Odean Skeen intends to open his campaign towards this summer’s Olympic Games with a 60m dash in the second American Track League meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas this weekend.
The talented 26-year-old sprinter, whose progress over the years has been stymied by injury, says he is fit and ready to go as he takes his first steps towards booking a spot on Jamaica’s team to Tokyo.
“Everything is fully fit. I am ready to go,” Skeen told Sportsmax.TV earlier today from his base in the United States where he trains under the watch of Michael Ford.
Skeen, who has a personal best of 9.98s, was a high school track star in Jamaica and was seen as the next great sprinter to emerge from the island famous for producing the likes of Usain Bolt, Donald Quarrie, Yohan Blake, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter.
However, hamstring injuries prevented him from fulfilling his potential. At Auburn University, it was an ankle problem that held him back and which eventually forced him to undergo surgery in 2018. The pandemic then disrupted his training and competition schedules but he now believes he is ready to take his first steps back into competition.
“Training is going great. I am getting stronger but I am going to be focusing on execution not so much on time,” said Skeen about his plans for this weekend.
He will be competing in his first race since he ran a windy 10.35s in Prairie View Texas on July 30 last year in the midst of the pandemic.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Maloney continues good form this season with 600m national record to win at Miramar Invitational; Mason, Williams, Russell also among winners
Vincentian Shafiqua Maloney continued her impressive start to the 2024 season with a national record to take top spot in the women’s 600m at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.
Maloney, an 800m gold medallist at the NACAC U-23 Championships in 2021, ran 1:23.80 to win ahead of Americans Sadi Henderson (1:27.81) and Ajee Wilson (1:27.86).
The 25-year-old is coming off an excellent season indoors that included 800m wins at the Arkansas Invitational on January 12, Razorback Invitational on January 27 and the Tyson Invitational on February 10.
Also among the winners on Saturday were Bajan two-time World Championships 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams, Jamaican sprint hurdler Tyler Mason and Bahamian quarter miler Alonzo Russell.
Williams produced 22.82 to take the women’s 200m ahead of Denmark’s Ida Karstoft (23.010 and American Kynnedy Flannel (23.32).
Mason took the win in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.57. American Eric Edwards was second in 13.60 while Great Britain’s Andrew Pozzi was third in 13.63.
Russell ran a season’s best 45.35 to win the men’s 400m ahead of Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic (45.36) and Bahamian Wendell Miller (46.00).
World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake ran 10.28 to finish second in the men’s 100m, just behind American Courtney Lindsey who ran the same time as Blake. Another Jamaican, Andre Ewers, ran 10.43 to finish third.
In the field, 2019 World Championships silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.72m for third in the women’s shot put behind American Maggie Ewen (18.95m) and Chase Jackson (19.88m).
Jamaican Chanice Porter jumped 6.36m for second in the women’s long jump. The USA’s Taliyah Brooks narrowly won the event with 6.38m while Puerto Rico’s Alysbeth Felix-Boyer was third with a season’s best 6.28m.
USA secures third straight Concacaf Nations League title with 2-0 victory over Mexico
The United States clinched their third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title with a commanding 2-0 victory over Mexico in the final of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Finals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna were the heroes for the USA, each finding the back of the net to secure the historic win against their arch-rivals.
The match kicked off with an electrifying atmosphere, and the intensity was palpable from the start. Christian Pulisic had an early opportunity to put the USA ahead but was denied by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in the 5th minute.
Mexico responded by applying pressure in the USA's half, and their best chance of the first half came in the 22nd minute when Luis Chavez's shot was saved by USA goalkeeper Matt Turner after a flicked-on header.
As the first half progressed, the USA began to test Mexico's defense from distance. Sergino Dest came close with a shot that sailed just over the crossbar in the 38th minute. However, it was Tyler Adams who broke the deadlock just before halftime with a stunning long-range strike from 35 yards out, giving the USA a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Mexico looked to mount a response, but they struggled to break down the resolute USA defense. Instead, it was the USA who extended their lead in the 63rd minute when Gio Reyna capitalized on an initial clearance from the Mexican defense and fired a shot past Ochoa at the near post, making it 2-0 for the USA.
Despite Mexico's efforts to get back into the game, the USA defense held firm, denying their opponents any clear-cut opportunities. As the final whistle blew, the USA celebrated their third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title, reaffirming their dominance in the region once again.
Blake says vibes in Reggae Boyz camp are good ahead of Nations League semi-final clash with USA; wants team to build on Canada quarterfinal win
Reggae Boyz Captain Andre Blake says vibes in the team are good ahead of their monumental clash with the USA in the semi-finals of the Concacaf Nations League.
The Caribbean outfit are set to tussle with the defending Concacaf Nations League champions at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Thursday to try and make history.
“The vibe in the camp is really good. Obviously, we know it’s going to be a tough game but we look forward to it and we’re going to go out there and give our best,” Blake said in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
The Reggae Boyz got here thanks to a brilliant come-from-behind 3-2 win over Canada in the second leg of their quarterfinal on November 21 after losing the first leg 1-2 at the National Stadium three days earlier.
“It’s definitely a great achievement for the team and a boost of confidence. You need moments like those when you’re forming a team, moments that let the guys know what’s possible,” Blake said about that win.
“Going up to Toronto, it was never easy. It was cold and I’m pretty sure a lot of people thought it was done and dusted. The guys did an incredible job, stepped up to the task and put on a show. It definitely pushed us in the right direction as we continue to build. We know we have a great group of guys but it takes time to form a good team. As I said, moments like those can really help with the process going forward,” he added.
Head coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, was also at the press conference and addressed the withdrawal of star West Ham striker Michail Antonio from the squad for Thursday’s game.
“Sometimes when it rains it pours in our case. He injured his shoulder during the game against Aston Villa. We were hoping it would be okay but it looks like it won’t. We’re just waiting for the confirmation to see if he’s available for the second game,” he said.
Hartford Athletic striker Romario Williams has been called in to the squad as a replacement.
Hallgrimsson was also asked about how difficult it will be while missing so many key players.
“I’m like all coaches. I like to have my best players on the pitch when that is possible. Of course, it changes how you look at the game but we don’t want to talk much about the players that can’t play for us,” he said.
“We like to focus on those who are here and give them all the support they need. It gives others an opportunity that they have been waiting for to step up to the big stage and hopefully they will take it,” he added.
On a more positive note, Hallgrimsson praised the facilities at Dallas Baptist University, where the Reggae Boys have had their last two training sessions, as the best he’s experienced since taking over the Reggae Boyz in 2022.
“Ever since I got to Jamaica, these are the best facilities and the best pitch we have had to prepare so I’m really pleased with the people at the University helping us,” he said.
“We have tried to do all we can to prepare the team for such an important and difficult match against the USA,” he added.
Blake also added his two cents on the matter.
“It’s always good to get more time but we did make use of the two days. As coach said, it’s a really good pitch to get a proper training session in,” he said.
You can watch the Concacaf Nations League semi-finals live on SportsMax on Thursday.
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