Related items

• England captaincy honour ‘out of the blue’ to face South Africa – Fran Williams

  Fran Williams admitted being asked to be captain of the England team for their upcoming series against South Africa came “a bit out of the blue” as preparations continued for the opening game on Tuesday.

  The Loughborough Lightning player will lead the Vitality Roses in their tri-series against the SPAR Proteas, which begins on December 5 in Manchester followed by two games on December 9 and 10 in Nottingham.

  Working in a wider leadership group alongside Eleanor Cardwell and Imogen Allison, Williams will lead the team for the first time and revealed that while receiving the captaincy was unexpected, she was looking forward to the opportunity.

  “(It was) a bit out of the blue, I was having a catch-up meeting with Jess (Thirlby) our head coach about something completely separate and not relevant to leadership roles and captaincy,” Williams told the PA news agency.

  “Then at the end of the meeting she asked if I’d want to be captain, if I’d take on that honour and I said ‘I don’t have to think about it, I’d love to do that opportunity’.

  “Then I walked away and thought ‘gosh that’s actually a big deal, maybe I should have thought about this a bit more!’.

  “There’s nothing better than being able to represent the team and it’s just such an easy role to take on when you’ve got a group and a squad like we have who are so willing to get stuck in, always seeing the positives, want to jump on board and get involved in as much as possible.”

  December’s fixtures will be England’s first games back on home turf since winning silver at the Netball World Cup over the summer, where they fell to a 61-45 defeat against Australia in the final.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by England Netball (@englandnetball)

   

  Williams played a pivotal part in the tournament, providing a vital interception in the dying minutes of their semi-final against reigning champions New Zealand and reflected on a “history-making moment” reaching the final.

  “I think at the time and in that moment of the final it was obviously devastating,” Williams said.

  “To lose against Australia particularly when – bearing in mind it was a tight game – we’d beaten them only a few days before.

  “However, when I look back now, I have nothing but pride for the way we performed this summer as a Roses squad. Not just players but all the staff and the journey we’d been on to reaching that historic final and getting our first-ever silver medal at a Netball World Cup, it was still a history-making moment.

  “Not just the final result but also the memories I have with that team. Not just in the prep camp before, but the years before leading to us being able to do that is what I’ll take away from the experience the most.

  “It’s so exciting to see where we could end up in four years’ time. Now I’ve got that springboard and motivation from being that close in the summer to really want to go for it those next four years.”

  There are plenty of new faces in the Roses squad for the South Africa series with five players preparing to make their home international debuts and Williams was looking forward to the “new opportunities ahead”.

  She added: “We’ve got a fresh-looking squad, new opportunities lying ahead and whilst it’s so important we carry those stories and lessons learned from the summer and make sure we’re all on the same page and everyone – even if you weren’t there – gets to learn from what worked well in the summer to get to that point and what we could do better to get us over the line in that final in four years’ time.

  “There’s also the opportunity to create our own memories and our own history with a new squad.”

• World champions Jackson, Williams, Watson lead nominees for RJR Sports Foundation Athlete of the Year

  The race for Jamaica's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for 2023 has officially begun, with the announcement of the nominees on Wednesday. The 63rd RJR Sports Foundation Women and Men Athletes of the Year will see a fierce competition among some of the nation's top athletic talents, with World Athletics Championships gold medallists Shericka Jackson, Danielle Williams, and Antonio Watson among the standout contenders.

  The nominees for the People's Choice Award include Jackson's impressive 200m victory, Williams' triumph in the 100m hurdles, and Watson's groundbreaking performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The anticipation for these accolades is high, considering the outstanding achievements of these athletes on the global stage.

  The winners of the prestigious awards will be unveiled during a ceremony scheduled for January 19, 2024. Jackson, who is considered a heavy favorite to secure the award she shared with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2022, showcased another stellar season, adding a silver medal in the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest. Her exceptional form was highlighted by securing the Diamond League 100m and 200m titles in Eugene, Oregon.

  Williams, too, enjoyed a remarkable year, surprising many by claiming victory in the 100m hurdles in Budapest, where she outperformed formidable rivals such as Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Kendra Harrison, and Tobi Amusan.

   

  

  The competition for the Women Athlete of the Year is intensified with the inclusion of World Championship bronze medallists Rushell Clayton and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, along with Suncorp Super Netball League standout Jhaniele Fowler.

  Antonio Watson, the trailblazing Jamaican sprinter, leads the nominations for the Men Athlete of the Year. Watson made history as the first Jamaican man in 40 years to clinch the gold medal in the World Championships 400m.

  The list of male nominees also features World Championships 110m hurdles silver medalist and Diamond League champion Hansle Parchment, along with standout long jumpers Wayne Pinnock, Tajay Gayle, the silver and bronze medalists from Budapest as well as Pan American 400m hurdles champion Jaheel Hyde, and motorsports star Fraser McConnell.

  The People's Choice Award nominations encompass memorable moments, including Shamar Nicholson's equalizing goal in the recent CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final match against Canada and Drew Spence's incredible free kick against Canada in their Olympic qualifier.

  The selection panel, chaired by Mike Fennell, boasts a distinguished lineup including retired media practitioner Courtney Sergeant, Olympian Deon Hemmings-McCatty, President of Jamaica’s Inter-Secondary School Sports Association Keith Wellington, and Michael Hall, former chairman of the Sports Foundation and League Operations Manager of the Caribbean Premier League.

   

• Sunshine Girl Shimona Nelson ties the knot with Australian basketball player Buay Jok in a weekend celebration

  In a union that transcends borders and court dimensions, Jamaica's Sunshine Girl Shimona Nelson and Australian basketball player Buay Jok exchanged vows in a heartwarming ceremony over the weekend. The couple, who have been together for a significant period, found solace in each other's arms amid the uncertainties surrounding Nelson's netball career in Australia.

  Standing at an imposing six-foot-five, Nelson, who is set to celebrate her 25th birthday on December 1, burst onto the Jamaican netball scene in 2017. She swiftly climbed the ranks, representing her country in the Under 21 national squad, the Fast5 team, and eventually securing her place in the coveted Jamaican Sunshine Girls on the international stage. Her prowess on the court earned her a Commonwealth Games silver medal with the Sunshine Girls in 2022.

  Nelson's netball journey led her to the Australian Suncorp Super Netball League, where she donned the colors of the Collingwood Magpies since 2019. However, the recent upheaval in the league saw the Magpies' franchise license being returned, leaving Nelson's playing career in Australia in a precarious position.

  Amidst these professional uncertainties, Nelson has found support and love in the arms of her long-time boyfriend turned husband, Buay Jok. A towering presence at six-foot-eight, Jok is a forward for the Dandenong Rangers in Australia's NBL1 semi-professional league.

  In an interview with Red Boo Sports, Jok shared insights into their dynamic relationship, stating, "She always sets her boundaries. Like clear expectations, and if I don't do those things I'm gonna hear about it. It's great discipline. She's really intense and I'm really calm. We balance each other."