Eight-year-old Bella Brown emerged as a star of the Millrose Games in New York on Sunday, clinching victory in the U8 (under-8) 55m dash with a dazzling time of 8.66 seconds. (See video below). In a remarkable display of talent and passion, Bella's inspiration stems from none other than the iconic Jamaican sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The influence of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Bella's journey is profound.  "She probably saw Shelly Anne run when she was about four years old. She was very excited,” said Bella’s mother Sandra Harris, beaming with pride.

“We watch clips all the time. She watched them run. All the time she looks at their form. She looks at how they relax when they're running even though they're running hard. So yeah, she watches Shelly-Ann Fraser (Pryce) all the time and Veronica (Campbell-Brown) too."

The young prodigy's electrifying win at the Millrose Games showcased her raw talent and dedication, echoing the footsteps of her Jamaican idols. Sandra shared insights into her daughter's excitement and commitment after the triumphant race:

"Bella was excited. She trained very hard for this race, especially her starts. She came in very confident. She said she's gonna win, and all she wanted to do was execute her race properly. So when she did what she sought out to do, she was excited when she finished running."

Bella's affinity for track and field is deeply rooted in her family's athletic legacy. Sandra, whose family is from Westmoreland in Jamaica, is a former 100m and 200m sprinter, and Clarendon-born Barrington Brown, Bella's father, with a background in running and jumping, have passed down their love for the sport. "Bella Brown is from a track family. I ran. I was a 55/200m runner. 11 seconds in the 100m, 23 in the 200m. Her dad was also a runner and a jumper, so I would say it's in her blood," Sandra remarked.

However, Bella's dreams reach beyond mere victories on the track; she aspires to become an Olympian. Sandra expressed, "Bella wants to be an Olympian, yes. I don't know how far she wants to take it if she wants to be the fastest woman in the world one day, but she definitely wants to go to the Olympics."

As for Bella's potential representation on the global stage, Sandra said she is leaving the decision to her daughter: "If she continues on her path that she's currently on, I don't know who she will represent. Not sure she'll represent the USA or Jamaica, but we'll always leave that up to her. We want her to represent Jamaica; that's where we're from."

Former champions Glenmuir High maintained a positive start to the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup season, as they outclassed last year’s beaten finalist Central High in a come-from-behind 5-1 win in what turned out to be a lopsided encounter at the former’s base on Saturday.

Nyron Allen (15^th), Kyle Gordon (31^st), Deandre Johnson (48^th), Tajaun Cummings (52^nd) and substitute Derrick Henry (69^th), were on target for the Andrew Peart-coached Glenmuir side, after James Gallimore gave Central High an 11th-minute lead.

Peart welcomed the win, which was his team second on the trot, putting them in firm control of Zone L on six points.

“The result is very important at this group stage, especially also due to the fact that both teams had some level of success last season so there were a lot of talk around the town about who would win, and we came out on top,” he said in a post-match interview.

“We are just training hard and always seeking to improve, last year we laid down some foundations and we have built on them so far. So there is no pressure, I am just looking at what is in front of me, the players that are in front of me and the direction we want to take the school in,” Peart added.

With Glenmuir being gradually slow to settle, Central capitalised and grabbed the early ascendancy when James dyer sidewined his way between two defenders before playing a pass off to Gallimore, who made no mistakes from close range.

However, their lead was short-lived, as captain Gordon dispossessed a defender and found an unmarked Allen, who fired a firm right-footed effort past Davone Robinson in goal for Central.

Glenmuir suffered a setback as they lost last season’s standout player after he picked up what appeared to be a broken arm in the 25^th minute. Watson tallied 17 goals and nine assist last season.

Still, Glenmuir pressed on and found the lead just past the half-hour mark when Gordon converted from the penalty spot, after Johnson was felled inside the danger area by Robinson, to put Glenmuir 2-1 up at the break.

They wasted little time to pick up where they left off on the resumption and extended the lead three minutes in when a defensive mix up, allowed Johnson to arrive on the ball and head past Robinson for his second goal of the season.

And Cummings put further daylight between Glenmuir and Central with a cool, calm and collected finish over a well-advanced Robinson, who was left in no man’s land.

Though Central tried to play their game and had a few openings from which they could have narrowed the gap, Justin Murray, in goal for Glenmuir was not for beating.

While Central’s hunt was fruitless, Glenmuir helped themselves to a fifth, as Allan slipped two defenders, before passing to Henry, who slotted home from deep inside the 18-yard box.

A disappointed Jermaine Douglas of Central High felt his team lost their composure after finding the lead.

“I thought we were playing well in the first 15 to 20 minutes, but my concern was always scoring first and then becoming complacent, it's something we try to guard against but that is exactly what happened. I don’t think we should have lost by this margin we got some chances that we didn’t put away, but such is football,” he said.

The result leaves Central pointless, while the other group contest between Porus and Old Harbour was called off due to bad weather with the latter leading 5-0.

Saturday’s results

Zone A

Cornwall College 0, Irwin High 0

Maldon 4, Green Pond 0

Spot Valley 2, St James 1

Zone D

Mannings 1, Petersfield 0

Zone I

Tacky High 3, Horace Clarke 3

Wycliff Martin 1, St Mary Technical 1

Zone J

Dinthill 6, Ewarton 0

McGrath 1. Enid Bennett 0

Zone K

Yallahs 6, Robert Lightbourne 0

Morant Bay High 1, Paul Bogle 0

Zone L

Glenmuir High 5, Central High 1

Porus 0, Old Harbour 5 (Game called off due to lightning)

Zone M

Kemps Hill 0, Vere Technical 2

Garvey Maceo 8, Tacius Golding 0

Reigning champions, St. Mary, maintained their winning streak in the 32nd Kingston Wharves U15 Cricket Competition when they defeated Clarendon by 89 runs on Tuesday.

Commencing their triumphant journey at the Ultimate Cricket Oval in St. Ann on July 25, St. Mary's triumph in the opening match has set the tone for their winning run. The second match witnessed a commanding triumph against former national champions, Manchester, on their home turf of Manchester High School. This triumph was mirrored in their third match at Boscobel, where they emerged victorious against the St. Catherine Cricket Association.

With their eyes firmly set on victory, St. Mary exhibited their exceptional skill once again at the Boscobel Cricket Ground, this time facing off against Clarendon. In a thrilling encounter on Tuesday, the St. Mary team secured an impressive 89-run win against Clarendon.

Clarendon faced a setback as they arrived late to the venue and subsequently lost the toss. St. Mary seized the opportunity, taking to the wicket and amassing a total of 142 all out in 25.2 overs. Noteworthy performances were delivered by three standout batsmen - Dijon Taylor, Tyson Gordon, and Akeem Palmer.

Dijon Taylor's exceptional 27-run contribution stood out, complemented by Tyson Gordon's 14 and Akeem Palmer's 11. Perico Henry emerged as the chief wicket taker, securing an impressive four wickets for 35 runs, with Talbert Wallace and Danjay Larmond contributing two wickets each for 23 and 39 runs respectively.

In response, Clarendon's batting faltered, managing a modest 53 all out in 20.3 overs. The team struggled from the outset, losing their first two wickets without any substantial runs on the board. Despite the efforts of Perico Henry and Deshaun Smith, the team struggled to gain momentum.

The standout performer for St. Mary was undoubtedly Shavaughn Boyd, who secured an impressive 6-17 runs in just 5.3 overs. Boyd's efforts were supported by Devantae Miller's 2 for 8 and Tedian Noyan's 2 for 10.

St. Mary's dominance parallels the unbeaten streak of former national champions, Westmoreland. Their victories against St. Elizabeth, Trelawny, Hanover, and St. James have solidified their status as a force to be reckoned with in the competition.

As the preliminary round draws to a close, the anticipation for the upcoming quarter finals intensifies. This year, the competition has seen a significant alteration under the guidance of O’Neil Cruickshank, the Jamaica Cricket Association's cricket operations manager.

The shift to a one inning one-day format allows young players the freedom to bat as long as their skills and determination permit, marking a departure from limited overs cricket. Furthermore, teams are now able to include up to four players outside the age criteria, while female participants under the age of 19 are also welcomed to participate.

Looking forward, Cruickshank revealed an exciting prospect - the announcement of 28 exceptional young talents at the conclusion of the competition, who will embark on a journey of preparation for the national team. This pioneering initiative aims to groom and equip these budding stars for success in regional tournaments.

With 19 teams participating across four zones, the competition continues to captivate cricket enthusiasts. The absence of St. Thomas this year, owing to cricket-related challenges in the parish, further underscores the determination and resilience demonstrated by the competing teams.