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• Power and Passion: Jamaica Spartans TD Owen says recent 15-medal haul underscores Powerlifting Association's strength, resilience despite lack of sponsorship

  Jeremy Owen, Technical Director of Jamaica’s powerlifting team, believes their recent 15-medal haul at the 21st North American Regional Powerlifting Championships is a testament to the growth and development of athletes and, by extension, the sport locally.

  In fact, Owen pointed to the mere fact that the country was able to field 13 athletes to the championships in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a massive achievement for the National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica (NPAJ) and one that augurs well for the future of the sport on the island.

  Among the standout performances for the Jamaica Spartans at the event were Anna-Kay Brown, who won four bronze medals in the women's 84kg junior class, and three-time NAPF champion Sami DePass, who continued to assert her dominance in the women’s 76kg weight class, where she won four gold medals.

  On the male side, Bruce Higgins was Jamaica’s first ever competitor in the male 120-plus kg class, and he too copped four medals—one silver and three bronze medals—while Scott Jennings, a former 83kg champion in 2022, moved up a class to 93kg and won two medals from his three lifts. Jennings holds the honour of being Jamaica's first powerlifter to secure a gold medal on the international platform.

  Mikhail Russell, Cheyenne Campbell, Shrona Scott, Alexander Carrington, Nathan Dawkins, Ayana Duhaney, Tzari Saunders, Staffon Commock, and Algreg Sappleton, were the members of the team.

  

  Reigning female champion Sami DePass.

  “Jamaica did exceptionally well; for the first time in three years, we had more than three or four athletes. We had 13. Initially, there was going to be 14, but unfortunately, one athlete had to drop out at the last minute due to challenges with delays and cancellations of flights. We had four athletes who medalled, but we also had other athletes who came 5th, 6th, and 7th,” Owen told SportsMax.Tv.

  “For us to have a delegation this large, it speaks to the resilience and hard work of the entire management, administration, and coaching team, all led by the president, Michael Blair, and it shows that there has been growth in the sport in Jamaica. So, going forward, we will continue to have a large delegation, which aids in the number of places that persons can aspire to in terms of the national program and, of course, in the never-ending quest to secure sponsorship,” he added.

  Despite the highs of the medal tally and a large delegation, which included a doctor and physiotherapist, Shanice Bell, who was instrumental in ensuring that the athletes were in prime condition throughout, Owen said their charge towards success was not without its challenges.

  “Number one would be the lack of support from the government in terms of sponsorship and also from the private sector. It's not for a lack of effort that we did not get sponsorship. The president has been steadfast in engaging the government and the Sports Development Foundation for sponsorship for the team, and many letters, conversations, and emails were had with various entities in the private sector, all to no avail,” Owen shared.

  “Also, there was a significant challenge with weather systems. A group of us got stuck at Miami International Airport overnight for hours and then the next day, and this was a challenge. We also had another athlete who was supposed to travel three days prior to when she reached. Unfortunately, she arrived the night before she competed in the early morning, and this, I believe, affected her performance,” he noted.

  Though the hunt to secure sponsors remains a headache, Owen believes the organization continues to push above its weight to foster and develop talent.

  “The overall support for powerlifting within the fitness community in Jamaica has been good. We had our national meets, our national qualifiers, or what we call the series, and it has been well supported, and it continues to grow year-on-year. However, we are still not at a place where powerlifting is viewed as a major sport, despite the fact that powerlifting moves are at the core of all major sports. But it's growing, and we are pleased in terms of the rapid growth over the past few years,” Owen declared.

  

  Technical Director Jeremy Owen (left) and President Michael Blair flanks athletes.

  He continued: “We're going to use the opportunity, based on the success of the team, to continue to meet with and reach out to various entities and organizations in both the private and public sectors and see if we can get that support that we so desperately need to really grow the sport and maximize its potential. Also, we're looking forward to various inter-Caribbean competitions.

  “We have been speaking to various bodies across the Caribbean to see if we can have our own championship and cup to help develop the sport, not only in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, so that we can really mount a challenge to the bigger countries, such as the US, Canada, and even the European countries, so we can get closer to that level. They have decades before us, but that is not stopping us from setting high targets that we intend to reach.”

  That said, Owen expressed optimism that their achievements in Scottsdale will serve as a cornerstone for future success on the international stage.

  “Our goal is to be a dominant force in the world of powerlifting. In order for us to do that, some time, effort, and resources now have to be invested in starting a sub-junior and junior program, as well as a master's program. So we have been doing what you call focusing on the open class. But in order for us to really have a solid foundation, we need the youngsters, and we need those that are of a mature age to really have an overall solid team, a solid base, where iron sharpens iron, as we like to say,” he ended.

• Emily Campbell: Giving back is more important than winning another Olympic medal

  Emily Campbell believes giving back to the community that supported her Olympic dreams is more important than winning another medal in Paris.

  The 29-year-old became Britain’s first female Olympic medallist in weightlifting when she claimed silver in the +87 kilograms category in Tokyo in 2021.

  She will bid for more success in Paris this summer, but Campbell is just as excited about the new ChangeMaker initiative, which will see Olympic and Paralympic stars get involved in local community causes in the two weeks after their respective Games.

   

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  The programme is a partnership between The National Lottery’s operator, Allwyn, Team GB, ParalympicsGB and UK Sport, and Campbell told the PA news agency: “We’re going to use the amazing momentum and excitement and buzz from the Games to motivate athletes to go back into their community and to do anything that they’re really passionate about.

   

  “It could be to do with sport, it could be to do with environment, whatever they feel they can make a difference in. It’s all really, really exciting.”

  Campbell’s success is very much rooted in the Nottinghamshire town of Bulwell where she grew up, and she admits she is “torn” about which project she will support.

  “There’s a lot of good things going on and it’s probably going to be hard for me to pick but I’ll probably just be out there trying to help as many as I can,” she said.

  “Everyone says it takes a village to raise a child, right, and it takes a community to make an Olympic medallist. That’s what my community did for me, from giving me free fruit and veg to supporting me when I was trying to raise money, the cobbler fixing my boots, the list goes on and on and on.

  “Everybody goes to the Olympics and everybody wants a medal but for me now it’s more about giving back and being a part of something that actually means something.

  “Instead of sitting there and saying ‘I’m an inspiration and I want to be a role model’, it’s about putting your money where your mouth is and getting it done. And you never know, we might find another little Olympic champion somewhere.”

  Campbell’s dream of opening a gym in Nottingham focused on youth and development will have to wait until after her career is over, and there will be many more medals still to come if she can maintain the consistency she has shown since Tokyo.

   

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  Silver and bronze medals have followed at world level while she has won the European title for four years in a row and Commonwealth gold on home soil in Birmingham in 2022.

   

  Having a platform has enabled Campbell not just to recognise the support given to her but to “shout” about a linked passion, showing women and girls that sport and exercise is for everyone and changing perceptions of what healthy looks like.

  Three years on from her Olympic breakthrough, Campbell is encouraged but not satisfied, saying: “We’re getting there. I wouldn’t say that it’s completely changed, I wouldn’t say we’re where we need to be but people hopefully are listening – I’ve definitely shouted enough about it.

  “You are seeing now a lot more of an inclusive space within the fitness industry. Brands are starting to do the right thing. This all filters back down to what our young people see. They want to see people that represent them, that look like them, and that encourages them to get involved.

  “It’s always going to be an ongoing battle and, as long as I’ve got a voice and people can hear me, I’m going to shout about it.”

  Campbell is made aware of the impact her words and actions have every day through messages and interactions, and she said: “It’s actually overwhelming sometimes. I want to say I do see everything that comes into my inbox but as you can imagine it is (busy) in there.

  “The amount of people that have said they’ve started lifting, or they’ve lost X amount of weight or they’ve started doing a certain dance class, or they’ve just done something that they feel has made a positive impact on their life.

  “People do stop me in the street as well, it’s absolutely amazing and I can’t thank everybody enough for the support.”

• Traves Smikle's off-season dedication powers impressive start with two throws over 67m

  Traves Smikle's impressive start to the season, marked by two throws over 67 metres, has left the Jamaican discus thrower optimistic and determined for the challenges ahead. The culmination of his offseason efforts was evident in his stellar performance at the GC Foster Classic on Saturday, March 9, where he achieved a season-best mark of 67.83m. His winning mark, which follows on his 67.57m effort in February, was well clear ahead of his former Calabar High School teammates Chad Wright, who threw a season's best 64.77m and Fedrick Dacres, who was third with a throw of 64.37m.

  Reflecting on his current form, Smikle acknowledged the significance of consistent training and conditioning during the offseason. "I wouldn't say this is the most consistent I have been because I have had seasons where I have thrown over 67m twice," he remarked. "My mission for this season, however, is to go to every meet and be as competitive as I was for the last two meets."

  His focus on maintaining competitiveness throughout the season stems from the groundwork laid during the offseason. Smikle emphasized the importance of embracing changes to improve technique and conditioning during the preparatory period. "One of the keys to being competitive and being over a certain mark during the season is embracing the changes you have to make to improve your technique," he explained. "The offseason is very important. Most times what you do in the offseason can set the tone for what you’re going to do in the season."

  Smikle's commitment to offseason work with his coach Julian Robinson, has positioned him well for success this year. He expressed confidence in his ability to consistently surpass the 67m mark, attributing it to the meticulous planning and preparation undertaken during the offseason. "I am more confident this year that I can be a regular 67m and over thrower," Smikle declared.

  As the season progresses, Smikle remains focused on refining his technique and conditioning. Aware that the season is still young, he emphasized the need to approach each competition strategically. "Right now I am still working on my technique and certain aspects of my conditioning," he said. "The season is very young, and I just have to take everything in stride and ensure that I plan properly so that when the target meets come around, I will be able to do what I did on the weekend."