Sports Club.
The Windward Islands Volcanoes will enter Saturday’s day four of their final round fixture against the Barbados Pride seven wickets away from a possible title-clinching win after restricting the Pride to 28-3 chasing 236 for victory at the Queen’s Park Oval.
The Volcanoes recovered excellently to make 225 off 73.2 overs after starting the day 14-4 with Kavem Hodge and Sunil Ambris at the wicket on four and zero, respectively.
The recovery effort was led by Ambris thanks to a crucial 141-ball 79 including nine fours and a six while pacer Ryan John and wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott made valuable contributions of 37* and 35, respectively.
Jomel Warrican took 4-58 for the Pride while Akeem Jordan and Jair McAllister took two wickets, each.
Chasing 236 for victory, the Pride were 28-3 off 17 overs at stumps with Jonathan Drakes (9) and Chaim Holder (0) at the crease.
If the Windwards Volcanoes win and the Guyana Harpy Eagles lose to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, the Volcanoes could lift the title.
Shayne Moseley scored a hundred and Larry Edward took a six-wicket haul as the Windward Islands Volcanoes closed day two of their final round fixture with the Barbados Pride with a narrow 24-run second innings lead at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
The Pride were bowled out for 227 off 90.4 overs in response to the Windwards’ 237 all out on day one.
Moseley scored 112 off 184 balls, his fifth first-class hundred, including 17 fours and one six.
Larry Edward took 6-43 off 29.4 overs for the Volcanoes.
The Windwards had a disastrous end to the day, losing four wickets in only eight overs.
Kimani Melius (7), Johann Jeremiah (0), Sherman Lewis (2) and Alick Athanaze (0) all fell as the Volcanoes ended day two 14-4 after eight overs with Kavem Hodge and Sunil Ambris at the crease on four and zero, respectively.
Jomel Warrican has, so far, taken two wickets from two overs without conceding a run.
Opener Zachary McCaskie hit his second fifty of the game to lead the Barbados Pride to a seven-wicket victory over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force on day four of their fourth-round fixture at Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday.
The Pride started day four 52-2 off 23 overs, needing a further 66 runs to win with McCaskie and Jomel Warrican at the crease on 29 and zero, respectively.
Only Warrican was dismissed for the Bajans as they needed only 14.4 overs on Saturday to complete a successful chase.
They ended up 118-3 off 37.4 overs. McCaskie, who made a career-best 92 in the first innings, ended 55* while Jonathan Drakes produced a 29-ball 27*.
Bryn Charles took 3-29 off 16 overs for the Red Force.
Guyana produced a massive upset win over The Dominican Republic to advance to the semi-finals of the men’s team category at the 2023 Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation Championships in Georgetown on Saturday.
The team of Shemar Britton, Elishaba Johnson, Paul David and Jonathan Van Lange combined to defeat Dom Rep 3-2 and guarantee the hosts at least a bronze medal.
Earlier, the hosts finished second in their group behind Cuba, who will take on Barbados in semi-final two after Guyana battle Puerto Rico on Saturday.
Guyana also advanced to the Women’s semi-finals after Chelsea Edgehill, Natalie Cummings, Thuraia Thomas and Jasmin Billingy combined to beat Barbados 3-0 on Friday. Cummings and Billingy won the doubles before Edgehill and Cummings both secured 3-0 singles wins. They will face Trinidad & Tobago in the semis while Barbados and Dominican Republic will contest the other semi-final.
Opener Zachary McCaskie fell eight runs shy of a maiden first-class hundred as the Barbados Pride hold a 37-run lead over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force after day two of their fourth-round fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval
At lunch, the Pride were 108-3 off 40 overs. Zachary McCaskie and Shane Dowrich were the batsmen at the crease on 71 and two, respectively.
McCaskie carried on after lunch and looked set for his maiden first-class ton before he fell for 92.
At tea, the Pride were 222-6 off 72 overs. Roshon Primus and Akeem Jordan were the batsmen at the crease on 38 and 22, respectively.
Shortly after tea, Primus brought up his fifty before being dismissed for a 71-ball 53.
Eventually, the Pride were bowled out for 271 in 85 overs, a first innings lead of 68 runs.
The Red Force were 31-2 in their second innings at stumps, trailing by 37 runs with Darren Bravo (20) and Brian Charles (5) at the crease.
Dylan Carter is anticipating a good year ahead as he can swim free knowing that he no longer has to worry about meeting the 2024 Olympic qualification standards.
On March 2, the 27-year-old Carter swam 48.28 to win the 100m freestyle race at the TYR Pro Series Meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is below the Olympic qualifying standard of 48.34. In winning, he held off the challenge of Matthew Richards (48.48) and Hunter Armstrong (48.95).
The time was a new national record for the twin-island republic and made Carter the first male 100m freestyler in the world to qualify for the Olympics in the event.
“It’s all very exciting and I am very happy with that,” he told Sportsmax.TV.
Coming off the success at the World Short Course Championships in Australia in December 2022, where he won a bronze medal the 50m freestyle, Carter took some time to rest and prepare for Olympic qualification.
“Between World Short Course in December and now, I took a couple weeks’ break and went to Tobago for New Year’s and was coming back slowly in January, building up my fitness,” he said.
“I wasn’t really sure where I would be in March but I was focusing on my speed, strength and power through January and February.”
He believes the work he did building his strength helped him achieve the personal best time and a spot at the Olympic Games.
“I think that little extra bit of strength paid off. Also, racing the weekend before at the Jalisco Cup in Mexico was at 5500 feet altitude so competing all weekend racing very hard at altitude and then coming down the next week to race 100, I was really, really good at sea level. That might have played a part in it but I am really happy.
“It is a small personal best for me which at 27 years of age you can’t complain about that in March and it sets me up really well for the rest of the year and I don’t have to worry about qualification or time.”
Kieran Powell made his ninth first-class hundred to lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to a seven-wicket win over the Barbados Pride on day three at the Queen’s Park Cricket Ground on Friday.
The day started with the Hurricanes 13-0 in pursuit of 247 for victory.
Initially, it looked like it would be an easy chase as Montcin Hodge and Kieran Powell put on 69 for the first wicket before Hodge went off the bowling of Camarie Boyce for 34 in the 11th over.
It was quickly 87-2 as Akeem Saunders fell to Chaim Holder for nine in the 14th over. Holder got his second wicket when he dismissed Devon Thomas for four in the 20th over to leave the Hurricanes 101-3.
101-3 became 103-4 as Hayden Walsh became Holder’s third victim before lunch for just two.
At the interval, the Leewards were 147-4 off 30 overs needing a further 100 runs for the win with Powell on 74 and Jahmar Hamilton on 15.
Their partnership reached 120 before Hamilton went for 55 with the score on 223 in the 43rd over.
With no more runs added, Powell was next to go for a well-made 104 off 109 balls leaving the Hurricanes 223-6 off 43.1 overs.
The Hurricanes then lost a third wicket with the score on 223 when Jeremiah Louis was dismissed by Jair McAllister for a duck.
They lost another when Kofi James went caught off the bowling of Dominic Drakes for 14 leaving the Hurricanes 243-8, needing just four runs to win.
Cornwall, one ball after being dropped at slip, hit the winning runs off Jair McAllister in the 50th over to finish 10 not out.
Chaim Holder finished with 3-38 off 10 overs while Jair McAllister and Camarie Boyce took two wickets apiece.
Scores: Barbados Pride 322 off 91.5 overs (Shane Dowrich 124*, Chaim Holder 43, Rakheem Cornwall 6-50, Sheeno Berridge 2-39) and 78 off 23.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 29, Sheyne Moseley 27, Rakheem Cornwall 5-19, Devon Thomas 5-22)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 154 off 42 overs (Jahmar Hamilton 30, Jeremiah Louis 24, Colin Archibald 24, Dominic Drakes 3-38, Chaim Holder 2-7, Jair McAllister 2-36, Shemar Springer 2-48) and 247-8 off 49.2 overs (Kieran Powell 104, Jahmar Hamilton 55, Montcin Hodge 34, Chaim Holder 3-38, Jair McAllister 2-47, Camarie Boyce 2-59).
The Guyana Harpy Eagles hold a 260-run lead over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force after day two of their third-round fixture at the Brian Lara Stadium.
The Red Force started day two 7-0 replying to Guyana’s 324.
The Trinidadian opening pair of Jeremy Solozano and Keagan Simmons managed to put on 38 before Simmons went of the bowling of Keemo Paul for 15 in the 18th over.
Solozano and new batsman Darren Bravo brought the score past 50 in the 20th over before Solozano became Paul’s second victim, also going for 15.
Just eight runs later, Captain Bravo was the third man to fall for 15, going caught off the bowling of Ronsford Beaton in the 21st over.
Jason Mohammed (16) and Jyd Goolie (6) then came together and brought the Red Force to lunch on 81-3, trailing the Harpy Eagles by 243 runs.
After lunch, Mohammed and Goolie continued to toil against some good Harpy Eagles bowling before their resistance was broken in the 34th over when Paul dismissed Goolie for 22 with the score on 117.
It quickly became 118-5 as Tion Webster fell to Veerasammy Permaul a few overs later for a duck.
Amir Jangoo was next to the crease and he and Mohammed added 32 before he too went off the bowling of Permaul for 18 to leave the Red Force 150-6 in the 47th over.
Permaul was at it again when he dismissed Imran Khan for two with the score on 157 in the 49th over.
Ronsford Beaton took the final three wickets of the innings, dismissing Bryan Charles, Jason Mohammed for a well made 50, his 18th in first class cricket, and Justin Manick for a duck.
Just before the tea break, the Red Force were bowled out for 160 in 52 overs, trailing the Harpy Eagles by 164 runs.
Ronsford Beaton ended with 4-31 from his 13 overs while Keemo Paul and Veerasammy Permaul took 3-37 and 3-36, respectively.
Guyana lost Tevin Imlach very early in their second innings, going for just three in the fourth over off the bowling of Uthman Muhammad.
The score was 31-1 in the 12th over when the Harpy Eagles lost their second wicket, Kevlon Anderson caught off the bowling of Daren Bravo for 15.
Matthew Nandu and Kemol Savory then put on 49 for the third wicket before Nandu fell for 33 in the 27th over.
At stumps, the Harpy Eagles were 96-3, leading the Red Force by 260 runs with Savory (34) and captain Leon Johnson (9) at the crease.
Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 324 off 86.3 overs (Kevin Sinclair 69, Leon Johnson 62, Anthony Bramble 56, Keemo Paul 46, Imran Khan 4-80, Bryan Charles 3-85) and 96-3 off 34 overs (Kemol Savory 34*, Matthew Nandu 33)
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 160 off 52 overs (Jason Mohammed 50, Jyd Goolie 22, Ronsford Beaton 4-31, Veerasammy Permaul 3-36, Keemo Paul 3-37)
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