Lorenzo Musetti will play Tommy Paul in the final of the Queen's Championship following an exceptional day of action in West Kensington.
In the first game of the afternoon, Italian Musetti edged a three-set encounter 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 against Jordan Thompson to be the first to book his place in Sunday's final.
Having won the opening set, Thompson fought back to take the game to a decider. Despite saving five break points in the eighth game, the Australian was eventually beaten as Musetti booked his place in his first grass final.
Later that afternoon, Paul came through an all-American contest in straight sets, emerging a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) victor over Sebastian Korda to set up a maiden encounter with the Italian.
27-year-old Paul quickly found a break in the second game against his opponent and despite Korda replying with a break of his own in the seventh game, was unable to recover from his slow start.
The second set flowed with both players trading break points, but an error-strewn display from Korda allowed Paul to see out the contest with relative ease to become the first American finalist at Queen's since 2010
Data Debrief: Musetti faces
Musetti maintained his unbeaten record against his Australian opponent, having won their previous encounter in straight sets in Adelaide back in January. The Italian also won 45 of his 62 first-serve points, a success rate of 73%.
After three consecutive defeats against Korda, Paul has now won two of his last three meetings with his compatriot. However, his opponent bettered him on first-serve points, winning 74% compared to Paul's 62%.
Jamaica’s Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson and Romelda Aiken-George continued winning ways with Adelaide Thunderbirds, as they produced a blistering second half display to secure a 67-41 win over Melbourne Mavericks at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, on Saturday.
The 26-goal victory –Thunderbirds’ widest margin so far this season –propelled them into second position on 32 points, same as West Coast Fever, but with a better goal difference of 93 goals greater than their conceded total. Melbourne Vixens (36 points) remain in pole position.
Aiken-George again led Thunderbirds from the front with 39 goals from 43 attempts, supported by Lauren Frew, who scored 13 goals from 15 attempts. Lucy Austin had nine goals from 11 attempts, and Georgie Horjus ended with six from six.
Another Jamaican Shimona Jok led Mavericks’ efforts with 25 goals from 28 attempts, as Eleanor Cardwell (10 goals from 13 attempts) and Gabrielle Sinclair (four goals from seven attempts) offered support.
Horjus was on top of her game across all four quarters, finishing with 116 Nissan Net Points, while Sterling-Humphrey (106 NNP), who was briefly sidelined after taking a knock to the face, and Wilson (77.5 NNP) delivered standout individual performances.
Adelaide Thunderbirds celebrate their win.
The Mavericks were more spirited at the start, as Jok scored three unanswered goals, before Sterling-Humphrey raked in two gains, two intercepts and a deflection in the first term alone, to bring Thunderbirds back into the contest. Aiken-George was prolific on the scoreboard for the Thunderbirds in a tightly contested and physical quarter, which they won 15-14.
The Thunderbirds maintained the momentum in the second quarter, courtesy of brisk goals from Frew and Aiken-George inside the opening minutes.
An aerial duel between Jok and Sterling-Humphrey, forced to the latter to the bench with a suspected concussion from a hit behind the ball. She was replaced by Wilson, who also made her presence felt, as Mavericks’ penalties and turnovers proved their undoing in the quarter that ended 18-11 in favour of Thunderbirds, with the score at 33-25 at half-time.
Like the first two quarters, the Mavericks struggled to make the most of their possession in the attacking third, and that allowed Thunderbirds to maintain a stranglehold on the contest, which seemed headed for blowout. Despite a strong performance from Jok and a Super Shot from Sinclair, it wasn’t enough to claw back the Thunderbirds’ 15-goal advantage heading into the final break at 49-34.
Still, the Mavericks fought on with four quick goals in the opening three minutes, before a deflection from Sterling-Humphrey and a couple of impressive long-range goals from Horjus widened Thunderbirds’ gap to 17 points.
And even switching Jok to goalkeeper to match Aiken-George's height, proved futile for the Mavericks, who were blew away 18-7 in the final quarter.
Sterling-Humphrey maintained her stellar performance and ended with a rebound, six intercepts, and five deflections, while Wilson was also on song with an impressive seven deflections and an intercept, as both thwarted the opponent’s attack.
Jamaica's Shanice Beckford of West Coast Fever is a picture of focus.
Meanwhile, Queensland Firebirds produced a massive upset, as they bettered West Coast Fever 78-70 in an evenly contested fixture at Nissan Arena.
Donnell Wallam piloted the Firebirds with 66 goals from 67 attempts, with Tippah Dwan getting the other 12 goals from 17 attempts.
At the other end, Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard scored 65 goals from 67 attempts for West Coast Fever, while Shanice Beckford had four goals from eight attempts, and Olivia Wilkinson, one goal from three attempts.
In a fiercely contested start, both teams showed early intensity, exchanging goals before the Fever gained an early edge, spurred on by robust defensive efforts from Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Sunday Aryang.
Fever seamlessly moved the ball to the circle edge before delivering it straight to Fowler-Nembhard under the post, as they surged into an eight-goal lead at one point. However, Wallam orchestrated a stunning comeback, sinking four two-point Super Shots during the Power Five period to level the scores at 20-20 at the first break.
It was more end-to-end action at the top of the second quarter, before Wallam, who was a powerhouse in the circle, fired on all cylinders to give her team control.
Despite the pressure, the Fever maintained their composure and executed their game plan with clinical precision, and at that point, it became evident that it would be a showdown of the shooters, as Wallam and Fowler-Nembhard took centre stage.
Jamaica's Kadie-Ann Dehaney (right) of West Coast Fever challenges for possession.
Fowler-Nembhard was outstanding for the Fever, racking up an impressive 45 Nissan Net Points for the quarter, just edging out Wallam who scored 43 in the second quarter. In fact, it took a thrilling buzzer-beating Super Shot from Wallam to put Firebirds ahead 41-39 at halftime.
After a couple wayward balls to start the third, the Firebirds had all the answers as the Fever struggled to keep pace. But the Dan Ryan-coached Fever was not to be outdone and battled bravely to ensure the contest remained close with just six goals between them at 57-51 heading into the final quarter.
The Fever fought back valiantly, as they intensified their defensive efforts and eventually found success on the scoreboard to move within two of the Firebirds score, but let the momentum slip close to the end.
Lando Norris celebrated "pretty much the perfect lap" after he claimed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen.
McLaren's Norris set the best time of 1:11.383 in Barcelona on Saturday, which had started dismally for the team when their hospitality facilities had to be evacuated due to a fire.
Norris, who was 0.2 seconds quicker than Verstappen, showed no sign of distraction though, and with all staff having been safely ushered from any danger, it was a day to celebrate for the team, whose second driver Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10 despite failing to set a time in Q3.
"It was pretty much a perfect lap, when you are on a good lap and getting excited but the whole thing went perfectly in the end," he said.
"It was close but super happy, it was my best pole position, I've not had many. We've been close all weekend but really this was about a perfect lap and that is what I did today.
"It's not just this weekend, we've been quick the last two months, and since Miami we've been very strong.
"We probably missed out on pole by not doing a perfect lap but today was the perfect lap."
It was also a good day for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, who qualified in third, one place ahead of team-mate George Russell.
Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz placed fifth and sixth respectively.
Top 10
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Jannik Sinner will face Hubert Hurkacz in his first ATP Tour-level grass final after overcoming Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in the last four at the Halle Open.
The world number one entered Saturday's clash with Zhang, ranked 42nd in the world, on a 35-match winning streak against players outside the ATP's top 20.
There was to be no upset in North Rhine-Westphalia, though Zhang pushed him close in a match that featured just one break – Sinner doing the honours in the ninth game of the opening set.
Zhang failed to convert the lone break point generated in the second set as both players served confidently, the Chinese number one winning 79% of first-serve points to Sinner's 75%.
However, the Italian's quality shone through in the tie-break, the Australian Open champion converting his third match point to advance.
Hurkacz will be his final opponent after he pulled off an upset of Zverev earlier on Saturday, the fifth-seeded Pole producing a big-serving display in a 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 win.
Sinner and Hurkacz played doubles together earlier this week, saving two match points in a thrilling win over Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow before going out to French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul the following day.
Data Debrief: Sinner matches Federer and Medvedev
Sinner will have a chance to capture his first title on grass on Sunday, which would represent the best possible preparation for a tilt at Wimbledon.
He is just the third player to reach the Halle Open final while top of the world rankings, after Roger Federer (in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2018) and Daniil Medvedev (2022).
Jamaica Cycling Federation (JCF) has distanced itself from the actions of coach Arlington Reid and cyclist Xazivor Anthony Gayle, who it says breached protocols and attended the PanAm Junior Track Championships without proper authorisation.
The Dr. Wayne Palmer-led JCF in clearing the air, revealed that they were notified by the PanAm Championship organisers on Thursday, that Gayle and Reid arrived in Lima, Peru to participate in the event, but were not accredited.
Despite receiving a request from Reid, the JCF explained that it did not authorise the accreditation of a Jamaican delegation to participate, as Gayle did not meet the qualification standard.
“On June 7, 2024, Mr. Reid made a request via email to the Board for Gayle to be considered for selection to participate in the championships based on his recent performance at the DPS event in Trinidad, despite not meeting the qualifying time standards," the JCF clarified in a release.
“In response to this request, Mr. Reid was advised by email on June 9, 2024, that Gayle was not selected. On the same day, an email appealing the non-selection was sent to the board by Mr. Reid,” it added.
The JCF pointed out that protocol of the sport’s world governing body, UCI, dictates that the national federation is the only authorising body that can accredit an individual, team, coach, or other support staff to a championship.
As such, it said Reid’s action is a clear disregard for rules, which has now brought the local governing body into disrepute, as the PanAm organisers did not take the turn of events kindly, and have since escalated the matter to UCI.
“The Jamaica Cycling Federation is disappointed in the actions and judgement of Mr. Reid, who went ahead and registered an athlete to participate in an event without proper authorization. His actions have caused embarrassment to the federation and have placed the federation in disrepute,” the statement noted.
With another staging of the Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival now done and dusted, Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation and Jonathan Newnham are content to bask in the success of their hard work, having once again set the bar high.
The event, hosted at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in Upton, not only combined the love of golf with Jamaica’s renowned culinary tradition, but also reinforced the power of sports and culture to bring people together for a common cause, as it also raised funds for the St Ann's hospital urology department, as well as Sandals Foundation’s Care for Kids programme.
Cavani James, 12, and his teammate Tajay Lobban, 21, were crowned overall champions of the golf tournament, which was split into three sections to add value for the over 80 participants that journeyed from near and far to contribute to the event’s success.
Elon Parkinson, Digicel’s Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs, and Karen Zacca, Operations Director at the Sandals Foundation, share a photo opportunity with (from left) Jerome Thomas, Cavani James and Tyree Smith.
For Clarke, the event was another testament of the foundation’s years of hard work and dedication to education, healthcare, and community development.
“We haven’t calculated all that came in as yet, but I think that we did great. This is the fourth year that we've been doing this tournament, all with a focus on how we're doing capacity building for hospitals in this region,” Clarke said.
“So last year, we focused on Port Maria hospital and their security system, and a year before that, it was the St Ann's Bay physio department, this year, the urology department. So we've really been able to do a lot, and I am very proud of the team and all the golfers that came out. We are very grateful to them all for the support,” she added.
Kendra Miller, a HEART/NSTA Trust Hospitality student participating in the Jerk competition.
Beyond golf, the Care for Kids programme, which engages kids between the ages of seven and 18 years old, through weekly mentorship training programme, also imparts life skills that Clarke says prepares them to navigate whatever challenges lay ahead.
For the Jerk competition, members from Sandals Dunn’s River Resort, Sandals Royal Plantation, Beaches Ocho Rios Resort and the Country Club match skills with unique chicken, shrimp and fish recipes. In an effort to continue its youth engagement commitment, all jerk teams also comprised students of the St Ann’s Chapter of the HEART/ NSTA Trust’s hospitality school.
“I think it was a fantastic success. Another big aspect of it is the jerk competition. So this year, for the jerk competition, we had the chefs out on the course, so golfers could sample jerk when they were out there. We had some HEART/ NSTA students join them for the competition, so they were mentored from the day before with all the preparations and then during the day of the event,” Clarke shared.
One of the many participants prepares to tee off.
“They all really had a fantastic time. So for us, it's always about how we work with our young people, whether they're playing golf or whether they want to learn about the hospitality industry, and how we're working to build our healthcare, and making our communities stronger. So I think, overall, it was a resounding success,” she noted.
Newnham, director of operations at the golf club, also stressed that the festival is more than just golf, as he too pointed to the lasting positive impact it has on local communities.
“It was just a very first class event and the feedback from the golfers was fantastic. It was fitting that our overall champion was actually a team of Cavani James, who won our junior qualifier a month and a half ago, and Tajay Lobban, a former, a former member of our junior golf programme. So that is very rewarding for us as a programme to showcase the talents that we nurtured,” Newnham reasoned.
“It's a testament to the work that not only we do, but also as a Jamaican golf and junior community as a whole. So very proud that all the hard work that went into it was well awarded and it was essentially a celebration of sport and all it does for us and the surrounding communities, as the proceeds are for a cause,” he ended.
Andy Murray will undergo back surgery in an attempt to be fit for what will be his final appearance at Wimbledon, which begins in nine days.
The two-time competition winner was forced to retire from his second-round match at the Queen's Championships against Jordan Thompson after just five games.
It was later revealed by the 37-year-old that he had been suffering with back pain which eventually spread to his right leg, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist is set to call time on his illustrious career later this year, with Wimbledon and the Paris games described as a fitting end to his 20-year spell on the court by Murray.
But the former world number one faces a race against time to fit for Wimbledon, which starts on July 1, where he is also set to feature in the men's doubles with his older brother, Jamie.
“He saw a specialist yesterday evening and he’s basically trying to decide what his next move is," his brother told BBC Two on Friday.
"I don’t think it’s right for me to go into that personally, that’s up to him, but I think he has got a few decisions to make.
"It’s obviously incredibly disappointing for him that this was potentially going to be his last Queen’s, last Wimbledon and Olympics, and there’s a potential that that might not be able to happen.
"I think he’s got to make a few decisions, and see where he goes from there.”
Chris Sale became the third in the majors to reach 10 wins and Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Austin Riley homered off Carlos Rodon as the surging Atlanta Braves rolled to an 8-1 rout of the New York Yankees on Friday night.
Sale allowed one hit and one run over five innings with three walks and eight strikeouts to join Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez and Kansas City’s Seth Lugo as 10-game winners.
Four relievers finished up the three-hitter.
The Braves built a 2-0 lead on Rodon’s first two pitches as Jarred Kelenic singled before Albies homered to left.
Riley added his seventh home run later in the inning for a 3-0 lead. He finished 2 for 3 with two walks and has 12 hits in his last 22 at-bats, including four homers and four doubles.
Kelenic singled home a run in the second and Ramon Laureano doubled home another run in the third. Olson’s two-run blast in the fourth made it 7-1 and an error by left fielder Jahmai Jones allowed the eighth run to score.
Atlanta has won four in a row and seven of its last eight games.
Rodon, who also was bidding for his 10th victory, was tagged for season highs of eight runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He lost his second straight start following a personal seven-game winning streak.
The Yankees have lost three straight and five of six after winning 12 of 15.
Ohtani homers against former team in loss
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer in his first game against his former team, but Taylor Ward singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nolan Schanuel sacrificed automatic runner Jo Adell to third to open the 10th. Evan Phillips then retired Luis Rengifo on a groundout with Adell holding, but Ward followed with a single to left to give the Angels their first lead of the game.
Ohtani’s two-run blast off reliever Matt Moore in the fifth opened the scoring. It was his National League-leading 22nd homer of the season and seventh in the last 11 games.
He finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two walks in his first game against the Angels, the team he spent his first six major league seasons with before signing a 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December.
The Angels tied it in the next inning when Zach Neto was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and an RBI groundout from Mickey Moniak.
Mets hammer Imanaga, Cubs
J.D. Martinez, Francisco Alvarez and Brandon Nimmo homered against Shota Imanaga to power the New York Mets to an 11-1 drubbing of the Chicago Cubs.
Francisco Lindor had three hits and two runs and Jose Iglesias added four hits and three RBIs to help the Mets win for the eighth time in nine games.
They are 12-3 in their last 15 games and averaging 6.6 runs during that stretch.
Imanaga was roughed up for 10 runs and 11 hits in three-plus innings after he pitched seven innings of three-hit ball in a 1-0 win over the Mets on May 1. His ERA ballooned from 1.89 to 2.96 following the shortest outing of his rookie season.
Jose Quintana allowed one unearned run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out eight in his second straight win.
Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman scored second-period goals and Stuart Skinner was great again with 20 saves as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 for their third straight win on Friday night to push the Stanley Cup Final to Game 7.
Warren Foegele also scored and Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse added late empty-net goals to help the Oilers stave off elimination again and even a series that seemed a lost cause a week ago.
Leon Draisaitl remained without a goal in this series but set up Foegele’s early goal that gave Edmonton a lead it would not relinquish, and now it has a chance to complete an improbable comeback Monday night in Sunrise, Florida.
The Oilers are the first team to tie the Cup final after falling behind 3-0 in the series since the Detroit Red Wings in 1945.
Edmonton is a win away from becoming just the second team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after losing the first three games. The only team to do it was the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.
That victory would end Canada’s three-decade-long Cup drought.
Skinner made timely saves despite allowing Aleksander Barkov’s goal early in the third period. He has stopped 81 of 86 shots in the last three games after he gave up nine goals on 68 shots in the first three games of the series.
Jack Draper's dream run at the Queen's Club Championships was halted at the quarter-final stage on Friday as Tommy Paul edged a hard-fought contest in three sets.
Having claimed his maiden ATP Tour title in Stuttgart last week, Draper made it seven straight victories with a huge upset of world number two Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday.
However, he could not extend that winning streak as Paul attacked his serve on every opportunity, hitting several excellent groundstrokes as he took the opener.
Draper hit back in the second set, a long forehand seeing him convert his second set point.
However, the new British number one appeared fatigued in the decider, his exertions against Alcaraz taking a toll as Paul kicked on, breaking to love in the seventh game and seeing out a 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory.
Data Debrief: Draper falls short
Playing in his second Queen's quarter-final, Draper could have become the first home player to reach the last four since Cameron Norrie in 2021.
He was unable to stay the course against a fresher opponent, though, as fifth seed Paul improved to 25-10 for the season, reaching his second tour-level semi-final on grass.
The Sacramento Kings will retain a key piece into the foreseeable future as they look to build upon two straight trips to the NBA's play-in tournament.
Deft scoring guard Malik Monk agreed to remain with the Kings on a four-year, $78million contract, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night.
The last year of the deal reportedly carries a player option.
Monk set career highs last season by averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 assists while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year award voting.
Monk, a seven-year veteran out of Kentucky, was due to be an unrestricted free agent on June 30.
Monk had been linked to several teams searching for an infusion of perimeter scoring in free agency, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, but those clubs will now need to look elsewhere.
Monk has averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 458 career NBA games.
While the Kings have yet to win a play-off series since 2004, Sacramento have strung together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-06. In 2023, the club ended a 16-year post-season drought and forced the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in their first-round play-off series loss.
The Sacramento Kings will retain a key piece into the foreseeable future as they look to build upon two straight trips to the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Deft scoring guard Malik Monk agreed to remain with the Kings on a four-year, $78million contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night.
The last year of the deal reportedly carries a player option.
Monk set career highs last season by averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 assists while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year award voting.
Monk, a seven-year veteran out of Kentucky, was due to be an unrestricted free agent on June 30.
Monk had been linked to several teams searching for an infusion of perimeter scoring in free agency, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, but those clubs will now need to look elsewhere.
Monk has averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 458 career NBA games.
While the Kings have yet to win a play-off series since 2004, Sacramento have strung together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-06. In 2023, the club ended a 16-year post-season drought and forced the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in their first-round play-off series loss.
Alexander Zverev battled past Arthur Fils despite losing the first set to book a place in the Halle Open semi-finals.
The German, chasing his first-ever grass-court title, needed two and a half hours to get his 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 victory.
Neither player managed a break in the opening set, matching each other evenly before Fils finally got the edge in the tie-break to take the lead.
Zverev soon raised his level though, and during a run of eight consecutive points, broke the Frenchman to love at 3-2 on his way to forcing a decider.
Despite another bright start to the set by Fils, he failed to get a single break, with Zverev rallying to set up a meeting with Hubert Hurkacz in the next round.
Data Debrief: Zverev edges ever-closer to grass title
Zverev is 37-10 for the season, and is the first person since Roger Federer (2012-19) to reach back-to-back semi-finals at the Halle Open.
A two-time finalist at the tournament, the German is hoping to add two more wins to his 18-7 record in Germany to finally get his hands on the trophy.
Max Verstappen is still the favourite to win the Formula One world title, but Lando Norris is more confident that the Red Bull driver can be caught.
Verstappen is in the hunt for his fourth straight world championship crown, and leads the drivers' standings with five race wins to his name in 2024.
However, only 31 points separate the Dutchman, who is on 169, and second-placed Charles Leclerc, while McLaren's Norris sits third with 113 following his victory in Miami last month.
Mercedes, meanwhile, have come back into contention in recent races, with both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton impressing in qualifying, albeit they have been unable to translate that into a victory as of yet.
But with more contenders, Norris feels the field is opening up.
"There is more chance and possibilities now, especially if Mercedes are in the fight; more chance of having a bigger swing of points." he said, as per BBC Sport, ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
"A bad weekend for Max was third but it could be fifth or sixth.
"And if you can be the guy who wins, within one weekend you can turn quite a lot of points around fairly quickly. If it goes like that, there is a higher chance."
Norris conceded, though, that Verstappen is still at the very top of his game.
He added: "Max's bad weekend is never going to be a bad weekend. It's still going to be a good amount of points. He is just strong in all areas. It is rare he makes mistakes or messes up qualifying.
"But with more pressure you never know how that changes, and always with pressure it is always easier to make mistakes."
In the world of Mercedes, Hamilton has urged the team's fans to give backing to Russell, who has faced accusations of the team favouring him, given his team-mate is set to join Ferrari next season.
"I think they know if you look over the years, we've always been a strong team. We've always worked really hard together," Hamilton told reporters.
"I think we need support, not negativity, and I wasn't actually aware that George was experiencing negativity.
"George has done nothing but his best every single weekend and is delivering for the team, so he can't be faulted at all.
"Of course, there can always be things done better within the team, and that comes through conversation, through communication, and that's something that we are consistently working on.
"But we're all in the same boat. We're all working hard together. We want to finish on a high and feel that we owe that to our long-term relationship that we've had."
The Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) officially launched its Novice, Junior, and Elite Bodybuilding Championships on Thursday, marking the start of an extended 2024 season. The launch event took place at the headquarters of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) on Cunningham Avenue in Kingston, setting the stage for an exciting year of bodybuilding and fitness competitions under the theme "Strong Minds, Strong Bodies: A Synergy of Physical Strength and Mental Wellness."
The 2024 Novice, Junior, and Elite Bodybuilding Championships will take place on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at the Courtleigh Auditorium in Kingston. The event will commence at 7:00 pm, featuring 45 athletes from 12 gyms across eight parishes competing for top honours in their respective divisions.
Participants will vie for a range of prizes, including trophies, gift baskets, gift certificates, and gym memberships. The overall winners will qualify for the Elite Category and advance to the National Senior Championships later in the year, offering them a chance to further establish their prowess in the sport.
Kirk Frankson, President of JABBFA, highlighted the significance of the Novice, Junior, and Elite Championships as the season opener. "We've decided to extend our season; we're actually looking at having two new events. So in addition to our usual Novice, Junior and Elite Championships happening June 29 at the Courtleigh Auditorium, we're having on August 25, the Western Regional Championship at the Negril Tree House, September 28 is our regular National Senior Championships, and then on October 26, we're having our Jamaica Invitational. So that's our entire season," Frankson told Sportsmax.TV.
The Jamaica Invitational, in particular, is poised to become a major event on the bodybuilding calendar. JABBFA aims to make it a pro-qualifier, akin to prominent competitions in St. Maarten and Barbados. Frankson noted the challenges faced by Jamaican athletes in accessing pro-qualifier competitions in Europe and the USA, and emphasized the strategic shift to establish a local pro-qualifier.
"One of the difficulties that JABBFA struggles with like most sporting associations, is that the athletes had a challenge getting to pro-qualifier competitions in Europe, the USA, so we recognized that rather than trying to exert all of our energies by sending smaller teams, we're actually trying to re-direct our energies into having a pro-qualifier locally," he explained.
JABBFA has begun laying the groundwork for the Jamaica Invitational by training judges and setting up the necessary framework to host a pro-qualifier event. The long-term goal is to attract not only Caribbean athletes but also competitors from Europe and North America, thereby contributing to sports tourism in Jamaica.
Frankson mentioned the success of the Roger Boyce Championship in Barbados as a model they aim to replicate. "Barbados indicated that they started the Roger Boyce (championship) as an invitational and it's now the major pro-qualifier in the Caribbean, so we're replicating that where we are starting the Jamaica Invitational, as an invitational offering prize money and we are hoping that within the next three to five years it will be a pro-qualifier," he said.
A pro-qualifier is a contest that serves as a gateway to the IFBB PRO League, allowing competitors in each of the nine divisions to compete for a coveted IFBB PRO League card. This development promises to elevate the standard of bodybuilding in Jamaica and provide local athletes with greater opportunities to achieve professional status within the sport.
The championship is made possible by the support of sponsors including the Sports Development Foundation, Hyundai, Wisynco, Vitamalt and Gustazos among others.
Max Verstappen is still the favourite to win the Formula One world title, but Lando Norris is more confident that the Red Bull driver can be caught.
Verstappen is in the hunt for his fourth straight world championship crown, and leads the drivers' standings with five race wins to his name in 2024.
However, only 31 points separate the Dutchman, who is on 169, and second-placed Charles Leclerc, while McLaren's Norris sits third with 113 following his victory in Miami last month.
Mercedes, meanwhile, have come back into contention in recent races, with both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton impressing in qualifying, albeit they have been unable to translate that into a victory as of yet.
But with more contenders, Norris feels the field is opening up.
"There is more chance and possibilities now, especially if Mercedes are in the fight; more chance of having a bigger swing of points." he said, as per BBC Sport, ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
"A bad weekend for Max was third but it could be fifth or sixth.
"And if you can be the guy who wins, within one weekend you can turn quite a lot of points around fairly quickly. If it goes like that, there is a higher chance."
Norris conceded, though, that Verstappen is still at the very top of his game.
He added: "Max's bad weekend is never going to be a bad weekend. It's still going to be a good amount of points. He is just strong in all areas. It is rare he makes mistakes or messes up qualifying.
"But with more pressure you never know how that changes, and always with pressure it is always easier to make mistakes."
In the world of Mercedes, Hamilton has urged the team's fans to give backing to Russell, who has faced accusations of the team favouring him, given his team-mate is set to join Ferrari next season.
"I think they know if you look over the years, we've always been a strong team. We've always worked really hard together," Hamilton told reporters.
"I think we need support, not negativity, and I wasn't actually aware that George was experiencing negativity.
"George has done nothing but his best every single weekend and is delivering for the team, so he can't be faulted at all.
"Of course, there can always be things done better within the team, and that comes through conversation, through communication, and that's something that we are consistently working on.
"But we're all in the same boat. We're all working hard together. We want to finish on a high and feel that we owe that to our long-term relationship that we've had."
The New York Yankees turned to the American League ERA leader in their series finale with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Orioles turned the tables on Luis Gil.
Baltimore scored seven runs off Gil and clubbed three homers in rolling to a 17-5 win over the Yankees in the Bronx on Thursday.
Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer off Gill as part of a six-run second inning, while Anthony Santander and Austin Hays also homered for the Orioles, who improved to 5-2 against the Yankees this season.
Baltimore (49-25) set a major league record by winning a 22nd consecutive series against an AL East opponent and moved one-half game back of New York (51-26) for first place in the division.
Gil entered the game with a league-leading 2.03 ERA, but was tagged for seven runs and recorded just four outs in his shortest outing of the season. His ERA ballooned to 2.77 after the Orioles battered him, and New York was forced to use seven relief pitchers.
Baltimore pounded out a season-high 19 hits - including seven doubles - with Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle each registering three hits apiece.
Mountcastle had a bases-clearing double and an RBI single, while Ryan O'Hearn also drove in four runs.
Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 27th homer in his return to the lineup after missing Wednesday's 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Orioles, one day after he was hit on the left hand by a pitch in Tuesday's 4-2 series-opening win.
Judge also hit a run-scoring single for the Yankees, who got a homer from Gleyber Torres before he exited with a groin injury in the fifth inning.
Cardinals beat Giants in game honouring Mays, Negro Leagues
The St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants in the first MLB game played at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Played at the 114-year-old stadium - the oldest professional ballpark in the United States - the game had been scheduled to honour former Negro League players, including Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who played for the Birmingham Black Barons.
The tribute produced an additional emotional element with Mays passing away on Tuesday.
In the game, the Cardinals jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning - highlighted by Brendan Donovan's two-run homer.
Donovan, who grew up in Alabama, also singled and doubled and finished with three RBIs.
Alec Burleson scored three runs and Masyn Winn scored twice for the Cardinals (37-37), who won for the first time in three games to move back to .500.
Heliot Ramos hit a game-tying three-run home run in the third inning for the Giants (36-40), but St. Louis quickly responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Ohtani homers as Dodgers beat Rockies
Shohei Ohtani led off with a homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 to take three of four in the series.
Ohtani's homer was his 21st, while Will Smith and Freddie Freeman each hit their 11th home run, going back-to-back in the fourth inning for the Dodgers (47-30).
Freeman had two hits, and is batting .378 with three homers and nine runs in his last 10 games, while Ohtani is 10 for 21 (.476) with four home runs, three doubles, nine RBIs and eight runs in his last five contests.
The Dodgers next play Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, which will be Ohtani's first game against his former team since signing a 10-year, $700million deal with the Dodgers in the off-season.
Gavin Stone won his fourth straight decision and improved to 8-2, permitting two runs while matching a season high with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Since giving up eight runs in his first two starts of the season, Stone has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of 12 starts.
Ryan McMahon hit his 13th homer and had his third straight two-hit game for the Rockies (26-49), who lost for the fourth time in five games.
Oklahoma City and Chicago have swapped guards, with the Thunder acquiring Alex Caruso from the Bulls in exchange for Josh Giddey on Thursday.
ESPN was the first to report the trade, which cannot become official until July 6.
The 30-year-old Caruso is considered one of the NBA's top defenders, having been named to a pair of All-Defensive teams.
He is also viewed as an important role player for a potential championship contender after helping the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2019-20 title.
The Thunder finished with the Western Conference's best record this past season, but were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-final round by the Dallas Mavericks.
A seven-year NBA veteran, Caruso averaged career highs of 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds this past season, along with 3.5 assists and 1.69 steals while starting 57 of 71 games.
Giddey, the sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft, started 80 games for the Thunder this past season, but saw his numbers drop from 2022-23.
After averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his second season, the 21-year-old Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 boards and 4.8 assists in 2023-24. He is a career 46.4 per cent shooter from 3-point range.
He was investigated for having an improper relationship with an underage girl, but the NBA and police were "unable to corroborate any criminal activity."
The NBA dropped its investigation.
Since assuming operations of Caymanas Park in 2017, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) has invested billions of dollars in rebranding and revolutionizing the park as well as improving the commercial route to market strategy. The company’s latest investment comes in the form of a strategic partnership with market research company Bluedot Insights to conduct a comprehensive survey to gain insights into the industry locally.
According to Solomon Sharpe SVREL Executive Chairman, the company’s unwavering vision is to make making the premier destination of racing and entertainment in the region.
“Over the past seven years we’ve consulted with our stakeholders and made significant investments into improving the overall racing product. We’re very proud of what we have achieved so far. Even with the success and the enduring popularity of Caymanas Park and horseracing in Jamaica, we know there’s still more work to be done. Understanding our customers is at the core of our strategy. With that as our mission, we’ve engaged Bluedot Insights to conduct a comprehensive island wide consumer survey on our behalf.
"This survey is aimed at providing us with verifiable data from sports bettors, racing stakeholders and the general public that will further guide our strategic decisions and investments that will bring us further towards our ultimate goal – to make Caymanas Park the premier destination of racing and entertainment in the Caribbean,” said Sharpe.
“Our vision for Caymanas Park and the horseracing industry in Jamaica is one of growth and innovation. We will continue to invest in the park, introducing new features and enhancements that elevate the experience for all our visitors. Our commitment to the community and the sport remains steadfast, and we are excited about the future,” he added.
It was disclosed that Bluedot will provide a comprehensive report presenting quantitative and qualitative findings that details consumer profiles highlighting demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics. This will be done in three phases.
"Bluedot aims to use our skills and expertise to provide SVREL with comprehensive insights that will be pivotal in allowing SVREL to refine their marketing strategies, customize their offerings to align with consumer preferences, and nurture stakeholder relationships essential for advancing the horse racing business," stated Bluedot CEO Larren Peart.
SVREL's investments in Caymanas Park have spanned various areas, from infrastructure upgrades like the installation of the largest digital tote board in the Caribbean and implementation of AmTote totalizer system, improved product offerings such as the new bet type options like Reggae-6 and Ketch-9 as well as fixed odds betting, to the integration of cutting-edge technology like the recently launched GMax digital timing system.
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