Related items

• JAGA president Grant-Brown, sponsors excited at inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Champs’ promise for young Caribbean talent

  With the longtime vision of a Carifta Artistic Gymnastics Championship set to come to fruition, Jamaica Gymnastics Association (JAGA) president Nicole Grant-Brown says it represents a transformative step toward greater regional collaboration and growth for Caribbean gymnasts.

  Grant-Brown shared her views during the Championships’ launch on Thursday, as she beamed with delight about the prospects of fostering development for the next generation of gymnasts in the region through the event, which she believes will become a staple on the calendar for years to come.

  Mayberry Investments and Supreme Ventures Limited will serve as main sponsors for the inaugural staging to be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre on November 29-30.

  “We are excited about this and the fact that we are the host for the very first one. It's really a channel that we're going to use for development within the region. As a region, we want to develop together; we want to do things together because that is the way to go. Right now, we are behind most of the other regions in terms of the Asians, the Europeans, and the Africans; even within our own PanAm region, our small Caribbean unit is behind,” Grant-Brown told SportsMax.Tv during the launch at JAGA’s Slipe Road base.

  “So we want to ensure that what we are doing will help with our development and will help to keep kids in the sport because it would mean they have something to look forward to. That is one of the drawbacks. When they get to a certain age, they don't want to do the sport anymore because there's nothing really to motivate them. So hopefully this will help to motivate and help them to work hard to be the best, so it's very important to us,” she added.

  Grant-Brown stressed that the Carifta Gymnastics Championships, which will feature competitors aged 7 to 20 from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bermuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, will provide young gymnasts with an unprecedented opportunity to gain experience and exposure on a larger stage.

  “When Caribbean nations come together to compete, it's real competition. We compete harder against each other than we do any other nation. So expect tight competition and camaraderie because they are also friends, and I am sure they will all be competing at the highest level. But again, this championship is more than just a competition; it’s an investment in the potential of young athletes who will be able to showcase their talent and passion for gymnastics,” Grant-Brown shared.

  That said, Grant-Brown expressed gratitude to the sponsors, coaches, and everyone involved in making this inaugural event a reality, as she looks to the future of the championships and the continued growth of gymnastics in the Caribbean.

  “The planning phase to put this together was very short, so I must commend these countries for really committing to this aspect of the development process. I think we are doing something good, and we don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but we have sponsors that actually called us to be a part of this whole journey with us, and if they're calling, it means we are visible. It means we are doing something well, and we just want to continue,” a beaming Grant-Brown said.

  “With this event, we are building a legacy for young gymnasts. This is just the beginning. The Carifta Gymnastics Championships will be a stepping stone to regional and international success, and we are proud to lay the foundation right here in Jamaica,” she noted. 

  Meanwhile, Desiree Wheeler, senior marketing manager at Mayberry Investments, emphasized that their involvement in the Carifta Gymnastics Championships aligns with their mission to support and promote young talent in the region.

  “Mayberry has always had a long-standing relationship not only with the JOA but also the Gymnastics Association, so over the years, it's just been incredible to watch their growth. As a company, we understand the importance of nurturing young talent from an early age.

  “So with this being a regional competition, it's really amazing because not only does it bring light to Jamaica as a gymnastics hub, but the sport also fosters discipline, confidence, and a strong work ethic—traits that will benefit these young athletes both on and off the mat and just further build the gymnastics community,” Wheeler stated.

  For Chloleen Daley Muschett, the corporate communications and PR manager at Supreme Ventures, their involvement is an investment in youth empowerment and also in Jamaica’s role as a sports destination.

  “This partnership with gymnastics actually comes through our partnership with the JOA. So, you know, we recommitted this year to supporting the JOA for another five years, and so gymnastics is one of those sports that we are definitely attaching our name to. We're very proud to be a part of this inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championship,” she noted.

  “We feel like investing in the sport locally is great, but when you bring in other countries within the region, you have an opportunity now to have real development. We are excited about what can come out of investing in grassroots events like this, and so we hope to see in the not too distant future Jamaica and other Caribbean countries participating even more consistently at the Olympics in gymnastics,” Muschett ended.

  NB: The Carifta Gymnastics Championships can be seen live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.

• Former Soca Warriors stalwart Shaka Hislop points to lack of talent, depth in T&T squad as Dwight Yorke's biggest test

  Though Dwight Yorke is committed to throwing his best efforts into his new role as senior Soca Warriors Head coach, former teammate Shaka Hislop believes it is the talent within Trinidad and Tobago’s setup that will ultimately determine the success of his tenure.

  Yorke, the former Manchester United and Soca Warriors striker, was given a mandate by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to qualify the Twin Island Republic to the 2026 Fifa World Cup or face the boot and the 53-year-old has declared his readiness to give of his best.

  “Rest assured, I will give 100. I feel very calm, very excited at the same time, but fully aware of the challenge that is lying ahead. There’s lots of hard work to be done,” Yorke told TTFA media interview shortly after arriving in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.

  “Not just me, the backroom stuff, the players to get where we want to get... obviously, trying to qualify for the World Cup. And yes, along the way, I’m sure they’re going to be some testing times for us. But that’s the challenges that lies ahead. So once we embrace it, once we are fully aware of it, and once we get the support, I fully believe, I’m fully confident that we can get the job done,” he added.

  However, Hislop, while welcoming Yorke’s appointment, knows all too well that coaches coach but the results will ultimately come from how the players perform on match days.

  In fact, Hislop, who along with Yorke represented the Soca Warriors at the 2006 global showpiece, was not shy to admit that the current squad lacks depth and sufficient talent, which he believes represent the toughest aspect of the puzzle at this point. This, as aside from AEK Athens striker Levi Garcia, Yorke’s current crop is made up of mostly lower leagues or home-based players.

  “We’ve kind of stumbled from coach to coach over the last four or five years, probably dating back to Stephen Hart when he was in charge. But I think the TTFA got it right this time. That’s with the greatest respect to our teammate Dennis Lawrence and Angus Eve, who have both been in charge of the team, but results really didn’t go their way,” Hislop shared during a podcast.

  “I think the big challenge for Dwight coming in with this squad is it’s not a very talented squad, if I may say so... certainly, on paper, and results would bear that out. How he’s able to find the right pieces for this puzzle is going to be Dwight’s biggest test,” the ESPN analyst added.

  That said, Hislop also pointed to the significance of match fitness and, as such, urged the TTFA to ensure Yorke and his players consistently engage warm-up games during the November 2024 and March 2025 international windows.

  Trinidad and Tobago currently sit second in Group B on four points, two behind Costa Rica, with St. Kitts and Nevis (three points), Grenada (one point), and the Bahamas (zero point) completing the group. Qualifying action will resume in June 2025.

  “We’ve got some games during the international window as well. We’ve got the November window, which will be Dwight’s first time on the sidelines. So we have opportunity to see the squad, to make adjustments, to try to bring in players before things get very serious in terms of qualifiers,” Hislop noted.

• Musiala focused on 'taking steps forward' ahead of 2026 World Cup

  Jamal Musiala said he remains focused on improving as a player after starring for Bayern Munich and Germany this season, with one eye on the 2026 World Cup. 

  Musiala was on target in Bayern's 1-0 win over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday, netting his fifth goal of the campaign in just eight league appearances.

  The 21-year-old has notched 13 goal contributions (nine goals, four assists) in all competitions for Vincent Kompany's side, with his impact on the side continuing to grow. 

  Only Michael Olise (seven) and Harry Kane (16) have more goal involvements than Musiala (six) for Bayern in the Bundesliga this term. 

  Musiala has also converted 89% of his big chances this season for Bayern in all competitions (8/9) - the best figure of all players from Europe's five major leagues with at least five big chances in 2024-25.

  He has impressed on the international stage too. The midfielder notched four goal involvements (one goal, three assists) in Germany's 5-0 win over Hungary in September, becoming the youngest player to do so in a single game in the competition. 

  After missing Germany's last Nations League fixtures through injury, Musiala is keen to continue his progression for his country. 

  "The focus is to get better and keep putting in the work and not look around too much. For me it is important to take steps forward," Musiala said. 

  "Last season I did that and maybe the goals and assists were missing a bit. I work on power, to be fit game after game.

  "I want to have as few injuries as possible to make as many matches as possible."

  "Over the years I have been looking less and less at all that," he said when asked about recent praise in the media. 

  "I also do not do it when things are not going well. It is important in good times and bad times to have the same routine."

  Germany take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday before travelling to Budapest three days later to square off against Hungary. 

  Julian Nagelsmann's side have already qualified for the quarter-finals of the Nations League, sitting five points clear at the top of Group A3 with two games remaining. 

  But Germany have struggled at major tournaments in recent years, falling in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 to eventual champions Spain. 

  They have also failed to get out of the group stages in the last two editions of the World Cup, though Musiala was confident about his side's chances at the 2026 tournament, which takes place across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

  "The Euro was not perfect as we all had wanted, but we still see the possibilities that are there," Musiala said.

  "We have a year and a half until the World Cup, and we can take steps forward.

  "Learn the lessons from the past two tournaments and hopefully play a good World Cup," he added.