After two exciting encounters at the AO Arena in Manchester, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls and England’s Vitality Roses are now in Kingston for the second leg of the four-match Horizon Series.

With England leading the series 1-0, after topping game two 56-47, while the game one ended in a draw, the decisive third and fourth games scheduled for November 25 and 26 at the National Indoor Sports Centre promises to keep spectators at the edge of their seats.

In fact, with the games set to be the Sunshine Girls’ first encounter at home in a long time, Head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry is optimistic that they can deliver two top performances to treat local fans.

“I think we did great as a team and we should be proud of our achievements, maybe the last result was not we what we wanted but it’s something that we have to work through and try to come the last two games and improve on our performance” Henry said shortly after arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport on Monday.

Henry believes her number four-ranked Sunshine Girls possesses enough quality to top their number two-ranked opponents, but in the same breath, pointed out that it is easier said than done.

“It is going to be two keenly contested games. It’s going to be competitive. We have to respect England and their second place in the world and we are number four. It all comes down to being disciplined, being precise in our movements and to improve on our weaknesses that we had. We have to limit our turn overs and capitalize on their strengths so it’s something that we have to work on,” Henry noted.

First time captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey was also optimistic about the team’s chances against the Vitality Roses.

“I feel like once we can fix what needs to be fixed in the three ends of our court –the mid court, the shooting and the defence –then I think Jamaica can get the two wins.” Sterling-Humphrey shared.

 Her counterpart Fran Williams was happy to be in Jamaica for the first time to compete against the Sunshine Girls as she also declared high expectations for the two matches.

“We are so excited to be here and it’s amazing to get to travel and get to play in other countries and explore new places. We’ve had such a good start to the series with two really close matches including a draw so it’s going to be exciting on Monday and Tuesday next week,” Williams beamed.

Meanwhile, England’s coach Jess Thirlby echoed similar sentiments.

“We know that this is going to be a really tough ask coming out to Jamaica but we know we are on the hunt for one more win to try and take that series. Our expectations of ourselves re high but the Jamaica Sunshine Girls have got some if not a lot of world class girls in that side,” Thirlby stated.

Game time 6:30pm on Monday, and 7:00pm on Tuesday.

NB: The Horizon Netball series can be seen live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trinidad and Tobago has named a 52-member team for the inaugural Carifta Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which will see a plethora of the regions rising stars showcase their skills at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica, from November 29-30.

The team to represent the Twin Island Republic across 10 categories was selected after a recent two-day trial event at Woodbrook Youth Facility.

Gymnasts were selected from eight clubs, with Tots & Tumblers (28) and Olympia (14) set to field the most representatives at the event, which will also see Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, along with host Jamaica, in action.

Thema Williams Gymnastics Academy (three), Gymnastics Explorers and Lees Gymnastics qualified two, while Academic Flippers, Golden Stars Gymnastics Academy and Mucurapo Artistic Achievers all qualified one athlete.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Gymnastics Federation explained that athletes who qualified were required to make minimum scores and finish in the top four positions within their level and age group to earn an automatic placement on the team.

“The fifth and final spots within each level and age group were subsequently awarded to the fifth place all-around qualifiers out of the trials event,” the federation said in a statement.

Anabeth Vargas (Panama) and Mabel Moreno (Colombia) officiated at the trials.

Team:

USAG Level 1 – Andaya Singh, Azalea Pierre, Brittney Joseph, Genesis Canzius, Imani Regis, Janicia Hall, Krisanne Ramoutar, Ricquel Marcellin, Sophie Espinoza, Yarii Alexander

USAG Level 2 – Ashley Castillo, Avni Lopez, Eemaan Boucaud, Harleigh Chin Leung Kam, Keira-Leigh John, Kenzie Gonzales, Larisah Nevins, Miya Mondesir, Savannah Thomson, Xara Rampersad

USAG Level 3 – Arya Hagley, Bren Newallo-Badal, Cacique Darbeau, Isoke Morgan, Jael Baker, Kyra Johnson, Zariah Dopwell-Gittens, Zoey Ottley

USAG Level 4 – Aaliyah Gosai, Annabelle Aanensen, Asia Ali, Jaelyn Heywood, Me’Hera Callendar, M’Kaiyah Williams, Onia Hepburn

USAG Level 5 – Alicja Chang Kit, Alissa Mathias, Gabriella Christopher

USAG Level 6 – Chelsea Edwards, Haley Caldeira, Soriya Alleyne

USAG Level 7 – Amba Boodansingh, Gabrielle Webb, Michaela Francis, Shanika Joseph, Tessica Laurence, Tyanna Edwards, Yandy Stafford

USAG Level 8 – Annaleigh Edwards, Dailia Burke, Kathryn Alexander

USAG Level 9 – Alora Morang

PAGU Hopes – Shanika Joseph, Yandy Stafford, M’Kaiyah Wiliiams (level one), Annaleigh Edwards, Alora Morang (level two), Dailia Burke (level three)

Olympic gold medalist Hansle Parchment and his coach Fitz Coleman were among the sporting icons honoured at Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards 2024 on October 21, 2024, celebrated as National Heroes Day. The event, held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, recognized their exceptional contributions to the world of athletics.

 Parchment, who won the 110m hurdles gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander Class. His accolade recognizes his outstanding achievements in track and field, which include an Olympic bronze in 2012, World Championship silver medals in 2015 and 2023, and his Olympic triumph.

His longtime coach, Fitz Coleman, was also recognized for his invaluable contributions to the sport. Coleman was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer Class for his role in Parchment’s success and his broader impact on Jamaica’s track and field development. Coleman, who once headed the IAAF High-Performance Centre, played a crucial role in shaping the career of sprint legend Usain Bolt and many other athletes.

 Joining Coleman on the distinguished list of honorees was Paul Francis, head coach at the MVP Track Club. Francis, celebrated for his contributions to athletics, was also awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer.

The world of football was also represented among the honorees, with Wendell Downswell, Technical Director of the Jamaica Football Federation, being awarded the Order of Distinction Officer Class for his long-standing contribution to Jamaican football. Downswell has been instrumental in the development of national teams, both as a former player and as a manager of various youth teams over the decades.

 Dr. Paul Wright, a prominent figure in sports medicine, was conferred with the Order of Distinction Officer Class as well, in recognition of his services to the field of medicine and his work in developing the Jamaica Association of Sports Medicine.

 This year’s National Honours and Awards celebrated the enduring contributions of these individuals to Jamaica’s sporting success and their continued influence in shaping future generations of athletes.

Jamaican netballer Abigale Sutherland is no stranger to the highs and lows of the sport she loves. But as she gears up for a return to international action with the Sunshine Girls in the upcoming four-match Vitality Horizon series against England, her passion and hunger for the game have never been stronger. 

Sutherland, whose career has seen its fair share of triumphs and challenges, has been using the recent international break to her advantage. For the dynamic centre, the pause in the competitive schedule was anything but a rest. Instead, it’s been a period of growth and self-reflection—a time to hone her skills and recharge her energy. 

With the prestigious series against now number-two England scheduled for November 16 and 17 in Manchester, and November 25 and 26 in Jamaica, Sutherland can barely contain her excitement for the challenge to come. 

“I’m extremely excited and proud to have been selected for the senior Sunshine Girls team again. During the break, I’ve focused on my personal growth and training, and I truly feel like I’m possibly in the best shape of my career. I’m eager to bring that energy and improvement onto the court and push myself to the limit, particularly with the added excitement of playing on home soil,” Sutherland told SportsMax.Tv. 

“It’s a privilege to play at home, and I’m ready to show what I’ve been working on and give my all for the team and our supporters. Every match is an opportunity to not just play, but to show the world how much I’ve grown because playing against England is always a tough test, but that’s the kind of challenge I thrive on,” she added. 

Sutherland’s career has been defined by resilience, as there have been moments of brilliance, but also times when injuries or off-form performances have threatened to slow her momentum. However, each setback has only made her stronger, deepening her resolve to make the most of every opportunity that comes her way. 

"Netball quickly became my passion when I attended St Patrick’s Primary and then I went to The Queens School, where I got the opportunity to represent Jamaica at the Under 16 level, eventually becoming the captain. Once I got a foot in the national program, I steadily transitioned upward. But you know in sports, you have your ups and downs, so the journey hasn’t been without challenges. I’ve faced many disappointments, including being left off teams at times, but looking back, it was all worth it," Sutherland admitted. 

Sutherland's opportunities came in 2022 when she made her senior team debut in the Taini Jamison Cup, and then the Americas Qualifiers that same year. Since them, the now 23-year-old has become a staple centre-court player for the Sunshine Girls, and was even a part of the team that copped bronze at the previous Netball World Cup. 

"I’ve learned from every experience. The key is to stay focused and hungry. Going through the highs and lows taught me to be patient with myself and really embrace the journey," Sutherland shared. 

"I’ve learned that when you’re given an opportunity, it’s important to make the most of it. These experiences have shown me that I’m stronger than I sometimes give myself credit for, and that hard work truly does pay off in the end. Every setback and success has shaped me, both as a player and as a person," she noted.

That said, Sutherland, who is set to graduate the UWI with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in November, pointed out that the upcoming games are not just about playing another international series—it’s about seizing the moment.  

As such, her focus now is on delivering consistently and being a key contributor to Jamaica’s continued rise in the sport. 

"This series won’t be easy, but I’m confident we’ll come out on the winning end. We have a well-rounded team that includes legends who I am grateful and privileged to be playing alongside, and we have a strong balance of experience and depth across every position. Everyone has been putting in the work, and I believe that with the quality we have, we’re in a great position to top the series," Sutherland reasoned. 

"Mentally, I’ve been encouraging and speaking to myself daily, setting goals, and pushing myself to meet them. I’ve been working hard in the gym and on the court, and playing in local leagues to stay sharp. The feedback from my coaches and teammates has also been really positive, which boosts my confidence and helps me stay focused," she explained. 

Armed with fresh determination and a drive to succeed, the jovial player, is optimistic that a positive showing in the series will open the doors for a possible contract in one of the top leagues in Australia, New Zealand or England. 

“My overall goal is to compete at the highest level of netball, both for my country and in a top league. I want to be part of a World Cup-winning team with Jamaica because I truly believe that will happen. But, beyond that, I want to enjoy my years as a professional athlete, making the most of every opportunity and achieving everything I possibly can," Sutherland ended.

With the inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championships fast approaching, Barbados head coach Alison Jackson expressed cautious optimism about her team’s chances of topping rivals at the event, which will be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Jamaica.

Jackson, a long-time coach of Flip Gym, shared her views shortly after a 15-member team was named to represent the Barbados Gymnastics Association (BAGA) at the November 29-30 event.

She believes that despite Barbados being represented internationally at various levels over the years, the island is still yet to reach its full potential, and that scope for growth is again evident where team selection is concerned.

"Well, I have to say that we are at a disadvantage in terms of athlete selection. I’m the only one that offers a competitive programme at the moment, so all of the gymnasts have been selected from my gym through my staff. We sat and discussed and looked at results for the season to make our recommendations to the association about who we think our top athletes are going to be at each level,” Jackson said.

“Trinidad is ahead of us in terms of how long they’ve had organised gymnastics classes going. So Trinidad alone has 17 clubs to choose from. So our group is very small, we only have 15 girls going, but we’ve picked the best of our 15 girls. So I expect to definitely be coming back with some medals for Barbados,” she added.

The Carifta Gymnastics Championships, which has been under consideration for years now, will now come to fruition, with teams from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands set to take part.

“It’s finally happening. Jamaica is hosting the first one, and we are going to be having most of the countries in our region follow the USA’s developmental programme, which is level-based,” Jackson, a former vice president of BAGA, shared.

“So there’s 10 levels, so they’re going to have that, as well as elite level gymnastics, which is the International Gymnastics Federation or FIG level gymnastics. So there’ll be two streams, which is great because not all of the islands have elite level gymnasts as yet. So we’ll give all the kids who are eligible an opportunity to compete and represent their country at the Carifta Games at whatever level they’re at,” she explained.

That said, Jackson expressed hope that the advent of a regional competition for gymnastics will show people that Caribbean kids have other possible pathways to excel on the international stage.

“We’re hoping that it will broaden everybody’s horizons and bring more awareness to gymnastics generally within our own island and across the Caribbean. I’ve been coaching kids in Barbados for years. I’ve taken kids to the USA; I’ve taken them to training camps with the US national team coaches. I mean, we’ve done lots of stuff, but everyone’s just thinking this is only starting now. But it’s been going on for a long time, so it’s just getting it out there and getting more recognition,” Jackson noted.

Barbados team: Jazara Lavine, Ciara Freeman, Za’Nyah Bostic-White, Daniella Small, Juliette Sonny, Mariah Gill, Cyrina Walcott-Lloyd, Oyinda Buluro, Amber Haynes, Dominique Thompson, Khaleesi Marshall, Sya Franklyn, Freya-Rose Smith, Thaliyah Dowrich, Mishka Mapp.

Kane Watson and Keeara Whyte emerged as the respective Men’s and Women’s open singles champions at the 2024 Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) National Senior and Junior Championships held from September 6-8 at the National Indoor Sports Center in Kingston.

Watson returned from retirement to claim his sixth national title by a score of 4-3 in a seven-game thriller over 2023 champion Mark Phillips.

Watson won the first three sets 11-7, 11-3 and 11-8 before Phillips rallied to win the next three sets 11-6, 11-5 and 11-9, setting up a decisive seventh set.

It was a close contest throughout but Watson held his nerve to emerge victorious by a score of 11 points to nine.

In the women’s singles final, Keara Whyte got the better of defending champion Tsenaye Lewis in a 4-0 straight-sets win.

Whyte won the first set comfortable 11-4 before two hard fought sets (11-9, 11-9) in the second and third.

The fourth set proved to be the most competitive with Lewis fighting to prolong proceedings but Whyte eventually prevailed 12-10 to secure the title.

Watson and singles semi-finalist Paulton Madden combined to win the men’s doubles title while sisters Tsenaye and Gianna Lewis took the women’s double crown.

As far as the juniors are concerned, the following were the respective age-group winners: Kaylor Dyer (U-9 and U-11 Girls), Shacoil Bird (U-9 Boys), Malone Bird (U-11 Boys), Kira Scott (U-13 and U-15 Girls), Ajani Spencer (U-13 Boys), Gmarco Smith (U-15 Boys), Keeara Whyte (U-19 Girls), Azizi Johnson (U-19 Boys).

Andrea Wadsworth and Phillip Drummond won the women’s and men’s Over-40 singles titles.

Kingston took the title as the top women’s parish team while St. Andrew took the men’s crown.

From September 6 to September 8, Jamaica’s top table tennis players will descend upon the National Indoor Sports Center in Kingston for the 2024 Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) National Senior and Junior Table Tennis Championships.

In what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of table tennis excitement, players will be competing in categories ranging from Under-9 Girls and Boys all the way up to the Men’s and Women’s Open categories.

“This will be the largest participation in over 20 years,” according to JTTA President Ingrid Graham.

She also noted that this will be the largest number of participants ever in both the Men’s Open and Under-19 sections.

These championships will also see Jamaican citizens overseas coming to the island to compete for the top spot in their respective categories.

“We have over 10 Jamaican citizens living in London, Canada and the USA coming over to participate,” Graham said.

Sponsors for the championships include OSIL, Western Sports, Graham International Consulting, SDF, JOA, Insport, Virginia Deer, Mother’s, Altamont Court Hotel, Auto Channel, Jamaica Post and GEWO Jamaica.

Doors open at 9:00 am Jamaica Time each day.

Jamaica’s Mariah Gordon made history on Saturday with the country’s first ever Gymnastics gold medal at the Pan American Hopes Tournament at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.

Gordon took home gold in the 11-12 Uneven Bars category ahead of Colombia’s Gabriela Herrera and Panama’s Aylin Lan.

Gordon had a 3.600 score for difficulty and an 8.633 score for execution for an overall score of 12.233, 0.067 more than Herrera and 0.433 more than Lan.

Jamaica also secured another medal through Zuri Mantadara-Clarke in the 11-12 Vault category. Mantadara-Clarke produced an overall score of 12.566 to finish fourth overall behind Panama’s Lan (12.600), Venezuela’s Mia Morales (12.700) and Puerto Rico’s Amaia Lebron (12.900).

Jamaica also finished fourth in the overall team standings with a score of 87.097. Colombia won the team title with 93.931 ahead of Venezuela (91.464) and Argentina (88.897).

At 34 years old Donovan “The real prince” Ruddock Jr, has achieved his main goal of launching a professional boxing career.

But the son of iconic two-time Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight champion Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is determined to soar even higher and out of the shadow of his famous father.

Unlike his father, who turned pro at age 19, Ruddock Jr is off to a late start, but he remains undeterred by criticisms that may come about his age, and is instead focused on the prospects of what can be achieved, provided he gets the proper backing.

“I am trying to walk my own path, I am trying to do my own thing and create my own identity. Many times people hear the name they label me as my dad, but I want to create my own history and not live in his shadow," Ruddock Jr declared.

“My career just started because I didn’t really get support like that, so it was kind of rough to get going because everybody was busy doing their own thing and then the family finally came together to make it happen. So it is just about moving forward from here to find my own success,” he told SportsMax.TV.

Though admitting that he doesn’t pack the power of his father, who is ranked on The Ring magazine's "100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time" list, Ruddock Jr believes he possesses more style and flair which he paraded during his debut professional bout against Jazeer Heron at the ‘Rumble in the Sun’ boxing showcase at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday night.

With that bout ending in a draw, Ruddock Jr knows he has much more work to do if he intends to get anywhere close to, or even surpass his father’s record of 47 professional fights, including 40 wins, six losses and one draw, achieved in a dazzling 20-year career.

Even “Razor” Ruddock’s amateur run was lined with historic wins over Lennox Lewis, and show-stopping victories over Ken Lakustra, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Greg Page and Mike Dokes.

For Ruddock Jr, his amateur record was 12 fights, including seven wins and five losses, and he also won the Golden Glove Novice title in Florida.

“I honestly don’t believe I have the same power as him (my dad) but I believe I have a better boxing style. If I get some full training camps to put in some serious work, I feel like I can put on amazing shows, I feel like I can put on some of the best fights because I am kind of an aggressive fighter and I really do push for action,” Ruddock Jr shared.

“I feel like I just need to calm down a little bit and just let things come to me. It is every boxer’s dream to win a title, but we all have to start small. There are a lot of things that I want to do, but it takes time and a lot of hard work," he acknowledged.

Reflecting on his first professional bout, the South Carolina-based boxer rued the fact that his first time in Jamaica and, by extension first fight, was ruled a stalemate, as he believes he was more efficient in his execution.

“It feels good to have my first professional fight in Jamaica but I feel it was just a biased decision because of my last name and my relationship with my father, I believe is why they didn’t want to give it (the win) to me. I kind of did come in a little boasy but that’s just my character and showmanship I believe is what sells tickets,” Ruddock Jr reasoned.

“I felt like I beat him to the jab, I landed more effective right hand punches, so just the mere fact that I was the ring general and I got some body shots in which he didn’t, meant I won the fight. But hopefully I can come back another time for a rematch,” he noted.

Finally, Ruddock Jr, who now fights in the welterweight category, pointed out that his ambition is to drop down to the lightweight division and work his way up.

“I would rather fight the lightweight because I feel like I can win a belt there and then move up and when another belt at the welterweight. That would look good on my resume being a champion in two weight division and that’s my dream,” the approachable boxer stated.

“But it is going to take a lot of hard work, I’ve taken the lessons from this experience and so I’ll just go back home, get my stuff together and see where we go from here,” Ruddock Jr ended.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Calypso Girls defeated the Barbados Gems 50-40 in a top-of-the-table clash on day five of the Netball Americas World Cup Qualifiers at the national Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Thursday.

Entering the game, the Calypso Girls had already booked their spot in next year’s World Cup on the back of a perfect record after six games while the Gems were also unbeaten after five games and would’ve sealed their trip to Cape Town next year with a win.

The end of the first quarter saw Trinidad & Tobago build a 12-7 lead before Barbados outscored them 14-10 in the second to trail 21-22 at half-time. T&T then outscored them by four in the third quarter to lead 35-30 before eventually winning 50-40.

T&T was led by goal shooter Afeisha Noel’s 33 goals from 35 attempts while goal attack Joelisa Cooper had 17 goals from 21 attempts. Bajan goal shooters Faye Agard and Shonica Wharton had 14 goals from 16 attempts and 15 goals from 20 attempts, respectively.

“I am ecstatic about that performance. I think we went out there and executed exactly what the coach wanted and I can’t ask for anything else from the girls,” said Trinidad & Tobago captain Shaquanda Greene-Noel.

Barbados captain Shonette Azore-Bruce praised her team’s fighting spirit despite the result not going their way.

“It’s not the outcome that we wanted but I must say that I am proud of my girls for fighting to the end. We did not score the goals we should have but I’m still proud of my girls for fighting. At least we had that fight in us.”

The Gems will have another chance to confirm their spot at the World Cup when they take on Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday’s seventh and final day.

Other Thursday results saw Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls get by St. Lucia 85-30, St. Vincent beat Antigua & Barbuda 66-30 and the USA getting a 44-35 win over the Cayman Islands.

On Friday, Antigua and Barbuda will play St. Lucia, the USA will battle Grenada, Jamaica will play Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines will play the Cayman Islands.

Trinidad & Tobago confirmed their spot in the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town with a 43-27 win over the USA at the Netball Americas World Cup Qualifiers at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Wednesday.

The Trinidadians went into the game with five wins from five knowing another win would confirm their spot in the World Cup next year.

They came out swinging, opening a 10-point gap by the end of the first quarter to lead 18-8. That gap swelled to 14 by halftime as they held the Americans to only five baskets in the second quarter to lead 27-13. Trinidad & Tobago doubled the USA’s score as it was 38-19 by the end of the third quarter. The Americans won the fourth quarter 8-5 but the damage was already done.

Goal attack Joelisa Cooper’s 20 goals from 24 attempts and goal shooter Afeisha Noel’s 15 goals from 16 attempts means T&T will join Jamaica, who have already qualified based on rankings, in next year’s World Cup, with one more Americas spot yet to be confirmed.

“We did what we came to do,” said Trinidad & Tobago head coach Kemba Duncan.

Even with a spot in the World Cup sealed, Duncan says a goal of the team is to finish the qualifiers undefeated. Their remaining games are against Barbados on Thursday and Jamaica on Saturday.

“We have to remain disciplined, execute our game plans and support each other on the court.”

T&T beat the Cayman Islands 60-21 earlier on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, goal shooter Faye Agard’s 44 goals from 47 attempts helped Barbados get past St. Vincent & the Grenadines 57-36 for their fifth win in as many games. They also beat Grenada 60-38 earlier on Wednesday.

The Bajans were behind 10-12 after the first quarter before making a remarkable 15-point turnaround in the next two to lead 43-26 heading into the fourth, eventually winning 57-36.

“After the first quarter, I realized that what I wanted wasn’t happening so I introduced wing attack Brianna Holder into the game because I wanted to add more speed,” was the response of Barbados head coach Margaret Cutting when asked how they were able to turn it around.

They are within striking distance of confirming their spot in next year’s World Cup alongside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and will look to cement their place when they meet the Trinis on Thursday.

“We had two games today so we’re going to go back to our hotel, have some ice baths, have our dinner then go back to the drawing board and plan for tomorrow’s game,” she added.

Wednesday’s other games saw Jamaica beat Grenada 74-48 and the Cayman Islands get a 47-42 win over Antigua & Barbuda.

Thursday’s other games will see St. Lucia tackling Jamaica, St. Vincent playing Antigua & Barbuda and USA playing the Cayman Islands.

Trinidad & Tobago head coach Kemba Duncan gave her players all the credit after their 66-42 victory over Grenada at the Netball Americas World Cup Qualifiers at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Tuesday.

Both teams entered the game with three wins from three games and begun the top-of-the-table clash in a competitive manner, battling throughout the first quarter which T&T eventually won 17-12. The leaders then held Grenada to just eight points in the second quarter, entering the half with a 32-20 lead. The Trinis then enjoyed a spectacular third quarter, contrary to the one they had against St. Vincent & the Grenadines on Monday. They forced the Grenadians into several turnovers and capitalized on those mistakes to enter the fourth quarter up 49-29 before eventually sealing a 66-42 win, their fourth in as many games.

Goal shooter Afeisha Noel and goal attack Joelisa Cooper dominated the Grenada defence with 45 goals from 49 attempts and 12 goals from 16 attempts, respectively.

“I think it was all about the players,” said Duncan.

“They had their goals and stayed focused. They worked together and maintained discipline to achieve the score we wanted.”

Even with a massive lead in the fourth quarter, Duncan’s team maintained a high level of intensity on both ends, something she says they’ve emphasized with big goals in mind.

“We have been training to maintain intensity. I think it’s the level of the game that is played in the higher tournaments so we want to push towards that.”

Grenadian captain Shakira Collymore blamed said injuries were a factor in their performance.

“We have a lot of injuries so we weren’t able to enjoy the entire match but I think we put up a good fight. We were able to stay with them for the first two quarters but couldn’t stick it out. We have more matches to play.”

In Tuesday’s other results, Jamaica got their highest point total of the tournament with an 81-27 win over the Cayman Islands, Barbados beat the USA 47-26 and St. Vincent & the Grenadines beat St. Lucia 49-36.

Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada are the early leaders in the points standings after day two of the Netball Americas World Cup Qualifiers at the National Indoor Sports Center in Kingston on Monday.

Trinidad & Tobago got their third win in as many games with a close 49-42 win over St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

In a back-and forth opening quarter, the teams traded baskets throughout, with T&T coming out 10-9 leaders. They stepped up the tempo in the second quarter to enter halftime with a 28-19 lead before a spirited third quarter effort from the Vincentians meant the score was 37-30 in favor of T&T entering the last quarter. St. Vincent & the Grenadines were able to get the lead down to as low as four but turnovers at crucial times meant that Trinidad & Tobago walked away with a seven-point win to move to six points from three games.

Goal shooter Afeisha Noel led the way for T&T with 32 goals from 37 attempts while goal attack Joelisa Cooper had 17 goals from 19 attempts.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines were led by goal shooter Mary Ann Frederick’s 42 goals from 48 attempts.

Trinidad & Tobago head coach Kemba Duncan credited her team for recovering from a difficult third quarter to pull out the win.

“We made some errors but they were able to keep their head in the game and stay steady knowing that they came in at a higher rank and maintain the discipline needed to get the win. They did a good job keeping it together,” she said.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines head coach Godfrey Harry lamented the team’s turnovers after getting as close as they did in the fourth quarter.

“I think the players got a little to anxious and, because of that, we kept giving up the ball. It was a hard game but it was in our grasp and we allowed it to get away from us,” he said.

Grenada joined T&T on six points from three games thanks to a 62-29 win over Antigua and Barbuda while hosts, Jamaica, hammered the United States 70-16 in the other games on day two.

Tuesday's day three will feature a top-of-the-table clash between Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands playing hosts Jamaica, United States tackling Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines facing St. Lucia. 

Connie Francis, the head coach of Jamaica’s senior netball team was effusive in praise of the young, inexperienced team that soundly defeated a game St Vincent and the Grenadines team 74-35 in an exhibition match at the Americas Netball Qualifier at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica on Sunday night.

Led by Jhanielle Fowler, the best shooter in the world, the Sunshine Girls was comprised of Goal Attack Amanda Pinkney, Wing Attack Quannia Walker, Centre Abigale Sutherland, Wing Defense Tafiya Hunter, Goal Defense Kimone Shaw, and Goal Keep Theresa Beckford.

Passing at speed before feeding Fowler and Pinkney in the circle, Jamaica quickly established a lead in the opening quarter 18-8 with Fowler scoring 11 goals. Pinkney added six goals before being subbed off for Gezelle Allison who played the rest of the half.

Francis explained afterwards that taking Pinkney out early in the game was at the request of the player who was feeling the frantic pace.

“She indicated to us that she was winded and it was only fair for us to pull her because we have eager players willing to go out there and play,” the coach said.

“I thought that she was really having a fantastic game but you could see that the intensity from attack to defense was not there so we pulled her and re-inserted her and she came in and she did a really fantastic job.”

Allison’s entry into the game caused a temporary disruption to the flow which resulted in several unforced turnovers. However, she quickly settled in to support Fowler who was not at her sharpest missing five shots by the half-time break as Jamaica widened their lead 42-15.

Pinkney returned as a replacement for Fowler to start the third quarter and demonstrated her natural shooting skills scoring 25 from 30 for the game as Jamaica took a 61-24 lead into the final quarter.

Jamaica outscored their opponents 13-11 in the final stanza to secure an easy win before a vociferously vocal crowd.

Francis said the close margin between the teams in the final quarter was caused by a couple of factors.

“I think it’s just how we take care of the ball. We had lots of ball in our possession and we gave up some. It’s about sticking to the tactical play because at times St Vincent had this front play and it was really giving us some form of headache,” she said, “but we keep reinforcing that we have to recognize and do allow the coaching staff to say people are making a run because of this particular play, but overall I think that this young bunch, six debutantes in a game like this, this is the type of exposure that we need to give our young players to grow in order to make the final cut for Cape Town.”

The Netball World Cup will be played in South Africa next summer.

During the game, St Vincent and Grenadines head coach Godfrey Harry frequently switched out their attacking players, which created some problems for the inexperienced Jamaican team. Chief among the disrupters was Joseann Antoine whose movements off the ball challenged Jamaica’s defenders, who struggled to keep up with her.

She was the best of the scorers for her team netting 17 goals from 20 attempts and got good support from Shellise Davis, who scored three goals from five attempts.

Francis conceded that the frequent substitutions did create problems.

“I thought that their players actually were making an impact. I thought that was really a good tactical play because the first change that he made it really inspired their team and they were having a run at us so it’s for us to recognize when teams come up with tactical plays and making changes that we just stick to the game plan and keep pushing forward in order to put more points on the board,” she said, while praising her girls for facing up to the challenge.

“It’s a young team. We just have to big them up for all the effort because I thought that we were contested. The Vincent and the Grenadines team is not an easy team. Not because the scoreboard didn’t reflect that; I thought that it was not a true reflection of what was happening on court but all in all I love this bunch of young players who came in and gave 110 percent.”

In other games on Sunday night, Trinidad and Tobago defeated St Lucia 63-25, while Grenada came from behind to beat the Cayman Islands 50-40. Meanwhile, the USA defeated Antigua and Barbuda 34-22.