The Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) will host the 27th Goodwill Swimming Championship in Kingston, at The National Aquatic Centre from Friday, August 18 - Sunday, August 20. Three hundred swimmers from the national federations of Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks and Caicos are expected to participate in the regional meet alongside hosts Jamaica.

The Goodwill Swimming Championship is a premier swim meet in the Caribbean, and it is also seen as a launching pad toward higher levels of competition.

Friday will begin with an opening ceremony starting at 4:30 pm followed by five events in the pool. The 100m freestyle will lead off the action in the water, followed by the 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 4x50m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m freestyle relay. Action will begin at 9:00 am and end at 1:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Each National Federation has a maximum of 40 swimmers - four boys and four girls in the age groups eight and under, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14 and 15 to 17. The member countries of the Goodwill Swimming Championship host the meet on an annual rotation basis. Trinidad and Tobago were last year’s hosts.

Patrons can expect an exciting three-day meet with fierce competition. At last year’s staging, Jamaica’s team of 25 swimmers surpassed expectations by winning 92 medals (33 gold, 37 silver, 22 bronze), setting new meet records and two age-group high point trophies.

Prior to the 26th edition, Jamaica’s highest tally was 65 medals at the 2019 staging in Suriname. The team amassed a total of 1,002 points to finish 2nd behind Trinidad and Tobago who won with 1,442 points and Barbados was 3rd with 723 points last year.

"It has been a real honour for Jamaica to have been asked to host this year's Goodwill especially when we were only ratified as a Goodwill country in 2022. I am delighted to be welcoming the various participating countries and we now wait with bated breath for the exciting competition” said Georgia Sinclair - VP Swimming ASAJ and Chairperson of Goodwill, LOC.

Jamaica’s National Swim Team Head Coach Gillian Millwood also added "The swimmers are ready to go and excited to welcome our visitors for a fun cultural exchange. It’s going to be a truly treasured Meet as over the past 5 years of our participation we’ve witnessed swimmers continuing their swimming journey. Some are headed to college in August, others are preparing for the World Junior Championship in Israel in September, while some are in El Salvador preparing for CCCAN. We are ready for more swimming!"

Jamaica's hosting the championships was made possible by the support of sponsors that include the Sports Development Foundation, Main Event, Gatorade, SportsMax, Rosh Marketing, Island Smiles, Wynlee Sportswear, Grace Kennedy, Sterling Asset Management Ltd, Everything Creative Ltd, iPrint Group, Cari-Med Group, The Herald Printers, Medical Disposable Supplies Ltd, Leo Hudson Photography, Iron Rock Insurance, Amazing Concrete Finishes Ltd, National Water Commission, National Road Operating & Construction Company Ltd, National Works Agency, Rainbow Awnings, Transport Authority, Caribbean Broilers, Scotia Insurance, Pure National Ice, Armbands Plus, Digicel and Recycling Partners of Jamaica.

The best young cricketers in the West Indies are assembling in Trinidad & Tobago for the West Indies Rising Stars Boys’ Under17 Regional Tournament that features both 50-Over and two-day formats and will run from August 12-31.

For this 2023 edition, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is introducing a two-day red ball format to add to the pre-existing 50-Over format for the Rising Stars Under 17s Regional Championships. Teams will compete for the West Indies Rising Stars U17s 50-Over Cup and the West Indies Rising Stars U17s 2-Day Championship.

Graeme West, CWI’s High-Performance Manager said: “The introduction of the Two-Day component at the Under 17s level is a significant step forward in the development of multi-format cricketers for the future. It is essential that our young talent enjoy the challenge of the red ball format, igniting their ambitions to play Test Cricket.”

The West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Tournament will feature five rounds of 50-over white ball matches from August 12-20 and three rounds of two-day red ball matches from August 23-31 to be played at the National Cricket Centre (NCC), Inshan Ali Park, PowerGen Sports Ground and Gilbert Park Cricket Ground (GPCG). A champion will be crowned at the end of each format, as WI Rising Stars Under 17s 50 Over Cup Champions and WI Rising Stars Under 17s 2-Day Champions.

This tournament is a key element of the West Indies Future Stars development programme, allowing the best players in the region to test themselves within their age group. The tournament is pivotal for identifying talent and facilitating player progression to produce the next generation of West Indies senior international cricketers.

Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket added: “The addition of the two-day format presents coaches and players with the opportunity to craft skills for the longer format at an earlier stage in the players’ development. It is also a tangible way for CWI to demonstrate its commitment to securing the future of West Indian Test Cricket.”

CWI’s strategic plan has committed resources into developing the game at every level and these tournaments therefore play a vital role in the strategy to develop the talent pool and produce the next generation of West Indies players. The West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Championships completes the full 2023 calendar of CWI’s regional age group cricket which featured the men’s West Indies Rising Stars Under 15s and Under 19s Championships, as well as the Rising Stars Women’s Under 19s Championship.

You can follow LIVE ball-by-ball scoring of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Championships matches on the new www.windiescricket.com match centre. 

MATCH SCHEDULE

West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s 50-Over Cup Championship

Matches start at 9:30am local time (8:30am Jamaica time)

Saturday 12 August

Trinidad and Tobago vs Windward Islands at NCC

Barbados vs Guyana at GPCG

Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Inshan Ali Park

Monday 14 August

Jamaica vs Guyana at NCC

Trinidad and Tobago vs Leeward Islands at Inshan Ali Park

Windward Islands vs Barbados at GPCG

Wednesday 16 August

Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Inshan Ali Park

Windward Islands vs Guyana at GPCG

Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica at NCC

Friday 18 August

Trinidad and Tobago vs Guyana at PowerGen

Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands at NCC

Barbados vs Jamaica at GPCG

Sunday 20 August

Trinidad and Tobago vs Barbados at NCC

Leeward Islands vs Guyana at Inshan Ali Park

Jamaica vs Windward Islands at GPCG

 

West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s 2-Day Championship

Matches start at 10am local time (9am Jamaica time)

23-24 August

Trinidad and Tobago vs Leeward Islands at Inshan Ali Park

Windward Islands vs Barbados at PowerGen

Jamaica vs Guyana at NCC

26-27 August

Windward Islands vs Guyana at NCC

Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica at GPCG

Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Ishan Ali Park

30-31 August

Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at GPCG

Barbados vs Guyana at Inshan Ali Park 

Trinidad and Tobago vs Windward Islands at NCC

FULL SQUADS

BARBADOS: Zion Brathwaite, Zishan Motara, Xaundre Baptiste, Shaquan Belle, Gadson Bowens, Joshua Branch, Preston Clarke, Reviera Cottle, Edwin Currency-Barnett, Kyron King, Akeem McCollin, Jatario Prescod, Dre Springer, Jaden Webster.

GUYANA: Jonathan Van Lange, Rampersad Ramnauth, Kevin Kisten, Vickash Wilkinson, Romeo Deonarain, Ari-Afrizal Kadir, Nityanand Mathura, Sanjay Algoo, Golcharran Chulai, Salim Khan, Bruce Vincent, Darwin Joseph.

JAMAICA: Tyriek Bryan, Jordan Pinnock, Demarco Scott, Brian Barnes, Kev-Aundrae Virgo, Aan Ennis, O’mari Wedderburn, Eejay Spence, Dantae Calrke, Niclo McKenzie, Roshawn McKenzie, Rasheed Harriott, Ralique Thomas, David.

LEEWARD ISLANDS: Matthew Miller, T’yanick Honore, Eirette Richards, Zavio Henry, Jevon Manners, Ozan Williams, Jared Jno Baptiste, De-Andre Drew, Israel Morton, Caiden Francis, Carlton Pluck, Mekaili Tonge, Xaveek Toppin, Devanand Singh.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Fareez Ali, Cristian Rampersad, Riyaad Mohammed, Luke Ali, Brendan Boodoo, Samir Saroop, Niall Maingot, Aaidan Racha, Ishmael Ali, Aneal Rooplal, Alexander Chase, Alvin Sonny, Jordan Mohammed, Stevon Gomez.

WINDWARD ISLANDS: Justin John, Jelani Joseph, Edmund Morancie, Joel Durand, Jahson Vidal, Earnisho Fontaine, Kirtsen Murray, Kirt Murray, Johnathan Daniel, Theo Edward, Khan Elcock, Tyler Venner, Devonte McDowall, Kodi Grant.

 

Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana brought the curtains down on the Commonwealth Youth Games in fine style, with the latter establishing one of three new records on Thursday’s final day of the six-day spectacle in Trinidad and Tobago.

While the twin island republic won a few medals to improve their tally and finished seventh on the medal table as the highest ranked Caribbean nation, Guyana’s record-breaking feat, handed them a second gold medal which saw them end 11th on the standing.

Trinidad’s 15 medals, includes four gold, five silver and six bronze, with Guyana tallying two gold, one silver and one bronze. Cayman Islands was 10th with two gold, one silver and three bronze, while Jamaica, which had no competitor on the final day, placed 13th with their two gold and two bronze.

The Guyanese team of Malachi Austin, Narissa McPherson, Javon Roberts and Tianna Springer Guyana topped the 4X400m Mixed Relay in 3:22.07. That bettered the previous Commonwealth Youth Games Record of 3:25.08, set by Australia in 2017.

They won ahead of England (3:22.29s) and Australia (3:26.23).

It was a Nigeria one-two in the women’s 200m final where Faith Okwose (23.36s), bettered her compatriot Justina Eyakpobeyan (23.47s), with Antigua and Barbuda’s La’nica Locker (23.56s), taking bronze.

Nigeria also topped the men’s event courtesy of Samuel Uchenna Ogazi, who stopped the clock in 21.22s, some way ahead of Scotland’s Dean Patterson (21.45s) and England’s Rusciano Thomas-Riley (21.59s).

The West African country also had success in the 4X100m Mixed Relay, as the team comprising Okwose, Eyakpobeyan and Ogazi, won in a Commonwealth Youth Games Record of 42.68s. They lowered the previous best of 43.19s set by Australia in 2017.

England (42.71s) and Trinidad and Tobago (42.77s), were second and third, with Jamaica (42.95s), just missing out on a medal.

Phoebe Gill of England clocked a new Commonwealth Youth Games Record of 2:02.30 in winning the women’s 800m final. She lowered the previous mark of 2:04.23 set by South Africa’s Caster Semenya in 2008.

India’s Asha Kiran Barla (2:04.99) and Fleur Cooper (2:05.86) of Australia, were second and third, respectively.

Kenya’s Kelvin Koech won the men’s event in 1:50.14, ahead of Miles Waterworth (1:52.21) of England and Caleb McLeod (1:52.83) of Scotland. Keeran Sriskandarajah (1:59.89) of Trinidad and Tobago, finished eighth.

Australia’s Toby Stolberg (1.78m) and Izobelle Louison-Roe (1.75m) placed first and third in the women’s high jump final, separated by England’s Thea Brown, who also cleared 1.78m, but had to settle for silver on the count back.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Keneisha Shelbourne (1.70m) was fifth and Mikayla Gumbs (1.60) of St Kitts and Nevis, seventh, while and Jah’kyla Morton of British Virgin Islands, failed to register a mark.

The men’s javelin throw was won by South Africa’s Willem Jansen, who was a cut above rivals with a mark of 79.85m. England’s Tom Rutter (67.54m) and India’s Arjun Arjun (65.94m) took the next two medals, as Grenada’s Rayvohn Telesford (65.65m), just missed the podium.

In Para- Athletics action, Australia’s Jackson Love (4.86m) and Ori Drabkin (4.62m) finished first and second in the men’s T-38 long jump, with William Bishop (4.44m) of Wales, in third.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago’s Makaira Wallace, added two medals to her country’s tally and Syndel Samaroo, added another, at the National Cycling Velodrome.

Wallace won bronze in the women’s 500m Time Trial, after she clocked 36.791. She finished behind Australia’s Liliya Tatarinoff (36.023) and Sarah Johnson (36.214) of Scotland.

The positions were reversed in the women’s Keirin, with Wallace (12.309), placing second behind Johnson (11.969), while Tatarinoff (12.367), finishing third on that occasion.

Samaroo was third in the men’s Keirin. He clocked 11.620 behind Australia’s Tayte Ryan (11.392) and Darwish Muhd Sanusi (11.462) of Malaysia. Another Trinidadian Raul Garcia was fourth.

Earlier, New Zealand topped both the men’s and women’s beach volleyball competition at the Black Rock Facility. The team of Tineke Hinton and Kiana Stevenson defeated Kenya 2-0, while the men’s team of Calum Stewart and Juraj Krajci, were 2-1 winners over Cyprus.

Canada took bronze in both sections with identical 2-0 victories over Australia and England, respectively.

In Fast5 netball, Trinidad and Tobago finished seventh after bettering St Vincent and the Grenadines 25-13. Australia won gold with a 39-29 win over South Africa, while England took bronze by defeating Scotland 34-29, as the Shaw Park complex.

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Caribbean nations on day four of the Commonwealth Youth Games, with most of their medal successes coming in the swimming pool at the National Aquatic Centre and on the track in Trinidad and Tobago, on Tuesday.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Zarek Wilson, was the highlight of the top performers from the region, as he added the men’s 100m butterfly gold to his 50m backstroke bronze. when he topped a quality field to win in a Junior Games Record of 53.70s. He bettered England’s Nick Finch (53.95s) and South Africa’s Dylan Eaton (54.41s).

Australia’s Mikayla Bird led an Oceanic sweep of the women’s 100m butterfly, as she won in 1:00.15, ahead of compatriot Lillie McPherson (1:00.80) and Amelia Bray (1:01.32) of New Zealand.

Heidi Stoute of Barbados won bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle after she stopped the clock in 4:25.61, behind the Australian pair of Inez Miller (4:14.97) and Erin Allen (4:18.72).

Tyler Melbourne-Smith of Wales proved too good for rivals in the men’s 400m freestyle, as he stopped the clock in 3:54.19, just staving off the challenge of England’s Reece Grady (3:54.74), with another Englishman Harry Wynne-Jones (3:56.29), taking third.

In athletics at Hasley Crawford Stadium, Tianna Springer (53.55s) and Narissa McPherson (54.82s) secured two medals for Guyana when they finished first and third in the women’s 400m final, separated by England’s Charlotte Henrich (53.65s).

Another Guyanese, Malachi Austin, placed second in the men’s 400m in 47.97s, behind Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi (46.99s), while Alexander Beck (48.20s) of England, won bronze.

Dominica’s Godisha Joseph, placed seventh in the women’s discus throw final with a mark of 32.22 metres, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Ruth Irvine finished down the pack after failing to register a mark.

The event was won by South Africa’s Eli Khunou, who launched the instrument to 49.53m, ahead of Chelsy Wayne (49.39m) of Australia and Cyprus’s Rafaella Aristotelous (42.74m).

Andrew Stone of Cayman Islands topped the men’s long jump, after cutting that sand at 7.70m to win ahead of Temoso Masikane (7.51m) of South Africa.

Teon Haynes of Barbados (7.32m) took bronze, while the Trinidad and Tobago pair of Andrew Steele (7.16m) and Imanni Matthew (7.14m), were fourth and fifth respectively. Another Bajan, Aaron Massiah (6.63m) was 10th.

Guyana’s Attoya Harvey paced 11th in the women’s 1,500m final in 4:45.10, as the Kenyan pair of Nancy Cherop (4:12.28) and Janet Chepkemoi (4:14.24) secured a one-two finish, with England’s Lyla Belshaw (4:16.37), in third.

There was also a Kenya quinella in the men’s 1,500m event courtesy of Jospat Sang Kipkirui (3:37.66) and Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (3:38.12), as Uganda’s Jacob Sande (3:39.69) took bronze.

Kipkirui’s time was also a new Commonwealth Youth Games record, as it was below the 3:39.80 set by another Kenyan Kumari Taki set in 2015.

South Africa’s Johann Lamberts finished tops in the men’s shot put when he achieved a new Commonwealth Youth Games record of 20.17m, erasing Jamaica’s Kevin Nedrick’s old mark of 20.12m. Robert Deal III (15.99m) of Bahamas and St Lucia’s Denzel Phillips (15.75m), were second and third respectively.

The Para men’s discus F42-44/F61-64 final, was won by South Africa’s Daniel Molobela, who achieved a mark of 26.34m, ahead of Kenya’s Titus Mwonga (20.00m), with Grenada’s Tyler Smith (18.85m) in third.

After earlier going down 22-14 to Trinidad and Tobago in the group stages of the men’s Rugby sevens tournament, Jamaica turned the tables on their Caribbean neighbours with a 12-5 win in the fifth-place playoff.

Scotland topped the men’s competition with a narrow 25-20 win over Fiji, while South Africa claimed bronze with a comprehensive 52-0 beating of Canada.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago’s women also played sixth after losing their fifth-place contest to Wales, who were dominant in a 50-0 victory.

Australia topped the podium after hammering Canada 50-0 in the gold medal game, with Fiji outlasting Kenya 22-10 in the bronze medal contest.

Earlier in triathlon at the Buccoo Beach Facility, Barbados placed fifth in the mixed team super sprint distance. They stopped the clock in 43 minutes and 24 seconds, over two minutes slower than winner Australia, who completed the event in 40 minutes and 58 seconds.

Scotland, who clocked 41 minutes and 23 seconds took silver ahead of Jersey (41 minutes and 37 seconds), a British Crown Dependency situated near the coast of North-West France.

With their accomplishments, the twin-island republic is the highest ranked Caribbean Island on the medal table, as they sit fourth with three gold and one silver. England heads the standing with 19 medals, followed by Scotland with nine, based on quality, while Australia with 15, sits third.

Cayman Islands, the next best Caribbean nation, occupies joint seventh with South Africa on five medals apiece.

West Indies survived a middle-order collapse to eke out a two-wicket win with seven balls to spare over India and take a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20I series at Guyana’s National Stadium on Sunday.

After restricting India to 152-7 from their 20 overs, the West Indies scored 155-8 from 18.5 overs.

India won the toss and chose to take first strike but lost wickets early as Alzarri Joseph dismissed Shubman Gill for seven and Kyle Myers ran out Shuryakumar Yadav for one to have the tourists at 18-2 in the fourth over.

Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma added 42 for the third wicket before Kishan was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27. Sanju Samson was next to go, dismissed by Akeal Hosein for seven. India were then 76-4.

Varma and Karthik Pandya built a 42-run partnership that was broken at 42 when Hosein picked up his second wicket when he had Varma caught by Obed McCoy for 51. Pandya carried on before he was bowled by Joseph for 24.

Axar Patel made 14 that helped India approach 150. However, any chance of India making much more ended when he was bowled by Shepherd. Ravi Bishnoi raced to eight from four and Arshdeep Singh, six from three as India’s innings closed at 152-7.

Shepherd and Joseph had identical figures of 2-28 while Akeal Hosein took 2-29.

Needing to score at just over 7.5 runs an over, the West Indies were in dire straits losing two wickets in the opening over.

Brandon King was dismissed by Panda first ball. Three balls later, Pandya removed Johnson Charles for two to leave the West Indies 2-3. Kyle Mayers was trapped lbw by Singh for 15 and the West Indies were looking at a collapse at 32-3 in the fourth over.

Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell fought back against the Indian attack partnering for 57 from 37 balls when Powell was caught at deep third man for 21 to give Pandya his third wicket of the match. Pooran continued to plunder the bowling while Shimron Hetmyer, who has replaced Powell, got his eye in.

Together, they took the West Indies to within 27 runs of their target. However, as is often the case with the West Indies, the game was turned on its head when Pooran was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar, caught at cover-point for 67 that included six fours and four sixes.

His dismissal triggered a collapse in which the West Indies lost four wickets for three runs in 13 balls. It was Yuzvendra’s Chahal’s third over, the 16th of the innings where things went pear-shaped for the West Indies.  Shepherd was run out for nought off the first ball, he then had Holder stumped off his fourth and Hetmyer trapped lbw for 22 on the final ball.

It was left to Akeal Hosein, who ended unbeaten on 16 and Alzarri Joseph at the other end on 10, to see the West Indies to a nail-biting victory.

Pandya took 3-37 and Chahal 2-19 were the main bowlers for India.

The bar was raised for Bermuda’s team to the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships and Head coach Micah Franklin believes they not only cleared it, but more importantly, exceeded all expectations.

For Franklin, who has ambitions to expand squash in Bermuda, the performance of the team, which was the largest ever fielded by the British Overseas Territory, augurs well for the future of the sport, provided they remain consistent. 

Barbados reclaimed the overall team title, they last won in 2021, as they outclassed and dethroned Guyana in both boys and girls team finals at the just concluded tournament in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Franklin admits that his 17-member team of nine boys and eight girls, lacked the experience and calibre of the top two nations, which is why their third and fourth place finishes in the respective categories were even more rewarding.

“I think that the team performed well beyond what I expected from them and when you take into account the fact that the top two nations Barbados and Guyana are way above us at the moment, it makes our coming third place in the boys’ category and fourth place on the girls’ side, a really great accomplishment,” Franklin told Sportsmax.tv.

“So, I’m very pleased with all of my players’ performances. They fought hard in difficult conditions and gave me everything. As a coach that’s all I can ask for. I was pleased with the manner in which they represented themselves and their country with pride and honour,” he added.

Franklin, a former player, who was Bermuda’s flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is excited about the prospects, particularly where the players’ continued development and progress is concerned.

This, as Mason Smith won Bermuda’s first Under-11 medal, while Benjamin Sherratt, Somers Stevenson, and Owen Rosorea, were all runners-up in their respective categories, fulfilling their own personal goals.

“Every player went in with separate aspirations and some of them were able to achieve those objectives which is a huge step in the right direction and for sure we expect Mason, Benjamin, Somers, Owen and others to keep progressing over time, as they continue to transition from one each group to the next,” Franklin shared.

On that note, he declared an unwavering desire to steer Bermuda Squash onto a new path, and the outstanding display by the team at CASA, has solidified the platform on which to do that.

“Based off of the results I see a bright future for Bermuda squash. Our younger age groups have given me a lot of hope in the next generation because like I said before, the overall goal and ambition for Bermuda Squash is to achieve full inclusion from all ages, races and genders. We want to prioritize squash first and let everything else fall into place,” Franklin noted.

While he continues to do the groundwork, the coach said the players can get some much-needed rest and recovery before their next assignment.

“After the much-deserved break, we will kick things back in the fall. We will be looking to send a group of players to the United States and Canadian Junior opens, where we hope to continue building on the momentum, we have achieved so far this year,” Franklin ended.

After copping four gold medals in the singles age-group finals, Barbados added two more to their tally, as they won both the Boys’ and Girls’ doubles finals at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday.

Aidan Parris and Under-19 silver medallist Alex Stewart outlasted the Jamaican pair of Tobias Levy and Lukas Thomson in what was a strategic and tactical Boys’ showpiece, which could have gone either way. The Jamaicans won a closely contested opening set 11-9, but the Barbadian pair maintained their composure best for the next two sets which they won 11-5, 11-5 to secure the championship.

It was a similar situation on the Girls’ side of action, where the highly-rated Sumairaa Suleman, who won the Girls’ Under-19 final, partnered with Under-17 champion Eboni Atherley to defeat Jamaica’s Katherine Risden and Savannah Thomson and claim supremacy in the female category.

In fact, it was a first ever Girls’ championship doubles win for Barbados, and they claimed it in entertaining fashion. Though Suleman and Atherley won by two sets 11-9, 11-8, it was two closely contested affairs, which the Risden and Thomson could have prolonged, but they struggled to limit unforced errors throughout and that proved their undoing.

Meanwhile, the Jamaicans, who bounced back strongly from contrasting singles performances where they won one silver and two bronze medals, also challenged for the Mixed doubles title by way of Alex Chin and Under-17 girls silver medallist Sanjana Nallapati.

However, it was Guyana’s Under-19 pair of Nicolas Verwey and Kirsten Gomes, who won gold and silver in their respective age group finals, that came out victorious in a contest where the Jamaicans were again plagued by errors.

The Guyanese pair won 11-8, 11-7 to add a fourth gold to their tally. The defending overall champions have now won four gold, three silver and three bronze heading into the team competition, scheduled to begin on Thursday.

Las year's runners-up Barbados has six gold medals and a silver on their cards heading in, while the Jamaicans tally now stands at four silver and two bronze.

Guyana is on course to retain the overall title at the ongoing Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships, having already secured a number of individual medals, which speaks volumes of their current vein of form heading into the Team and Doubles segment of the tournament in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Guyanese team which last year got hands on the overall championship for the first time since 2015 –after surrendering the 2017 and 2019 editions to Barbados –are now hunting a 14th overall lien on the crown.  

They once enjoyed a streak of 12-consecutive wins, which was ended by the Barbadians, but if their form is anything to go by thus far, then they are on the verge of starting another streak.

Guyana have so far secured individual gold medals through Nicholas Verwey in the boys’ Under-19, Louis Da Silva, the boys’ Under-17 champion and Under-15 queen Avery Arjoon.

Kaylee Lowe, in the girls’ Under-13, Mohryan Baksh in the boys’ Under-17 and Kirsten Gomes in girls’ Under-19 category, all secured silver medals, while Ethan Bulkan in boys’ Under-11, Justin Ten Pow in the boys’ under-13 and Michael Alphonso in the boys’ Under-19, added bronze medal to the country’s tally.

The individual finals got under way with Bermuda’s Mason Smith and Benjamin Sherratt snaring gold and silver in the boys’ Under-11, following contrasting victories of Savante Padmore of the host nation and Bulkan. Mason bettered Padmore in three sets 11-3, 11-0, 11-3, while Sherratt required four sets to get by Bulkan.

After losing the first set, 11-8, Sherratt recovered the win the next three 11-9, 11-3 and 11-5 in a match that lasted 28 minutes.

Both Smith and Sherratt then required 23 minutes to settle business among themselves, with the former winning 16-14, 11-8, 11-7.

The boys’ Under-13 category was topped by Barbadian Ben Shepherd, who stamped his class in an 18-minute contest against US Virgin Islands’ Ethan Mohamed. He posted comfortable 11-1, 11-5 and 11-3 wins, while Ten Pow registered 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 against Levi Jack in the third-place encounter.

The host nation was not to be outdone in the boys’ Under-15 category, which was won by Jayden George, who scored a three set 11-5, 11-3, 11-1 win over Bermuda’s Owen Rosorea. Daniel Sealy of Barbados won the third-place contest 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 over Charlie Makin of Bermuda.

After enduring two highly competitive semi-final contest against Vincentian Jaydon Williams and Andrew Cox of Bermuda, Da Silva and Baksh battled out a pulsating boys’ Under-17 final.

Da Silva won the almost hour-long four set showpiece 17-15, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7. Prior to that, he defeated Williams in five sets 6-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 in a 54-minute-long match, while Baksh was comfortable 15-13, 11-4, 11-5 victor over Cox in less than half-hour.

Verwey was also comfortable in victory in the boys’ Under-19 gold medal match in which he bettered Barbadian Alex Stewart in straight sets 12-10, 11-1, 11-6.

Alphonso, who lost his semi-final contest to Stewart, bounced back to defeat, British Virgin Islands Jace Jervis, who had earlier succumbed to Verwey, in the third-place match. Alphonso won the five-set encounter 12-10, 11-7, 11-7, after losing the first two sets 13-15, 8-11.

On the girls’ side of action, Trinidad and Tobago’s Gia Ghuran won the Under-11 gold medal, following a 14 minute 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 win over Delilah Grace Pease of British Virgin Island, while Bermuda’s Taylor Kyme defeated Barbadian Peyton Marshall-Brancker 11-1, 11-2, 11-9 in the bronze medal match.

Lenna Hamati of Barbados copped the girls’ Under-13 top medal in a four-set match with Lowe which ended, 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2. Bermuda’s McKenna Kyme won the bronze with an 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 win over Guyana’s Tiana Gomes, who fought hard and won the second and third sets 11-2, 11-5.

Arjoon took only 16 minutes to crown herself queen in the Under-15 category, with straight sets, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 win over Bermuda’s Somers Stevenson.

Josie Thong of Trinidad and Tobago took bronze with a 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 triumph over Guyana’s Emily Fung A Fat.

In the Under-17 final, Barbadian Eboni Atherley, was comfortable in victory over Jamaica’s Sanjana Nallapati, scoring 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 to wrap up victory in 25 minutes.

Another Jamaican, Mehar Trehan took bronze, as she too brushed aside her opponent Safirah Sumner of Guyana, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 in under 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Under-19 crown also went to Barbados courtesy of Sumairaa Suleman, who rallied to beat Guyana’s Kirsten Gomes 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, after losing the first set 6-11 in a final that lasted just over half-hour.

It was an all-Jamaica battle for the bronze, with Savannah Thomson coming up trumps over Katherine Risden in an entertaining 49-minute five-set contest that ended 12-14, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11.

On what was an action-packed opening day at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships on Saturday, most of the medal favourites safely progressed to the next round, setting up even more mouth-watering prospects for sports enthusiast, heading into Sunday’s second day of action in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

In boys’ Under-17 action, Jamaica’s Thomas Overton defeated Barbadian Armaan Suleman in straight sets, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8; Shiloh Asregado of Guyana bettered Trinidad and Tobago's Yohann Marchock 3-0, after posting 11-1, 11-6 and 11-7 scores in the three games.

Luke Wilson of Barbados also came out tops 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 in his contest against Trinidad and Tobago’s Sanjiv Mungal, while Guyana’s Demetri Lowe got the better of Trinidad and Tobago’s Marcus Camps-Campins 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8 in a hard-fought contest.

 However, when it came down to second round action, it was Guyana’s Louis da Silva, who earlier had a bye, Daniel Henderson, Luke Wilson, Vincentian Jaydon Williams, Andrew Cox, Elias Carpol, Jamaica’s Lucas Thomson and Mohryan Baksh, also of Guyana, that will contest the third round.

 Da Silva will square off against Henderson, Wilson against Williams, Cox against Carpol, while Thomson and Baksh, will lock horns.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Christophe Bovell is among those that secured their spots in the next round in the boys’ Under-15 category, following a 11-13, 11-6, 11-12 and 14-12 win over Bermuda’s William Frith.

Guyana’s Richard Rodrigues also progressed after bettering Vincentian Dru Sanuel 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 11-1 in a match that lasted 24 minutes, while Bermuda’s Charlie Makin scored an 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 win over Avian Wade of Guyana in a 16-minute contest.

Blake Edwards ensured will have another representative in the next round, as he easily brushed aside De’ron Lewis 11-6, 11-2, 11-3.

Jayden George of St Vincent and the Grenadines was given a bye, along with Barbadian Daniel Sealy, Bermuda’s Owen Rosorea and Zevieh Abraham of British Virgin Island.

Meanwhile, byes were the order of the day in the opening round of the boys’ Under-19 category, but when they got to the second round is where the true quality came to light.

Nicholas Verwey of Guyana outclassed Barbadian Aidan Parris 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 in a four-set match that lasted a half-hour. Verwey will next tackle Jamaica’s Alex Chin, who defeated British Virgin Islands Louis Day in straight sets, 11-6, 11-6, 11-1.

Barbadian Alex Stewart and Jamaica’s Tobias Levy are also set to lock horns after both registered comfortable three-set wins over Russell Forrester and Neil McComb respectively, while another Jamaican Arjan Trehan and Guyana’s Michael Alphonso, will meet in the other contest.

On the girls’ side of action, Jamaica’s Katherine Risden defeated Darci Reich of US Virgin Island 11-3,11-3, 11-2 in a 14-minute match, to book her spot in the next round of the Under-19 category. She is set to face Sumairaa Suleman of Barbados, who was given a bye.

Another Jamaican Savannah Thomson bettered Vincentian Nadira Morgan 11-5, 11-9 and 11-1 in a 17-minute match. She awaits her opponent which will either be Trinidad and Tobago’s Sigourney Williams or Guyana’s Kirsten Gomes.

In Under-17 category, the Barbados pair of Eboni Atherley and Sarrayah Yearwood and Jamaica’s trio of Elle Wilson, Mehar Trehan and Sanjana Nallapati, are those who were safely through to the next round at the time of writing.

 Karen Anderson, president of Jamaica Squash Association is anticipating some quality performances from the country’s rising sensations when the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships gets under way in St. Vincent & the Grenadines later today.

Whether or not their performances will translate into medals, is left to be seen, but Anderson is confident that the 15-member team is well prepared to give a good account of themselves at the one-week championships.

Defending champions Guyana are favoured to retain their title, with last year’s runners-up Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, also expected to lay down tough challenges.

The championship comprises individual events for boys and girls competing in the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19, with a new doubles feature being introduced for the first time this year. There will also be a team event for boys and girls across the respective age groups.

Jamaica’s team comprises the likes of Under-15 Caribbean champion Mehar Trehan and Under-17 champion Katherine Risden, who has now moved up to the Under 19 age group, as well as Sanjanna Nallapati and Savannah Thomson, who are both ranked third in the Under-17 age group.

“We have some pretty good players on the girls’ side which means our chances of finishing top four is good. Most of our girls are seeded, so we are looking for some good placements and then Mehar Trehan is also seeded third in the girls' Under-17, so we are definitely looking for some good results from them,” Anderson said.

Though much is also expected to come from the boys on the team, which is coached by national players Tahjia Lumley and reigning national champion Julian Morrison, with Nathlee Boreland serving as manager, Anderson is well aware that it will require an efficient showing to hit the podium.

“We have four boys in the Under-19 category and most of them are seeded in the five to eight region and so they are really looking good to try and move up in their rankings. We have two boys in Under-17 and the are both in the nine to 16 seeding, while Thomas Overton will be playing in his first junior CASA and then we have Lucas Thomson who has been playing for quite a while but will be contesting the Under-17 category for the first time and he is really looking to make a splash there,” Anderson shared.

“The doubles teams have been really playing well and have been practicing for a while. It’s the first time that doubles will actually be playing at junior CASA and so it should be interesting to see how they manage that division. It is going to be a little bit tricky, but we are hoping to at least finish in the top three and hopefully battle for the overall title,” she added.

The first junior Caribbean Area Squash Association Championship was held in 1981 in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. It is therefore fitting though coincidental, that the championship is going home in the year of the death of Sir Arthur Cecil Cyrus, the conceptualizer of the championship.

Jamaica’s team: Marley Price, Priya Stoddart, Sanjana Nallapati, Mehar Trehan, Elle Wilson, Savannah Thomson, Katherine Risden, Cole Brown, Thomas Overton, Lucas Thomson, Tobias Levy, Alex Chen, Rhys Greenland, Arjan Trehan, Brady Holmes

Having harboured ambitions to expand squash in Bermuda, Head coach Micah Franklin, believes fielding their largest team to the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships is the first step to achieving that objective.

Franklin and his 17-member team, comprising nine boys and eight girls, are currently in the St Vincent and the Grenadines for the one-week tournament which gets under way on Saturday.

While his team will have defending champions Guyana and last year’s runners-up Barbados among others to contend with, Franklin, a former player, who was Bermuda’s flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is excited about the prospects, particularly where the players’ development and progress is concerned.

“This is indeed the largest team we’ve ever been able to send to this year’s tournament and all our players are between the ages 9-18. Historically, Bermuda has always been able to send a team to the competition, however, very seldom do we have the luxury of sending enough to bring reserves,” Franklin told Sportsmax.tv.

“The team event portion of the competition requires five boys and five girls, so we are thrilled with the options this gives us. The biggest driver for this larger team is the fact that we gave our juniors goals and achievements to reach, which gives them a reason to train at squash on a regular basis and the Junior Casa this year was their motivation,” he added.

What lies ahead where medal-contention is concerned for Bermuda’s team, is left to be seen, but the Franklin is cautiously optimistic.

“Like everything, it is up in the air, but the team is incredibly excited for CASA this year. Every player has separate aspirations, but for me as the coach, I would love to see us leave with some medals. Anything on the podium will be a fabulous achievement,” he noted.

According to Franklin, there have been some improvements where corporate and government support of squash stands, but he would like to see much more done to continue their sport’s growth in the British Overseas Territory.

“Recently we have been incredibly fortunate to have received support from our government and corporate sponsors and Bermuda Squash is really grateful to Hiscox Re. ILS and the Bermuda Department of Youth Sport & Recreation for their support in Junior Squash development,” he said.

“The growth of squash in Bermuda is most likely similar to the growth of the world of squash. The sport does still suffer from not being an Olympic sport, and also inclusion. So, we are working on inclusion regularly to ensure every player gets a chance to play no matter the background,” Franklin shared.

On that note, he declared an unwavering desire to steer Bermuda Squash onto a new path, starting with this historic achievement at CASA which he believes serves as a springboard for their charge going forward.

“The overall goal and ambition for Bermuda Squash is to achieve full inclusion from all ages, races and genders. We want to prioritize squash first and let everything else fall into place,” Franklin ended.

As it ramps up preparations for its preliminary-round match in the Conacaf Gold Cup next month, Guyana’s national football team are currently engaged in a 10-day at the UWI/JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence in Kingston.

The team arrived in Jamaica on Friday, May 26 and will break camp on Monday, June 5.

“We are happy to work with our regional counterparts,” said JFF President Michael Ricketts.

“We all have the same goal of improving the standard of our game and progressing on the international stage. We welcome not only international sporting teams like Guyana, but any other group locally or internationally at our facility. We provide whatever is necessary to ensure that each team or group can concentrate on their main objective. We sincerely hope that Guyana will do well in the Gold Cup and they will be the first of many to be hosted at our centre.”

Guyana will face Grenada in the first round of the Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary round when it gets underway in June, with the winner advancing to the main competition.

An unbeaten half-century from captain Shemaine Campbelle lifted Guyana to a crucial eight-wicket win over defending champions Jamaica in their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s T20 Blaze match on Thursday.

The stylish right-hander made 50* from 49 balls including five fours and shared an unbroken third wicket stand of exactly 100 with allrounder Shakibi Gajnabi, as the Guyanese successfully chased 110 in the opening match of the triple-header at Warner Park, St Kitts.

Gajnabi supported well with 37 not out from 46 balls and the result was achieved with 12 balls remaining, giving Guyana their third win of the tournament.

Earlier in the day, fast bowler Celina Whyte took 2-11 from her allotted four overs – removing Sheneta Grimmond for six and fellow opener Katana Mentore for two but Campbelle and Gajnabi combined to dominate.

When Jamaica batted captain Stafanie Taylor led the way again with 48 off 49 balls with five fours and one six, as the Jamaicans reached 109-6 from their 20 overs after they won the toss and chose to bat.

Taylor added 55 for the second wicket with Keneshia Ferron (20) and put on 32 for the third wicket with Natasha McLean (27), but their effort was never going to be enough to seriously challenge Guyana. Seam bowler Cherry-Ann Fraser was the pick of the bowlers with 3-18 from three overs.

In the day’s second encounter, Trinidad & Tobago secured a six-wicket win over the Leeward Islands.

Divya Saxena (37) and Jahzara Claxton (36) led the way for the Leewards as they made 120-5 off their 20 overs batting first.

Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed took a pair of wickets in her four overs while conceding only 21 runs while Kirbyina Alexander took 2-15 from three.

Trinidad & Tobago then reached 121-4 with 14 balls to spare thanks to a solid all-round batting effort including contributions from Shunelle Sawh (26), Britney Cooper (21*), Shalini Samaroo (20) and Anisa Mohammed (19*).

The day’s third game saw Super 50 champions Barbados score a dramatic four-wicket win over the Windward Islands off the last ball of the match.

Qiana Joseph led the way with a run-a-ball 50 while Malika Edward contributed 20 as the Windwards posted 128-8 off their 20 overs.

Pacers Shamilia Connell and Allison Gordon led the way with the ball for Barbados with 3-16 and 2-20 from their respective four over spells.

The successful Barbados chase was then led by the Knight sisters with Kycia getting 49 at the top of the innings and Kyshona getting 19* including the winning runs. Naijanni Cumberbatch also contributed a crucial 22 as Barbados ended up 121-6 off their 20 overs.

Zaida James took 2-27 from her four overs for the Windwards.

With one round of matches left, Guyana and Barbados are currently level on 12 points with Barbados at the top via head-to-head record. They are followed by the Windwards (8), Trinidad & Tobago (8), Jamaica (8) and the Leewards (0).

On Saturday, Jamaica will take on the Windward Islands, Barbados will face the Leewards and Guyana will face Trinidad & Tobago.

 

 

 

Defending champions Jamaica got their second win in a row in the CWI Women’s T20 Blaze with a six-run win over Trinidad & Tobago while Barbados and the Windward Islands each got their first wins of the tournament over Guyana and the Leeward Islands, respectively, in a triple-header at Warner Park on Sunday.

Stand-in captain Rashada Williams (32) and Chedean Nation (32) both led Jamaica to 115-9 off their 20 overs against the Trinidadians, for whom veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed took 3-19 off her four overs.

The chasing effort saw only Britney Cooper provide any real resistance with 29 as Neisha-Ann Wasome’s 3-16 from four overs helped restrict T&T to 109-9 off their 20 overs.

Barbados secured a narrow three-wicket win over Guyana in the day’s second encounter.

Guyana, while losing only three wickets in their 20 overs batting first against Barbados, managed only 91 thanks to a 46-ball 32* from Katana Mentore and a 51-ball 35* from Cherry-Ann Fraser.

Barbados, who were at one point reeling at 63-6 in the 17th over, managed to creep across the line thanks to a match-winning 17* from captain Shakera Selman. Openers Trishan Holder (19) and Kycia Knight (16) made crucial early contributions.

The valiant Guyanese bowling effort was led by Kaysia Schultz’s 3-13 from four overs.

The day’s opener saw the Windward Islands get a comfortable 45-run win over the Leeward Islands.

The Windwards made 127-4 off their 20 overs thanks to 37 from Jannillea Glasgow, 24 from Pearl Etienne and 21* from both Kimone Homer and Qiana Joseph.

The Leewards were then restricted to 82-6 in their 20 overs thanks to 2-21 off four overs from Zaida James and a miserly four over spell from Afy Fletcher which saw her pick up a wicket while conceding only 13 runs.

 

Defending champions, Jamaica, kicked off the defence of their CWI Women’s T20 Blaze title with an eight wicket win over the Leeward Islands at Warner Park in the second game of a triple-header on Saturday.

Vanessa Watts, Celina Whyte and Neisha-Ann Wasome all took two wickets, each, as the Leewards were restricted to 68-7 off their 20 overs.

Jamaica’s successful chase was then led by a 29-ball 36* from Rashada Williams that included five fours.

Trinidad & Tobago got a comfortable five-wicket win over Super 50 champions Barbados in the day’s final game.

Shakera Selman top-scored with 29* off 41 balls as Barbados were reduced to just 80-6 from their 20 overs as Lee-Ann Kirby did most of the damage with 3-10 from her four overs for the Trinidadians.

Kirby also led the way with the bat with 25* while Britney Cooper got 23 as T&T successfully reached 82-5 off 12.3 overs.

The day’s second game saw Guyana secure a narrow four-run win over the Windward Islands. Batting first, the Guyanese scored just 88-7 off their 20 overs thanks to 32 from Katana Mentore and 19 from Sheneta Grimmond.

Afy Fletcher led the way with the ball for the Windwards with an excellent 4-10 from her four overs.

Guyana then used tight bowling and timely wickets throughout the Windwards reply to restrict them to 84-8 off their 20 overs.

Ashmini Munisar took one wicket and was most economical, with her four overs costing just seven runs. Nyia Latchman also took one wicket, with her four overs going for just 10.

 

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