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• 100m favorites Nkrumie, Cole safely through to semis at ISSA Boys and Girls Championships

  Class One 100m favorites Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College and Serena Cole of Edwin Allen both safely advanced from the preliminaries as the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships got underway at the National Stadium in Kingston on Tuesday.

  Nkrumie, the national junior record holder and World Under-20 silver medallist, got left in the blocks but recovered well to win his heat in 10.51 ahead of St. Jago’s Tajai Duffus (10.88) and St. Catherine high’s Sajay Campbell (10.91) who both also advanced to the semis.

  JC’s Caymanian junior record holder Jaiden Reid, who ran a new personal best 10.25 earlier this season, also secured a spot in the semis with 10.52 to advance second fastest overall.

  The third fastest to advance was Camperdown’s Junior Harris who looked impressive for his 10.56 in the preliminary round.

  Herbert Morrison’s De Andre Daley (10.65), STETHS’s Javorn Dunkley (10.59), JC’s Hector Benjamin (10.67), Manchester’s Javoon Blair (10.93) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.60) were the other heat winners.

  The Class Two qualifiers were led by KC’s Nicardo Clarke (10.95), Herbert Morrison’s Class Three champion from last year Tavaine Stewart (11.00) and Muschett’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (11.02).

  Pre-meet favorite Tramaine Todd of STETHS ran 11.09 to win his heat and safely advance while Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon is also through after an 11.10 clocking in his heat. Other heat winners included Calabar’s Khamani Gordon (11.34), St. Jago’s Detarje Morgan (11.11) and JC’s Dontae Watson (11.34),

  In Class Three, JC’s Malique Dennis looked impressive running 11.06 to advance fastest ahead of STETHS’s Rodeeki Walters (11.54) and KC’s Jonathan Clarke (11.55). Other heat winners included STETHS’s Shaun Lewis (11.56), Cornwall College’s Thomas Daley (11.71), St. Jago’s Rayj Reece (11.64), Calabar’s Byron Walker (11.82) and St. Jago’s Kevon McKenzie (11.93).

  On the Girls side, medal favourites Serena Cole, Alana Reid and Alexis James are all safely through to the semi-finals after convincing heat wins.

  Edwin Allen’s Cole, the 2022 World Under-20 100m silver medallist, ran 11.57 to advance fastest ahead of Petersfield’s James, and Hydel’s Reid who ran 11.74 and 11.81 to win their respective heats. Other heat winners included Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.80) and St. Catherine high’s Kamaria Knight (11.89). James and Reid also got medals at the World Under-20 Championships last year. James was runner-up in the 100m hurdles while Reid won bronze in the 200m.

  Hydel’s Shemonique Hazle advanced fastest in Class Two with 12.17 ahead of St. Catherine’s Kaycian Johnson (12.19) and Edwin Allen’s Doniella Lewis (12.20). Other heat winners included 2021 Class Three double sprint champion Lavanya Williams of Rusea’s (12.30), Bridgeport’s Brittney McCormack (12.24), Holmwood’s Akhalia Collins (12.24), Edwin Allen’s Renecia Edwards (12.26) and holy Childhood’s Abigail Wolfe (12.26).

  Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge qualified fastest in Class Three with 12.10 ahead of St. Jago’s Poshanna-Lee Blake (12.47) and Vere Technical’s Tiana Oliver (12.53). Other heat winners included Natrece East of Wolmer’s (12.53), Excelsior’s Tashika Thompson (13.03), Immaculate Conception’s Kedoya Lindo (12.76), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.69) and Excelsior’s Paris Pomings (12.67).

  Class Four qualifiers were led by Maria Baker of Holmwood Technical (12.47), Giana Murray of Mount Alvernia High (12.62) and Naje’ Brown of Immaculate (12.65).

  Moving on to the 400m, the JC pair of Malique Smith Band and Mark Anthony Miller led all qualifiers to the semi-finals for Class One Boys with times of 48.34 and 48.40, respectively.

  Edwin Allen’s 2022 World Under-20 finalist Delano Kennedy also easily made it through to the semis with a 48.61 effort, closely followed by the KC pair Emmanuel Rwotomiya (48.89) and Amal Glasgow (49.13) as well as Jasauna Dennis of STETHS (49.31).

  In Class Two, Daniel Francis of Alphansus Davis High was the fastest through to the semi-finals with 49.84. JC’s Tyler Ferguson and Holmwood Technical’s Omarie Williamson were the only others to dip below 50 seconds in the heats with 49.87 and 49.92, respectively.

  Other qualifiers to semis included KC’s Tahj-Marques White (50.04) who won silver in the same event last year and Calabar’s Nickecoy Bramwell (50.46), who won silver in the 100m and gold in the 200m in Class Three at last year’s championships.

  The Class Three qualifiers were led by KC’s Jordan Rehedul (51.63), Maggotty High’s Akeem Honeyghan (51.70) and Ferncourt’s Jevari McKoy (51.84). The Calabar pair of Christopher Ellis (52.56) and Malik Gayle (53.32) also made it through.

  On the girls’ side, 2022 Class Three champion Sabrina Dockery of Lacovia ran 55.29 to advance fastest in the Class Two 400m. Holmwood Technical’s Rosalee Gallimore (55.70) and Hydel’s Jody-Ann Daley (55.71) made up the rest of the top three through to the semis.

  In Class Three, Hydel’s Nastassia Fletcher (56.29), Excelsior’s Breana Brown (56.84) and Muschett’s Shanoya Douglas (56.90) led the qualifiers to the semis.

  The Class One girls will only run semi-finals and finals.

  Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford (57.90), Hydel’s Onieka McAnnuff (58.24) and Holmwood’s Annalice Brady (59.50) were the fastest qualifiers into the final of the Girls Open 400m hurdles.

  The Class Two qualifiers were led by JC’s Deandre Gayle (53.13), Calabar’s Requel Reid (53.21) and KC’s Taj-Oneil Gordon (54.49) while Class One was led by Edwin Allen’s Tyrece Hyman (51.26), STETHS’s Shamer Blake (51.63) and KC’s Antonio Forbes (52.80).

  KC’s Ethan Gioko and Ainsley Campbell led the qualifiers for the final of the Class One 1500m. JC will also have two in the final as Kemarrio Bygrave and Nellie Amberton also made it through. Campbell and Amberton also qualified for the final of the 2000m steeplechase later in the day.

  KC also had the top two qualifiers in Class Two through their Kenyan duo Nahashon Ruto and Brian Kiprop while Class Three was led by Edwin Allen’s Moses Johnson and Calabar’s Carlos Brison-Caines.

  Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds and Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler led the qualifiers for Class Three girls. The Class Two and One races will be straight finals.

  In the field, JC’s Uroy Ryan led all qualifiers to the final of the Class One long jump with a 7.35m effort in his first round.

  The qualifiers for the Class Two final were led by JC’s Michael-Andre Edwards with 7.13m.

   

• IOC denies dragging its heels over decision on Russians and Belarusians for Paris 2024 Olympics

  Thomas Bach denied the International Olympic Committee is biding its time over deciding whether Russia and Belarus athletes can compete at Paris 2024 amounted to "kicking it down the road".

  IOC president Bach spoke on Tuesday at a press conference after interim recommendations were issued to international federations and organisers of events regarding the involvement of Russians and Belarusians in events while war in Ukraine continues.

  The Olympic body urged federations to exclude any athletes or support personnel "who actively support the war", along with anybody "contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies", and said teams from either country should not be allowed to compete in international sport for now.

  However, in a statement, the IOC said: "Sports organisations must have the sole responsibility to decide which athletes can take part in international competitions based on their sporting merits and not on political grounds or because of their passports."

  There is a clear possibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes being allowed to compete as neutrals at the Paris Olympics next year, although Bach stressed there has been no decision taken on that matter, explaining it has yet to be discussed by the IOC executive board.

  Bach said the IOC was going along with a United Nations position, and when asked whether Olympic chiefs were simply waiting for the war to end, and holding fire on direct action until then, he refuted the contention.

  "We are not kicking it down the road, and we are not waiting," Bach said. "I guess we all would like the war to end now, and this is what we are calling for, but as you can see for all the reasons we are giving the conditions are not related to the development of the war, they are related to the respect of the Olympic charter and the Olympic values, and there we have to address these questions whether somebody is actively supporting the war in whichever way."

  Bach said a decision regarding next year's Olympics would be made "at the appropriate time", without indicating when that might be, saying it was important to monitor the latest recommendations "for as long as possible" before taking "an informed decision".

  He said there was no timeline because "nobody knows what's happening tomorrow or in one week or in nine months, so we have just to monitor and then find the appropriate time".

  Bach knows there is unease in some quarters about the IOC not taking a firm decision.

  When asked about Russia being happy its athletes were being able to compete, and Ukraine being unhappy with the situation, Bach said: "We have been accused by the Russian side of being agents of the United States, and we have been accused by Ukrainian side of being promoters of the war, so we appear to be somewhere in the middle."

• Jamaica's Reggae Boyz hold Mexico to 2-2 draw but miss out on Concacaf Nations League final

  Mexico and Jamaica played to a 2-2 draw in the final encounter in Group A of League A in the 2022–23 Concacaf Nations League at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.

  The tie assures Mexico the top spot in the group and a place in the Concacaf Nations League  finals in June.

  Jamaica goalkeeper Jahmali Waite started for the visitors and made a pivotal save early to deny Hector Moreno in the 6’, as the home side looked dangerous early on set pieces.

  Bobby De Cordova-Reid placed the Reggae Boyz in the lead with a right-footed laser from outside the box in the 8’, marking his third international goal and first in a League A match.

  The hosts responded shortly after as Orbelín Pineda pounced on a rebound inside the box in the 17’, tying the encounter at one apiece.

  Jamaica regained the lead off a corner kick in the 33’ when the service from De Cordova-Reid bounced off the left thigh of Edson Álvarez for an own goal.

  The match was temporarily suspended due to lightning in the 34’ and restarted as soon as conditions were deemed safe to resume.

  After the restart, Hirving Lozano was denied by the top post in the 43’ as Mexico was inching closer to the tying goal.

  Henry Martin was brought down inside the box by defender Ravel Morrison as Mexico earned a penalty in the first minute into injury time. Hirving Lozano converted in the 45'+2 to tie 2-2.

  Luis Chavez attempted to test Waite from long range in the 54’ but the shot went just wide.

  Guillermo Ochoa came up with a quick-witted save in the 57’ on a Jamaica corner headed by Shamar Nicholson.

  Second half substitute Diego Laínez saw his own attempt denied by the woodwork in the 75’ as the home side continued to search for the victory.

  Lozano nearly had his second of the night, and the potential game-winner, in second half injury time but the attempt was just inches from the far post.