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• Ashley Khalil celebrates triple gold at Caribbean Squash Championships in Guyana

  Guyana’s squash sensation, Ashley Khalil, is celebrating an extraordinary achievement after winning three gold medals at the 2024 ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, held in her home country from August 18-24. Khalil’s remarkable performance highlighted her dominance in the sport as she claimed top honors in the Women’s Doubles, Women’s Team, and Overall Team events.

  Expressing her joy and gratitude on social media, Khalil shared her excitement about the triple success. “I’m thrilled to share that the 2024 ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships have concluded, and I’m honoured to have won three Gold Medals!” she wrote, celebrating her victories in front of her home crowd.

  Khalil, who has become a household name in Caribbean squash, gave special thanks to her doubles partner and sister, Ashley deGroot-Khalil, with whom she secured a third consecutive gold in the Women’s Doubles event. The duo's synergy on the court has made them a formidable team, and their latest triumph solidified their status as the best in the region.

  “I’m also grateful to my amazing teammates—Mary Fung-a-Fat, Larissa Wiltshire, Akeila Wiltshire, and Kirsten Gomes—and the entire Guyana contingent,” Khalil continued. Their collective efforts ensured that Guyana stood out as the top team in the tournament, bringing home the Overall Team gold as well.

  

  The championships were not just a personal triumph for Khalil but also a proud moment for Guyana. She took the opportunity to acknowledge the support that made it all possible, giving a “huge shoutout” to the event’s sponsors—ENet, Discover Guyana, ExxonMobil Guyana, KFC Guyana, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport—as well as the dedicated physiotherapists and fans who cheered them on.

  Beyond the medals, Khalil emphasized the importance of the relationships she has built through the sport, particularly with her fellow competitors. “It’s always a joy to reconnect with my CASA friends, who have truly become like family over the years. The camaraderie and support within our community make this tournament even more special,” she said, highlighting the unique bond shared among athletes in the Caribbean Squash Association.

  As Ashley Khalil basks in the glory of her latest achievements, she looks ahead to even more victories on the horizon, with her eyes set on further cementing her legacy in Caribbean squash.

  “Here’s to celebrating this achievement and looking forward to even more victories ahead,” she concluded, with love and pride for her country, Guyana.

   

• Ja’s Williams, Guyana’s Autsin headline Caribbean representatives through to 400m semis; USVI's Smith headlines 400m hurdles qualifiers

  Jamaica’s Shanque Williams will be the lone Caribbean representative in the women’s 400m semi-finals at the World Under-20 Championships, while Guyana’s Malachi Austin headlines four semi-finalists in the men’s event following contrasting performances in the morning session in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday.

  It was an overall tough session for Caribbean representatives to start day two of the five-day championships, as only three men and three women progressed to the 400m hurdles semis, while only Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins progressed to the triple jump final.

  Williams was the only athlete to progress to the semi-finals. She placed third in the sixth and final heat in 54.22s.

  Prior to that, Cuba’s Camila Rodriguez (55.24s) and T’anna Liburd (55.91s) of St Kitts and Nevis were fifth and seventh in heat one, as both missed out.

  Guyana’s Narissa McPherson also found the going tough in heat two, where she placed fifth in 54.67s. The same is true for Jamaica’s Abrina Wright (54.63s), who was sixth in heat three.

  Another Guyanese, Tianna Springer (54.49s) and Tyhra Charles (55.87s) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, placed fourth and eighth, respectively, in heat five, as they also missed out.

  On the men’s side of action, Puerto Rico’s Jarell Cruz (47.68s) progressed from heat two, where he placed third, while Jaylen Bennett (47.88s) of St Kitts and Nevis and Jamaica’s Jabari Matheson (49.34s) were fourth and fifth and missed out.

  Another Jamaican, Kemario Bygrave, booked a spot in the semi-finals as he placed third in heat three in 47.39s.

  Grenada’s Joshem Sylvester (48.49s) was sixth in heat four and missed out, along with Trinidad and Tobago’s Kyrell Thomas (48.02s), who placed sixth in heat six.

  However, Guyana’s Austin (46.92s) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Clement (47.63s) both progressed from heat five, where they placed second and third, respectively.

  The semi-finals are scheduled for 5:45pm Jamaica time on Wednesday.

  Earlier, only three Caribbean athletes progressed to the women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals following contrasting performances in their respective heats.

  Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands led all qualifiers as she topped heat two in a brisk 57.85s to book her spot in the next round, while Kei-Mahri Hanna (1:04.84) of the Bahamas finished down the track.

  Trinidad and Tobago’s Jenna-Marie Thomas (1:01.91) also missed out after she placed seventh in heat three, so too did Jamaica’s Deschanique Douglas (1:05.43), who placed ninth in heat five.

  Jamaica’s Kelly-Ann Carr (1:00.61) and Haiti’s Gloria Guerrier (1:00.65) both progressed from heat four after they placed second and third, respectively, behind Australia’s Alesha Bennetts (59.04s).

  Interestingly, the Caribbean will also have only three representatives in the men’s semi-finals, led by Jamaica’s Daniel Wright, who topped heat two in 51.42s to advance. Trinidad and Tobago’s Dorian Charles (53.65s) placed fifth in the same heat and missed out.

  Cheyne West, another Trinidad and Tobago representative, placed fourth in heat five in a new personal best 52.18s, which was good to advance as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.

  The next non-automatic qualifying spot was secured by Jamaican Trevoy Smith, who clocked 52.15s for fourth in heat six.

  Meanwhile, Taysha Stubbs, the Caribbean’s lone representative in the women’s javelin failed to progress. She placed 11^th in qualifying Group A with a best mark of 44.28m.

  In the women’s triple jump, Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins will be the lone Caribbean representative in the final, as she placed fourth in qualifying Group B with a mark of 12.82m.

  Her compatriot, Jaeda Robinson (12.53m) and Cuba’s Ariday Giron (12.21m), both missed out on the final after finishing 13^th and 15^th in qualifying Group A.

• Attorneys clash over virtual hearing decision in Julian Morrison doping case

  The legal battle surrounding Jamaican squash player Julian Morrison has taken a contentious turn as his attorneys, Matthew Gayle and Dr. Emir Crowne of New City Chambers, are at odds with the Independent Anti-Doping Panel (IADP) over its decision to hold the upcoming hearing virtually. The dispute arose after Morrison’s legal team, who had planned to attend the hearing in person, was informed at the last minute that the proceedings set for September 3 and 4, would be conducted via Zoom.

  Morrison, who was provisionally suspended by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in April after testing positive for trace amounts of the banned anabolic agent Boldenone, has been eagerly awaiting the chance to clear his name. His legal team has argued that Morrison unknowingly ingested the substance and is determined to prove his innocence.

  Matthew Gayle expressed his frustration with the IADP’s unilateral decision to conduct the hearing virtually, especially given the substantial expenses incurred by the athlete for his legal team to travel to Jamaica.

  “My personal opinion is that the unilateral decision by the Independent Panel to hold this hearing, a substantive hearing by virtual means, made at the 11th hour, and without any consultation with the parties, offends every sense of justice of the matter," Gayle said. "In particular, Dr. Crowne and I indicated that we were in the midst of making travel arrangements some two weeks ago, and this was communicated to the panel."

  He continued, “Since then, the athlete has expended significant funds for us to travel to Jamaica in order to represent him in person, only to find out less than a week before we travel that the hearing is to be held by Zoom. This is in the context of there has been very little, if any, movement in bringing this matter to a head since April. It reeks of bureaucratic inefficiency. I just hope that the athlete is able to get a fair hearing. At the end of the day, this athlete has been on provisional suspension for a significant period, and the case is yet to be heard, yet to be proven.”

  The situation escalated further when Sportsmax.TV obtained copies of the correspondence between Morrison’s representatives and Christine Minto, chairperson of the IADP. In the emails, Morrison’s legal team expressed their surprise and disappointment at the decision to hold the hearing virtually, especially after making it clear on multiple occasions that they intended to be present in Jamaica for the hearing.

  “We are very surprised to learn that the choice of online forum for the hearing is on account of the athlete's representatives living/working out of the country. The experts appearing virtually is also a surprising rationale, since by that account there would rarely be an in-person hearing," the correspondence read.

  The attorneys emphasized that their plans to attend in person had been communicated clearly, both verbally and in writing, yet the decision to go virtual was made without their input.

   In response, Minto defended the Panel’s decision, stating that the hearing had been conducted virtually from the start and that it should not have been unexpected that it would continue in the same manner. She pointed out that the athlete’s representatives did not specifically request an in-person hearing early enough and suggested that their decision to book accommodations in Jamaica was based on their preference to be in the same room as their client during the virtual hearing.

  “This matter has been conducted virtually since the commencement of the hearing process. We have had at least four hearing dates so far, virtually. Therefore, it ought not to have taken anyone by surprise that the hearing will be continuing and concluding virtually," Minto explained.

  She added, "A specific application ought to have been made for an in-person hearing by the athlete. Perhaps at the same time, as the application for a public hearing. It was certainly neither clear to us nor unequivocal that the athlete desired an in-person hearing. Further, the importance of the athlete’s evidence is not diminished or undermined if it is taken virtually.”

  As the dispute over the hearing format continues, the focus remains on ensuring that Julian Morrison receives a fair trial and that the case, which has been pending for several months, reaches a timely conclusion.