Olympic bronze medalist, Candice McLeod, has opened up on her friendship with fellow Olympian Shericka Jackson, whom she describes as the driving force behind her athletic success.
McLeod, who returned from the Tokyo Olympics with her first Olympic medal as a member of Jamaica's 4x400m relay team revealed that her friendship with Jackson started 12 years ago while they were both students at Vere Technical High School where Jackson, who was one of the older students at the time, took her under her wing.
Speaking on Sportsmax.TV's On Point published on YouTube last Friday, McLeod said Jackson saw something in her that she didn’t see in herself.
“Shericka has been a very supportive friend. I was at Vere Technical, on the dorms for my first half of high school and the older students would choose one of the new ones to mentor. She chose me and stuck by me ever since,” she said.
McLeod opened up about Jackson always finding time to motivate her despite the gap in performance throughout high school.
"In high school, she was running 52 and I was running 63. I've been running 63 for three years and she'd get up every day and motivate me the same way she did every single day knowing she's running 52 and I'm running 63. That's a very special friendship," she said.
The now 25-year-old McLeod, (November 15 is her birthday) who ran a personal best 49.51 in her Olympic semi-final said that in addition to her goal to win an Olympic medal in mile way, was to ensure that Jackson got a third medal after her mentor and friend failed to advance in the Olympic 200m after badly mistiming her run in the preliminary round and was eliminated on time.
“I was her roommate (in Tokyo) and missing out in the 200 definitely took a toll on her. I did not go out there with the aim of getting myself a medal because it was a team event,” she said.
The former Papine High student said the key to their friendship is being able to hold each other accountable.
“She has someone who’s going to tell her she’s wrong when she’s wrong or right when she’s right and that she needs to work harder. We both want the same thing for each other, regardless of if we’re in the same race.”
You can watch the full interview with Candice McLeod on the Sportsmax YouTube channel.
Paris get Olympic Games under way with stylish opening ceremony
Paris kicked off the 2024 Olympic Games by making history with the first opening ceremony to be held outside on a rainy night in France.
It is the first time in 100 years that the Games have been held in the French capital, and despite the constant showers, thousands of Olympians from the 205 delegations celebrated as they travelled down the River Seine on boats and barges.
During the nearly four-hour sprawling ceremony, spectators were treated to performances by Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura and Celine Dion as the city showed off the story of France while commemorating Olympic history.
On a tour of the city, Paris' most well-known landmarks, including the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral, were on show as fans packed in around the parade route to get a glimpse of the showcase.
The Olympic flag was delivered to the Eiffel Tower on the back of a mechanical horse travelling down the river, while a masked individual carried the torch across the city.
An incredible light show on the Tower then restarted the torch relay, as Zinedine Zidane reappeared to hand it to two-time gold medallist Rafael Nadal.
The Spaniard, with the help of fellow tennis icon Serena Williams, American sprinter Carl Lewis and Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci carried the torch back down the river on its way to the cauldron.
Some of France's best Olympians helped carry it the rest of the way before judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec lit the flame in the hot air balloon cauldron, which rose high above the Parisian sky, to officially mark the start of the Games.
More than 10,500 athletes will compete across 32 sports at the Games, which will close on August 11.
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce launches hair care line, AFIMI, ahead of final Olympic Games
In what is hoped will be a memorable year for Jamaican track and field star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the legendary sprinter has announced the launch of her new hair care line, AFIMI. The announcement comes as Fraser-Pryce prepares to compete in her final Olympic Games, aiming to make history by winning a record-extending fifth Olympic 100m medal in Paris.
Fraser-Pryce, 37, has faced injury challenges over the past few years and has only had four races this season, three of which were at the Jamaican national championships in late June. Despite her limited time on the track, her entrepreneurial spirit continues to thrive. The three-time Olympic gold medalist shared the news of her latest venture on Instagram, posting a video that features her running on a track, enjoying the beach, and proudly standing beside her products, all while wearing various hairstyles that showcase the versatility of her yet-to-be-released hair care line.
In her Instagram post, Fraser-Pryce, adorned in Jamaican colors, is seen wearing braids, lace front wigs, and other styles, emphasizing the multi-use nature of AFIMI products. The caption reads, “Hair is your most powerful form of self-expression and has been an exciting way to reinvent myself every time I step on the track. From the main stage to the finish line, my hair has helped me set the tone for many fearless victories. That’s why it’s so important that it gets the care it needs. I’ve designed these products with you in mind to keep your hair feeling and performing its best no matter what comes your way. This line is a vibrant tribute to Jamaica, inspired by its lush resources and welcoming essence — each ingredient naturally sourced from the earth to enhance your natural beauty. AFIMI, It’s for you, no matter who you are.”
Fraser-Pryce is no stranger to making bold statements with her hair. Whether at the World Athletics Championships or the Olympic Games, she has consistently used her hair to express her vibrant personality and Jamaican pride. At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, she won her fourth world championship gold medal in the 100 meters with a stunning rainbow-dyed hairstyle. In 2022, she claimed her record fifth world 100m title in Eugene, Oregon, while sporting a beautiful blonde look with green and yellow highlights.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, she left fans speechless with a striking orange wig featuring elements of hot pink during her first 100m heat. Similarly, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, she wore a yellow-to-orange ombre wig while taking home the silver medal in the women’s 100m race.
Fraser-Pryce's love for hair dates back to 2013 when she launched Chic Hair Ja, a store that retailed virgin human hair and hair care products in Kingston. The store enjoyed a successful run until 2017. That same year, she revamped and rebranded her hair care line to Lady Shelly, adding natural products to the lineup. Lady Shelly featured products made in Jamaica with natural ingredients, catering to all hair textures and positioning itself as a multicultural hair care line.
As Fraser-Pryce prepares for her final Olympic Games, fans are eagerly anticipating not only her performance on the track but also the stylish hair looks she will undoubtedly bring to Paris. With AFIMI, she continues to inspire and empower, showing that her influence extends far beyond the world of athletics.
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