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• Top-seed Chris Binnie off to a winning start at Jamaica senior trials

  Top seed Chris Binnie got off to a strong start at the Jamaica Squash Association's senior trials defeating the number-five seed Bruce Burrowes in straight sets 11-9, 11-9 and 11-8 at the Liguanea Club in Kingston on Thursday.

  As the scores indicate, all three sets were competitive with Burrowes enjoying the lead over Binnie briefly in each set but was not able to convert any to a win.

   "Good game. I think that shows, you come, you have to play and everyone is competitive and today he (Burrowes) took it to me and it was really close so I am happy to get a 3-0 win and I am looking forward to tomorrow (Friday)," said the nine-time Caribbean men’s singles champion.

   "When you start playing events, you want to get that first win under your belt, you want to get that first match done with as well so little nerves to start getting used to the court. I am not based here so the courts I play on are a lot colder so getting used to all of that. I am super happy with how it ended. Hopefully tomorrow (Friday) I can be a little bit better and hopefully get another win."

  Despite the loss, Burrowes was not unhappy with his play.

  "Chris is a top notch player; Caribbean national player, Caribbean top player, top national player. He is definitely of a different level than the local boys that I am able to train with here but I was able to hold my own against him in the game with points 11-9, 11-9, 11-8,” he said.

  “That's not bad even though it’s a 3-0 loss. (I) just have to move on to the next match. Wish Chris all the best in the rest of his matches and just hope that Jamaica can put together our strongest team of these trials."

  The trials opened with number-four seed Dane Schwier defeating the number-six seed Stephan Morrison in straight sets.

  Meanwhile, reigning national champion and number-two seed Julian Morrison beat the U19 champion and number-seven seed Tobias Levy 3-0.

   The four-day trials to select Jamaica's team to the upcoming PanAm Games in June and the Senior Caribbean Squash Championship in August, continue on Friday with matches starting at 6:00 pm at the Liguanea Club.

• Confident Tobias Levy dominates squash junior trials

  A confident Tobias Levy dominated the Jamaica Squash Association's national junior trials for the U19 and U17 age groups for girls and boys at the Liguanea Club in Kingston. The trials ran from Friday March 17 to 19 with 16 players vying for spots to represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Junior Squash Championship in July.

  Competing in the U19 category, Levy, who also benefitted from a walkover, won three of his other four matches in straight sets but was taken the distance by Arjan Trehan, who eventually lost 5-2. At the end of it all, Levy won 15 of 17 games for a winning percentage of 88 per cent.

  Alex Chin, meanwhile, was second with a 12-8 win-loss margin while Rhys Greenland was third with 11-9 margin.

  Levy credits his dominance on the court to his work ethic.

  "I have been playing squash since I was young. I have been dominant from I came on the scene,” he said. “I would say my racquet skills and how smart I am on court definitely puts me above everyone else. I think I understand the game very well. I have been training hard. It's not just talent, I have been training hard from when I was young so it helps me stay dominant,” said Levy, who said winning the U19 category was crucial.

  "It means a lot, especially because I get to go represent my country as the best player in the junior age. It also feels good because I have a lot of competitors that are out for me and train hard to beat me but I keep training hard and play well so I stay dominant."

  Thomas Overton won his three matches to top the Boys U17 ahead of the very competitive Lucas Thompson.

  Savannah Thompson emerged top of the Girls U19 matches after beating Eleanor Hind in straight sets 3-0 before beating Katherine Risden 3-2.

  Risden finished second overall.

  Sanjana Nallapati did not drop a game to come out the victor in the Girls U17, despite being pushed by Mehar Trehan, who won half her six matches.

  Nallapati said that it was tough to play her.

  "Mehar and I go far back. It's always a tough battle because we are family and going against family is very tough because you don't want to whip them,” she said.

  “With the two of us it’s always a five setter. It’s been that way for a really long time and its never really known who is going to win. This time Mehar played phenomenally. I thought I played well as well. We definitely played at a high intensity like we usually do.

  "For the Caribbean Championship I hope to do extremely well."

   

   

   

  Vice President of the Jamaica Squash Association expressed optimism about Jamaica’s chances of doing well at the Caribbean Championships.

  "We have some strong players here in these categories, experienced players who have been to the Caribbean tournament before,” said Levy, who is also chairman of the selection committee.

  “I think we have a good opportunity to win a couple of categories and hopefully also the team event. Hopefully we can bring home the Caribbean trophy this year for the team event and one or two of the individual events as well. It would be great."

  The trials for the U15, U13 and possibly U11 players, will be held in June.

• World Under-20 runner-up Nkrumie runs 10.19 to qualify for 100m final at Jamaica’s Carifta Trials

  National junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie ran an easy 10.19 to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Boy’s Under-20 100m on Friday’s day one of the 2023 Carifta Trials at the National Stadium in Kingston.

  Kingston College’s Nkrumie, who ran 10.02 to win silver at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships behind Botswanan World junior record holder Letsile Tebogo, easily won the fourth heat ahead of Camperdown’s Jason Lewis who ran 10.57 to also qualify for the final.

  Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin advanced second fastest with a personal best 10.31 to win heat two ahead of defending champion DeAndre Daley of Herbert Morrison who also advanced with 10.56.

  Daley’s day was almost disastrous as he was left in the blocks at the start of the heat but, thankfully, recovered to seal his spot in the final.

  Manchester High’s Javoon Blair qualified third fastest with a 10.43 effort to win heat one ahead of Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett (10.49).

  Also advancing to Saturday’s final were Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.55) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56).

  The qualifiers for the Under-17 final were led by STETHS’ Tramaine Todd, Calabar’s Khamani Gordon and Jamaica College’s Dontae Watson.

  Todd looked extremely impressive, producing 10.59 to win his heat while Gordon and Watson produced times of 10.68 and 10.72 to win their respective heats and advance.

  Joining them in the final will be Jamaica College’s Nathaniel Martin (10.69), St. Jago High’s Detarje Morgan (10.72), Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.82), Calabar’s Jamal Stephenson (10.89) and Kingston College’s Kyle Bodden (10.95).

  World Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen led all qualifiers to the final of the girls Under-20 equivalent.

  Cole ran a comfortable 11.22 to easily win her heat ahead of St. Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson who also qualified with 11.91.

  Petersfield’s Alexis James also looked in good form, running 11.24 to win her heat ahead of MVP’s Tia Clayton (11.53), Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59) and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61). Clayton, Forbes and Williams all advanced to the final alongside James.

  Hydel’s Alana Reid, World Under-20 bronze medallist, won her heat in 11.55 to advance while Wolmers’ Mickayla Gardener (11.65) finished second and made it through.

  Natrece East of Wolmers ran 11.70 to lead all qualifiers to the Under-17 final. She will be joined in the final by the Hydel pair Shemonique Hazle (11.80) and Camoy Binger (12.00), Wolmers’ Tiana Marshall (11.77), Immaculate Conception’s Shevi-Anne Shim (11.94), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.02), Excelsior’s Janiela Williams (11.95) and St Mary High’s Shagay Sheppy (12.02).