Veteran track and field coach Glen Mills expressed his discontent with Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and its restraints placed on the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) where the number of team officials to be accredited for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned.

Mills didn’t hold any punches, as he tore into the JOA about the fact that they allotted only 14 slots to the JAAA for team officials, a figure he cited as woefully inadequate given that the country is expected to field at least 60 track and field athletes at the global multi-sport showpiece.

In fact, Mills was not shy about declaring that besides diver Yona Knight-Wisdom, uncertainty surrounds whether or not the country will have athletes in any other sporting discipline, and this he believes makes the case for the track and field contingent to be given the respect it deserves.

“I have been to nine Olympics. It is a disgrace that you have to be fighting to get the required number of coaches, the required number of therapists and doctors to go with an Olympic team that is probably rated number two or three in the world,” Mills said.

“I find it very unfortunate that track and field, and what it represents in the Olympic movement, not just in Jamaica but worldwide, along with Jamaica’s history (has come to this). We are not beggars, we have earned it,” he added.

Even as he recommended that the JOA reconsiders and up the JAAA’s allocation to 17 team officials, Mills believes that figure is still insufficient, and further suggested that 21 would be the right fit.

According to Mills, his experience as the Jamaican technical director and coach at several international competitions in the past gives him expert knowledge on what it takes to manage an Olympic delegation.

“Seventeen persons for a team of 65 to 70 is totally inadequate. I know that. I have been there and I’ve done that. I have done at least six or seven Olympics as the technical director and coach,” Mills declared.

“I know what it is to go there and work with so many different athletes and so many responsibilities, So, I cannot see why the number is a problem. How can track and field be struggling to get 17 persons when the minimum based on the requirements should be about 21,” he questioned.

On that note, Mills, the former coach of sprint legend and world record holder Usain Bolt, pointed out that he could have opted to take his expertise elsewhere, but declined offers from two other Olympic associations to join their team for this year’s Olympic Games.

“If it is forced that I recognise the necessity for other coaches who have numerous athletes, I could have gone to the Olympics with other countries. I was offered two full accreditations, full funding, but I could never see myself wearing another country’s colours, but if I am forced to, then I will have to,” he noted.

Meanwhile, JAAA President Garth Gayle explained that efforts to get the Christopher Samuda-led JOA to reconsider, have proved futile, even as he highlighted the need for additional personnel to support athletes across various disciplines.

“We believe this is a reasonable request considering the wide range of disciplines, horizontal jumps, vertical jumps, throws, as well as medical personnel and therapists, we are requesting the JOA to increase the number by three to make it 17. Their response has been 14 and that’s it, but we are asking that they review it," Gayle shared.

Renowned athletics coach Stephen Francis has publicly criticized the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) for what he described as gross incompetence, which has placed the country on the cusp of failing to qualify for the men’s 4x400m relay at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

Francis, known for his no-nonsense approach, did not mince words as he laid bare his frustrations with the governing body’s handling of the situation, as the country’s recent bid to make it into the top 16 in the world, again ended in disappointment.

The team of Reheem Hayles, JeVaughn Powell, Kimar Farquharson and Tarees Rhoden, gallantly clocked 2:59.75 against a Barbados team, and an international quartet at the NACAC New Life Invitational in Bahamas on Sunday, but failed to run faster than the 2:59.12 seconds set by Zambia in March.

That was Jamaica’s third attempt at qualification, following two failures at the World Athletics Relays, also held in the Bahamas, in May. Fourteen teams qualified from the World Relays with the next best two teams, based on times run during the qualifying window, being added.

France (2:58.46) and Zambia, currently occupy those slots, with Jamaica now in a race against time to surpass one of the two before the close of the qualification window on June 30.

Should the Jamaicans fail to do so, it would be the first time in decades that the country would be absent from the men’s 4x400m at any major championship.

Francis believes all this could have been avoided had JAAA’s president Garth Gayle appointed competent individuals with immense knowledge of how to manage the situation accordingly.

“Garth Gayle is a trying man, but he consistently gets letdown by the appointments he makes. Jamaica historically has treated senior athletics as an adjunct to junior athletics, so the same people are there, school principals and their technical committees, making these decisions on issues they know absolutely nothing about,” Francis told SportsMax.TV in an exclusive interview.

“They know nothing about senior athletics. They might have some kind of resume in (managing) juniors, being a high school principal or a coach at a high school, so (the country suffers) as a result of these personnel, because they keep making stupid decisions when it comes to seniors,” he added.

To drive home his point, Francis, a highly decorated coach, explained that the country’s teams to the World Athletics Relays were chosen based on early season times.

“That is rubbish…unheard of, and only people who know nothing about senior athletics would ever even suggest that. (Those with proper knowledge) know that in April, nobody starts to run because people are more peaking for the summer, so what they should have done for the World relays is to run the teams you expect to run down in June. You make them aware early enough that, ‘we're going to select so try and get in shape because we need to qualify, we need to get to the final,” Francis reasoned.

Francis called for the removal of Keith Wellington (left) and David Riley from the senior athletics committee.

“But instead, what they do, they start to name the teams based on who has run 46 seconds, or 45 seconds and stuff like that, and then again, they compounded the situation by inviting college kids to run in Bahamas,” he argued.

Despite his harsh critique, Francis offered constructive suggestions on how Jamaica could still qualify for the event before the June 30 deadline. He proposed that since the country’s best athletes will be assembled at the National Senior Championships, schedule for June 27-30, at the National Stadium, an urgent and focused approach could have been taken to try and meet the qualification deadline.

“What they should have done, if I had been there and they asked me, I would tell them to pay Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Lucia to find four people to come to the (Jamaica National) trials and have a 4x400m relay on the last day. What you must do is shift the 400m so the final is on Saturday,” Francis shared.

“But what these jokers have done is that they have pushed the 400m finals down to Sunday, so there's no opportunity for them to have a proper 4x400m relay here with the people who have qualified based on the trials,” he noted in annoyance.

“They need to get rid of Mr [David] Riley, Mr [Keith] Wellington, all the people of the committee for seniors and get people on there, whose lives are about senior athletics, and who know the sport and then we will stop having these problems,” the respected coach declared.

Still, Francis insists that it is not too late for the JAAA to correct their blunder, provided they make further changes to the schedule for the National Championships.

“All they have to do is tell the athletes that they are starting the 400m from Thursday, make the 400m Thursday, Friday and Saturday and then when they understand who is going to run, then they ask the athletes to run the 4x400m relay. They have selected for the most stupid reasons to shift the 400m hurdles instead.

“Sydney McLaughlin is not going to run 400m hurdles at the US (National) trials, but she will run the 4x400m relay. Why is it that we in Jamaica feel that we must shift the schedule so that the 400m hurdlers can run the 400m so that they can become eligible for the 4x400m,” Francis questioned.

He continued: “That's what the coaches are there for. The coaches must know, okay, Roshawn Clarke is a 45 second man, he is a 4x400m kind of athlete, if he runs 47 or 46 in the 400m hurdle, then he's in the 4x400m. But what these people do is to shift the women's 400m.

“The women’s 400m is now starting Friday, just to accommodate the 400m hurdlers. That's stupid, but that is what happens when you have people like Riley, Wellington and those people making these decisions. Get them off, let them stay with the juniors and ask Mr [Glen] Mills for people who can go and make decisions for the seniors.”

With the clock ticking towards the June 30 deadline, it is now left to be seen if Francis’ suggestions will be heeded by the country’s athletics governing body to possibly secure Jamaica a place in the men’s 4x400m relay at the global multi-sport spectacle.

Noted sports attorney Dr. Emir Crowne has blasted the Dwayne Barnett-led Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) for what he described as a smear campaign against British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley, as the sporting body, on Thursday, revealed that the athlete has two whereabouts failures and is on the cusp of being banned.

Crowne, an international sports lawyer, labelled the JJA’s action to disclose such confidential information in a press release as “absolutely atrocious,” and “wildly irresponsible,” as he believes the breach should not go unpunished.

The JJA’s release, which stated in part that Drysdale-Daley “has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed,” was a response to the athlete’s widely-circulated video in which she accused the association of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned.

Drysdale-Daley, 29, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, has since been given a notice of suspension by the association, a copy of which SportsMax.TV has obtained.

“Somehow the Jamaican Judo association thought it appropriate to publicly disclose that the athlete has two whereabouts failures so far. I say wildly irresponsible because athletes enjoy the protection of confidentiality until there is actually some sort of anti-doping rule violation asserted against them. For whereabouts failures, there is no anti-doping rule violation until there is three whereabouts failures in a twelve-month period. So until that happens, there is no anti-doping rule violation,” Crowne explained.

Ebony Drysdale-Daley in action for Jamaica.

“I would encourage the athlete, and I would encourage bodies that supervise the Jamaican Judo association, like the Jamaican Olympic Association, or the International Judo body, or JADCO…someone needs to sanction the conduct of the Jamaican Judo Association,” he added.

Crowne, who has represented a number of athletes such as Jamaica’s Ryker Hylton, Briana Williams, Kaliese Spencer and Trinidadian Fabian Whitfield, among others, argued that the JJA, in their eagerness to smear the reputation of the athlete, breached all protocols and standards of confidentiality.

“Quite ironically, the Jamaican Judo association, in attempting to paint the athlete in a negative light, has now painted themselves in a negative light through this breach of confidence, and it should not go unpunished,” the Trinidadian declared.

“I encourage JADCO, I encourage WADA, I encourage the JOA, I encourage the international federation to take a hard look at this press release and see if it was appropriate to disclose what is otherwise completely confidential in any other circumstance, in any other country, in any other sport in the world,” he stated.

In her almost four-minute long video released on Tuesday, Drysdale-Daley alleged that her path to qualification for the Paris Olympic Games was deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.

Jamaican Judo Association president Dwayne Barnett.

With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the Games, she believes that she was being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.

It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded efforts to attend qualifying events in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the associations hierarchy.

“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for,” she said.

The JJA in refuting the claims pointed to the athlete’s disregard for deadlines.

“The JJA advises Ebony Drysdale-Daley to reflect on her disregard for these deadlines, as she has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed. Furthermore, she has received a written warning from the JJA regarding behaviour and actions deemed unbecoming of an athlete at the Commonwealth Games 2022,” the JJA release stated.

Jamaica’s British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley has accused the Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned, as she believes her path to qualification is deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.

With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the upcoming Games, Drysdale-Daley, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, argued that she is now being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.

McKenzie, who was also born in England, and won a silver medal at last year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, currently occupies the coveted spot, as he is nine points ahead of Drysdale-Daley.

It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded effort to attend a qualifying event in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the association's hierarchy.

“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for. They (the JJA) told me that they weren't going to help finance, even though when I was in qualifying position, a fund was in reserve to help athletes in that position. But I never questioned that, I did my best to crowdfund and work for it,” Drysdale-Daley shared in a widely-circulated video lasting almost four minutes.

“They have removed me from competition registry. The Jamaican Judo Association had initially registered me for this event, now they have removed me. I feel there are clear and present inconsistencies and I have evidence and emails to support this. I feel the Jamaican Judo Association have favoured the other athlete in contention over me. They have effectively secured and ensured the other athletes qualification ahead of mine by blocking me from this final tournament of which I have paid flights for,” she added.

That tournament which Drysdale-Daley refers to is the Lima Pan American Open starting on June 21. This represents the final competition before the qualification deadline.

The allegations by the 29-year-old raises questions about fairness and transparency within the Judo Association and beyond, as she also leveled claims that she is being ignored and pushed aside by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).

“The Jamaican Olympic Association, and the Jamaican Judo Association have not responded to my emails and have cruelly ignored me. The deadline for me to be re-entered is in two days’ time. This is very time sensitive. I feel let down by my peers. I feel so alone,” Drysdale-Daley noted as she fought back tears.

JJA President Dwayne Barnett.

However, the Dwayne Barnett-led JJA in a release, emphatically denied the allegations, and stressed its steadfast commitment to fairness, integrity, and providing equal opportunities for all athletes.

“The JJA categorically refutes any claims of impropriety or personal interests influencing the selection process. The General Secretary and other mentioned individuals have no personal or vested interests that would compromise the integrity of these processes. The JJA upholds the highest standards of impartiality and professionalism,” the JJA statement read.

On that note, the JJA explained that its decision to omit Drysdale-Dale from qualification was made on the basis of the athlete’s disregard for deadlines, including for Anti-doping testing, which she failed to turn up for on two occasions.

“It is important to clarify that Olympic qualification in judo requires athletes to meet specific criteria. As in most sports, if not in all, qualification is based on merit and current performance of athletes so as to ensure the best representation. The JJA subscribes to this principle,” it declared.

“The decision to exclude Ebony from the upcoming qualifying event was solely based on her consistent failure to comply with deadlines and her repeated attempts to circumvent the processes established by the JJA for efficient management of competition entries. The importance of adhering to these deadlines has been communicated to all athletes on numerous occasions,” JJA added.

Regarding support and funding, the JJA revealed that Drysdale-Daley has received financial support exceeding US$50,000 from the JOA and other strategic partners since the day she began to represent Jamaica in judo.

“The JJA empathizes with Ebony Drysdale-Daley's disappointment and frustration. However, it is imperative to recognize that deadlines are an essential component of our processes. The JJA stands by its decisions, which are made in accordance with established rules and regulations,” the release stated.

It wasn’t necessarily a quest for redemption, but Julien Alfred knew she had a wrong to right when she lined up in the women’s 100m at the Racers Grand Prix last Saturday.

This, as the St Lucian sprint sensation was far from pleased with the execution in her season-opening run at the Prefontaine Classics in Eugene, Oregon, where she placed second behind American World champion Sha’Carri Richardson, a week prior to her arrival in Jamaica.

Alfred admitted that she lost her form after finding herself ahead of the pack in that Prefontaine outing, basically confirming what most track and field enthusiasts are well aware of –that every race is a test of nerves, speed, and resilience.

However, Alfred, the World Indoor 60m champion, demonstrated that true champions are not defined by their setbacks, but by their ability to rise above them, and rise above it she did.

She bounced back in spectacular fashion at the Racers Grand Prix, clocking a brisk personal best 10.78 seconds to equal the meet record set by Shericka Jackson last year. Despite the eye-catching time, Alfred pointed out that she approached the race with a steely resolve, determined to prove her mettle and, more importantly, execute efficiently.

“I wanted to go out here and just work on execution, that was all that mattered. I didn't expect the time that's why I was smiling so much, but I really just wanted to come out here, enjoy the crowd, and work on my execution in preparation for the Olympics,” Alfred declared.

“I usually watch my competitors and how they run, so I know what to work on and whether at the start, I can stay as close to them as possible. So from Eugene (the Prefontaine Classics), I know I had a lot to work on at the end of my race, because I kind of panicked the last 40 metres, because last year I was not leading the pack in any other races, so being in front, I kind of panicked a little. So I wanted to come to Jamaica to work on my execution so we can move forward in each step of the race and prepare for the Olympics,” she added.

There is no doubt that the Racers Grand Prix performance will be a significant boost to Alfred’s confidence going forward, as she remains focused on the road ahead.

With the Paris Olympic Games fast approaching, the 22-year-old, who also boasts a 200m personal best of 21.91s, knows that there is still work to be done and she intends to leave no stones unturned where preparation for the global multi-sport showpiece is concerned.

“I have to go back to my coach. I think my start wasn’t as powerful as in Eugene, but I didn’t mind at all, and my ending, I still fought to the line which was better compared to last week. So, I'm going to go back to training, train four a month, work on the basics again, and then go to Europe and prepare for the Olympics,” she shared.

If her early season indications are anything to go by, then Alfred will certainly be a force to be reckoned with on the biggest stage of all, provided she maintains a clean bill of health. The journey may be long and challenging, but for Alfred, the pursuit of Olympic glory is a challenge worth embracing.

“I think I have a long way to go, to be honest, but I feel good about it (the Racers Grand Prix performance). But you may feel good about it at the time, and then you sit down and watch and you’d be like ‘this could have been better’ but so far, I’m satisfied and I’m not complaining. I just wanted to go out there and do well and that’s the aim for every race going into the Olympics,” Alfred ended.

Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named Brand Ambassador for Dior, as the French fashion house has put together its own Dream Team ahead of this summer’s Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Thompson-Herah, who is hunting an historic triple double at this year’s multi-sport showpiece, is among 15 top international female athletes that have been signed to bolster the brand.

The 31-year-old Jamaican National 100m record holder and the fastest woman alive over the distance, is joined by United States soccer player Alex Morgan, the Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup winner who is expected back on the pitch after being sidelined by an ankle injury. 

Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore, the first winner of the Olympic gold medal in women’s short board surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, is also among the list of sporting heroes representing Dior, which belongs to luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a premium partner of the Paris Games.

In addition, the brand has tapped swimmer Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals in total, and Japanese fencer Misaki Emura.

There are six Italian athletes: fencers Rossella Fiamingo, Alice Volpi and Arianna Errigo, and Paralympic fencers Beatrice “Bebe” Vio Grandis, Andreea Mogos and Loredana Trigilia. 

From France, Team Dior will include boxer Estelle Mossely, skateboarder Louise-Aina Taboulet, fencer Sara Balzer and judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, who hopes to reap a second Olympic gold medal after her win at the Tokyo Games.

Dior and LVMH had previously revealed three joint ambassadors –gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, wheelchair tennis player Pauline Déroulède and Para-cyclist Marie Patouillet, who was among the group of athletes that carried the Olympic torch on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. 

A series of portraits of the participating athletes will go on show at Le Café Dior in La Galerie Dior at the brand’s historic flagship in Paris from July 24 to September 9. 

Antigua and Barbuda’s top senior men’s sprinter, Cejhae Green, is set to make a third Olympic Games appearance, as he recently hit the men’s 100 metres qualifying mark of a flat 10.00 seconds while competing at the PURE Athletics Sprint Elite Meet in Florida, recently.

Greene, 28, who represented his country at the 2016 and 2020 Games in Rio and Tokyo respectively, has qualified for this summer's Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July 26 to August 11.

He achieved the feat when he placed second behind American Kendal Williams who registered a world leading time of 9.93 seconds. Greene's time of 10.00s, is the fourth fastest time this year, as he copped silver ahead of Puerto Rico's Eloy Benitez, who clocked a time of 10.04 seconds.

The Antiguan had previously clocked 10.16 seconds in the preliminary round.

Australia captain Sam Kerr will miss the Olympic Games in Paris after failing to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in time for the team's upcoming friendlies. 

The Chelsea forward suffered the injury during a mid-season training camp in January, leaving her participation in serious doubt.

Kerr represented the Matildas at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, also playing at four World Cups and four Asian Cups during her international career.

On Tuesday, Football Australia confirmed Kerr will not make the Olympic tournament – which begins on July 25 and ends on August 10 – while announcing the squad for two matches against China this month.

"Attacker Amy Sayer (ACL) and forward Sam Kerr (ACL) remain on the sidelines with long-term injuries," a statement from the governing body said. 

"Kerr and Sayer will continue their rehabilitation programmes in their home club environments and subsequently will not be available for selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."

Kerr, who is Australia's record scorer with 69 goals, was limited to just seven starts in the 2023-24 Women's Super League, contributing four goals and three assists for the eventual champions. 

As Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce prepares to bring the curtains down on her remarkable career, another legendary sprinter, Usain Bolt, paid tribute to his esteemed colleague, and also offered words of encouragement to Jamaica's rising stars.

Earlier this year, Fraser-Pryce, one of Jamaica’s most beloved sporting icons, announced that this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris will be her closing act, and it will mark the end of a decorated and enduring career which spanned over a decade.

Fraser-Pryce’s success on the track and consistency at major championships, not only helped to usher in the golden age of Jamaican sprinting, but her electrifying speed and unparalleled grace on the track, has resulted in her being regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

With 16 World Championships medal to her name, the “Pocket Rocket” is one of the most decorated athletes to grace the biennial event, and those are backed by her eight Olympic medals. She is the only sprinter to win five world titles in the 100m —2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022 –the latter coming at the age of 35, making her the oldest sprinter to achieve the feat.

The now 37-year-old Fraser-Pryce, who has won more individual medals than any other female sprinter in history, is aiming to possibly bow out on a high on what would be her fifth Olympic Games appearance in Paris. But win or lose, Bolt pointed out that her dedication, tenacity, and unwavering commitment to excellence has already left an indelible mark on the world of track and field.

“It's just outstanding. I think she's showing me up because that means I could still be running, but for me it's just outstanding to see her at this level and still going further and dominating, being in the medals always, it's just…there's no words, because I know the work that it takes,” Bolt, the ambassador for Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign, told journalists during the event’s launch in Half Way Tree recently.

“So, to be dedicated and to be pushing yourself, even after having a child and coming back to doing that (win a World title), just shows the level that she is at, and how determined she is. The women overall have been doing extremely well. They have really dominated the sport. I'm happy to see that,” he added.

Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, also offered words of encouragement to Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who along with Fraser-Pryce are the nation's brightest talents.

Jackson, 29, is the fastest woman alive over 200m at 21.41s, inching ever closer to Florence Joyner’s World Record of 21.34s, while Thompson-Herah, 31, is the fastest woman alive over 100m at 10.54s, and second fastest over 200m at 21.53s.

“I want to tell her [Jackson] to just continue. I think a lot of times, we go in (a race) and think about breaking the record, that's when it really puts a lot of pressure on us. I would tell her, just go in and run your best race. Do not think about the record. The moment you start thinking about records, that's when you might tighten up at the end because you really want to get there, or you might make simple mistakes. So just go out there, think about executing and just run your hardest,” Bolt shared.

Where Thompson-Herah is concerned, she is the first ever female sprinter, and the second sprinter after Bolt to win the sprint double at consecutive Olympics, as she captured the 100m and 200m gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is now aiming to rewrite the history books, by repeating the feat for a third time on the trot, at the Paris Games.

“[To Elaine], I would say don't stress yourself too much because with that (the triple double) on your mind, at times, you kind of try to work too hard and push yourself over the limit. Just do what you always do. Do what you know what you need to do to get there. Do not try to do anything extra,” Bolt said.

“Just do the necessary training, necessary rest, the necessary workouts and I think you'll be fine. Because staying away from injuries...I think she's been through a lot, so staying injury free is always going to be the top priority right now, and I think that should be her focus. Just doing the right things and making sure she's ready when it matters,” he reasoned.

Finally, to those up-and-coming athletes that are on course to making their first Olympic appearance, Bolt had this to say.

“Just enjoy yourself. It’s a great experience, so just enjoy the whole thing. The Olympics is a different game because there will be so many things happening, so enjoy the moment. You might see a lot of basketball players, swimmers and everybody. So, the key thing is just to enjoy and to see what's going on, it is going to be wonderful,” he ended.

Take it from the incomparable Usain Bolt that the race for the men’s 100m title at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games will be wide open, as he is yet to identify any clear favourite to stake a claim on the coveted gold medal.

Bolt, whose words carries the weight of his unparalleled legacy, gave his views on the possible Olympic outcome, as he also shared thoughts on the progress of male sprinting in Jamaica, which he believes remains alive with the emergence of Rohan Watson, Oblique Seville, Ackeem Blake, Ryiem Forde, and Kadrian Goldson, in particular.

Seville has been the main protagonist on that list, as he has consistently knocked at the door of a global 100m medal over the years. He placed fourth at both the 2020 Olympic Games and last year’s World Championships.

The 23-year-old’s rise from promising newcomer to bona fide contender has captured the imagination of Jamaican track and field enthusiasts at home and abroad. With blistering speed and unwavering determination, Seville has carved out a name for himself as one of Jamaica's most promising talents, and along with the others, carries the hopes of a nation known for its sprinting prowess.

“I think these athletes represent our chances, but it is all about execution. I think over the past years, it (Jamaica’s male sprinting) has been struggling, but I do think that Oblique has been keeping it alive,” Bolt, the ambassador for Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign, told journalists during the event’s launch in Half Way Tree on Wednesday.

“He has made all the finals so far; it is just for him to now get in the top three. And I think it's just consistency. I think the one thing with Oblique is that he always gets injured, but hopefully he can be consistent this season and stay on the right path and he'll be fine. So, I'm just looking forward to seeing them,” the iconic sprinter added.

Though American Noah Lyles, who copped the sprint double at last year's World Championships, has been a dominant force, his compatriots Fred Kerly, silver medallist at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, and Christian Coleman are also prominent contenders, while the young generation of Jamaican sprinters –Watson, Seville, Blake, and Goldson –have also entered the conversation.

Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, are also expected to be in the mix in Paris, while Italy’s Marcell Jacobs and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the gold and bronze medallists from the 2020 Games in Tokyo, are yet to enter the fray ahead of the global multi-sport showpiece.

While it is still early days yet, Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, expressed optimism about Seville’s Olympic Games medal prospects, as he believes the young sensation has proven that he can match strides with those names on the list.

“Let's see what happens. I think it's early. No one is doing anything, and I haven't seen anything impressive so far. So, I think it is still wide open. I am really hoping Oblique can break into the top three this time around. I think he has always worked hard over the years, and he is always in the final and always doing well. So hopefully, he will break into the top three,” Bolt said.

On that note, Bolt, who is looking forward to a second Olympic Games as a spectator since his retirement in 2017, believes the athletes stand ready to write the next chapter in the country’s storied history of success.

“Overall, we all have high hopes. The throwers, jumpers, everybody. Everyone is doing well, and you can see where they are stepping up. The medal tally will be good as always. Jamaica always shows up. We always get at least five medals, and I think we are aiming to get eight to 10 medals in Paris,” he shared.

“I think the athletes will (maintain their performance). Jamaica is always up there. We are still the sprint capital of the world, and I think we will continue to dominate,” Bolt ended.

As the excitement surrounding the Paris Olympics surges within the hearts and minds of Jamaicans across the globe, beer giant Red Stripe launched its “Guh Fi Gold and Glory” Olympics campaign, with track & field legend Usain Bolt to serve as its brand ambassador.

Through this campaign, Red Stripe will send 10 lucky Jamaicans to Paris, France to cheer on the country’s athletes. From community engagements, countless giveaways, to a partnership with the incomparable Bolt, Red Stripe is set to amplify national pride before, during and after local athletes dominate on the main stage at this summer’s global multi-event showpiece.

Details of the campaign were revealed during the launch announcement at the Half Way Tree Transport Centre on Wednesday.

Red Stripe’s Head of Commerce, Sean Wallace said the campaign represents a significant, long-term investment.

“The Olympic games allow our Jamaican athletes to showcase their envied talents, as well as, as it allows our people to come together within communities, homes, town squares to chat and cheer. It's really an occasion where national pride unfailingly soars and so, our brand undoubtedly wanted to be a part of that excitement in a much larger way this time around.

“So of course, we decided to do it big. We’re proud to not only offer extensive giveaway opportunities, meaningful and authentic community events, but announce our recent partnership with the legend himself, Usain Bolt,” Wallace said.

Forming part of a larger $80 Million investment with the Jamaica Olympics Association (JOA), the “Guh Fi Gold & Glory” campaign further symbolises Red Stripe’s commitment to celebrating sportsmanship, unity and the spirit of competition that is part of the country’s DNA.

For Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallists and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, his iconic brand with the world’s iconic beer, represents the perfect fit.

“Red Stripe is synonymous with Jamaica, and I always want to represent the best of Jamaica. Becoming an ambassador for Red Stripe is a celebration of greatness and I’m very excited about the partnership. I’m even more excited for Jamaicans to enjoy all the fun and excitement that Red Stripe has coming their way. So, it is something that I am excited about. We have a lot of work to do, and I am looking forward to it,” Bolt shared.

From May 1 to June 28, Red Stripe will be rolling out a series of promotional events in support of the upcoming Olympic Games, with 10 consumers set to secure unique opportunity to enjoy the Games live.

Additionally, the beer brand will host viewing experiences whenever local athletes are set to compete. Red Stripe also announced that each week, five individuals will receive cash prizes of J$50,000, while 10 winners will be selected to receive 65-inch smart TVs, and one lucky recipient will enjoy an Olympic-style living room upgrade. 

“As we support our athletes with training, development, and equipment, we are equally committed to giving back to our communities. We recently showcased the immense talent of our nation's artists by commissioning a special limited-edition label that will soon be available in the market,” Wallace said.

“Over the next few weeks, we aim to forge meaningful connections that reflect our values and capture the excitement of the Olympics. Our commitment has always been, and will continue to be, focused on celebrating what is uniquely Jamaican and honouring the talent and accomplishments of our people,” he ended. 

Stephen Curry is set to make his Olympic debut for the United States at the age of 36 after being named in the 12-strong men’s basketball squad for Paris on Wednesday.

The Golden State Warriors guard joins three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James in an experienced squad named by national team managing director Grant Hill.

Durant, 35, helped Team USA to gold at each of the last three Olympics, while Los Angeles Lakers forward James, 39, will make his first appearance since London 2012, having also won gold in Beijing in 2008 and bronze in Athens in 2004.

Besides the Phoenix Suns’ Durant, four other members of the Tokyo squad return with Miami Heat centre Bam Adebayo, Phoenix guard Devin Booker, guard Jrue Holiday and forward Jayson Tatum – both of the Boston Celtics – included.

Los Angeles Lakers centre Anthony Davis will, like James, make his first Olympic appearance since London 2012.

Making their debuts on the biggest international stage alongside Curry will be Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Anthony Edwards, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player.

The United States have won gold at each of the last four Olympics and 16 in all, but finished a disappointing fourth at last year’s World Cup.

Curry’s Golden State coach Steve Kerr will lead the team in Paris.

The United States are due to start a training camp in Las Vegas on July 6 before a series of exhibition games that includes tilts against South Sudan and Germany on July 20 and 22 in London. Their opening game in Paris will be against Serbia on July 28.

Tom Dean insists he has no regrets about making public the extent of his Paris 2024 ambitions despite a setback at this month’s British Championship that left his quest to claim five medals in the French capital hanging by a thread.

The 23-year-old bullishly proclaimed his plan to seek to eclipse his long-term rival Duncan Scott as the most prolific British athlete at a single Games shortly after surging to prominence by winning double gold in Tokyo.

But third-place finishes behind Scott and Matt Richards in both the 100 and 200 metre freestyle finals mean Dean is only certain to compete in one individual event – the 200m medley – plus two relays, unless either of his rivals choose to streamline their Paris hopes.

Dean told the PA news agency: “When you put yourself out there it comes with the risk of being exposed and falling short, and it makes the feats of those incredible champions who make the claims and go out and back them up all the more impressive.

“It was a conscious decision and a source of motivation. I had a long conversation with my coach and my agent and we decided it was something we wanted to do. It is very much still on – there is a lot of individual and relay potential in Paris – and it’s still at the forefront of my mind.”

Dean is the first to admit there are parallels between his own decision to go public and Adam Peaty’s ‘Project 56’, in which he made plain his drive to smash the 57-second mark in the 100m breaststroke, and subsequently to go on to set a world record that could never be beaten.

Like Dean, Peaty has endured a recent rollercoaster, picking up a relatively disappointing pair of bronze medals at the World Championships in Doha in February, although he bounced back by booking his berth in Paris with his fastest time since winning his second straight Olympic gold in Tokyo.

“There’s not an ounce of arrogance or over-confidence about it,” said Dean. “It’s us going out and saying, we’re the only people who have won individual gold medals, we’ve won world and Commonwealth golds, and we have the belief that we can go and do it again.

“It’s what puts the fire in your belly, it’s what gets you up in the morning and pushes you on. That’s how I’ve been feeling since I came home from Tokyo, which feels like two days ago. I want to go out and win as many medals as possible.”

The notion of adversity is a strictly relative one for Dean, who overcame two bouts of Covid at the start of the delayed Tokyo Olympics year, which forced him to spend seven weeks away from training and left his hopes of even reaching the Japanese capital in serious doubt.

The rest is history as Dean went on to become the first British swimmer to win two golds at the same Games in 113 years, his subsequent record-breaking medal haul at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games sealing his place in the spotlight and culminated in him being awarded an MBE by Princess Anne.

For Dean, being pipped by two world-class rivals is an inevitable result of being part of one of the most competitive freestyle eras – and one of the most promising domestic relay squads – for many decades in the sport.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tough at the moment to put a positive spin on things, but I’ve always been able to do that and even if it still feels a little bit raw, there’s plenty of good things to focus on for France.

“Adam is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the British field, while my events are the most competitive in the world. I’ve been on the podium with Duncan and Matt so many times and we are separated by just a few hundredths of a second.

“Again, it’s how you deal with that level of competition that will define you. I think the fear of failure is something that could be positive or negative. It’s the spin that you put on it – if you use it to your benefit, that’s when you can become pretty unstoppable.”

Boats down the Seine, B-boys at the Place de la Concorde and the lure of cold, hard cash promise to make the Paris 2024 Olympics, which get underway in 100 days’ time in the French capital, a Games like none before.

If traditionalists were already blanching at audacious plans to rip up over a century of opening ceremony traditions, let alone welcoming the sport of breaking into the Olympic fray, they will have been white-eyed with fury at the announcement that track and field stars will each pocket a USD50,000 bonus.

After the relative sterility of a delayed and Covid-stricken Tokyo 2020, the French capital, as well as the individual sports on an ever-growing and potentially tenuous programme, is preparing to pull out all the stops.

The Games will start on July 26 with the first opening ceremony to be staged outside a stadium, each national delegation instead sent bobbling 6km down the city’s major artery before disembarking in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Two weeks later, windmills, freezers and top rocks will become an official part of the Olympic lexicon for the first time as breaking makes its debut, B-boys and B-girls going head-to-head in DJ-driven battles.

If its inclusion is not quite as contentious as the appearance of live pigeon shooting on the programme for the first Paris Olympics in 1900, it has raised some questions about the IOC’s almost obsessional commitment towards attracting the attention of global youth.

Breaking joins other recently established sports like skateboarding, surfing and BMXing in the so-called ‘urban’ section of a constantly evolving Olympic programme, and one for which it would appear a city like Paris is ideally suited.

For Team GB, now led by the likes of 15-year-old Sky Brown, keen to build on her history-making skateboarding bronze in Tokyo, there is a sense of similar upheaval, as a generation of new stars emerge and begin to eclipse the established order.

There will be no Laura Kenny to light up the Velodrome, while in contrast to their dominant pre-Tokyo preparations, question-marks hang over the ability of the likes of Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock to retain their respective titles.

Nevertheless, Tom Dean, Keely Hodgkinson, Tom Daley, Beth Shriever and Emily Campbell will expect to return to the podium at the head of a squad that looks more than capable of resuming its top three status in the final medals table.

Dean and his closest revival Duncan Scott continued a stunning surge to prominence by the British swimming team – kick-started by Peaty’s heroics in Rio – while Daley and Matty Lee underscored a wave of promise for Team GB in the water.

Hodgkinson’s ongoing battle to avoid another silver lining against rivals Athing Mu and Mary Moraa will generate top billing on the track, where double world champion Josh Kerr resumes his mouthwatering rivalry with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The international narrative will inevitably be headed by Simone Biles, hoping to add to her current haul of seven Olympic medals after recovering from a psychological phenomenon known as the ‘twisties’ which restricted her success in Tokyo to a solitary – if heroic – bronze on the beam.

Meanwhile French hopes do not come any bigger – literally – than judo heavyweight Teddy Riner, who boasts three Olympic golds and 11 world titles, and bids to cap his extraordinary career with another victory on home soil.

All of which will be played out in front of the welcome sight of sold-out grandstands, a world away from the bare bleachers in Tokyo, and a symbol, or so the IOC would like to see it, of the Games having weathered one of the most serious storms in its history.

It is perhaps that new-found consciousness of the need to adapt that has pushed the IOC into making more aggressive changes, be it in future bidding processes or in urging the b-boys and b-girls off the streets and into the Olympic auditorium for the first time.

The Olympic movement has evolved unthinkably since that first Paris Games 124 years ago, when resolutely amateur pursuits like angling, ballooning and croquet were also on the programme, the latter reportedly staged in front of a single paying spectator.

Some might say the latest changes are a step too far. But after the turmoil of Tokyo, most of those fortunate enough to be present in Paris will just be grateful that the Olympics are back, and braced to bop to any kind of beat at all.

With 100 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the PA news agency picks out seven top British and Irish athletes to watch.

Keely Hodgkinson

Hodgkinson could be forgiven for feeling sick of silver linings. The 800m star has finished second to either Athing Mu or Mary Moraa at a series of big events including the Tokyo Olympics (to Mu), and last year’s World Championships (to Moraa). It will take a Herculean effort to go one better in Paris, but all eyes will be on what should prove one of the most competitive events of the track and field programme.

Kimberley Woods

Woods heads to Paris as the reigning world champion in the exhilarating and brand new Olympic discipline of kayak-cross, involving heats in which four competitors hurtle down the same whitewater course simultaneously. Despite its inherent unpredictability, the 28-year-old from Rugby also won the overall World Cup title in 2023 and has proved a cut above her closest rivals.

Bradly Sinden

The Doncaster taekwondo star was disappointed with a silver medal in the men’s -68kg category in Tokyo and vowed to learn from his mistakes. He will return to Olympic competition with a second world title in the bag and as a strong favourite to finally make good on his lifelong ambition and turn that agonising silver into gold in the French capital.

Bryony Page

A surprise silver medallist on the women’s trampoline in Rio, Page returned to the podium with a bronze medal in Tokyo. At the age of 33 her confidence continues to rocket, and World Championship gold in Birmingham in 2023 – where she shunted Olympic champion Zhu Xueying into second place – suggests Page has what it takes to complete the set in Paris.

Tom Dean

Double Tokyo gold medallist Dean set himself the staggering target of five medals in Paris only to find the recent British Championships did not go to plan. Likely to be denied the chance to defend his 200m freestyle title, Dean nevertheless remains determined to make multiple visits to the podium as he heads up one of the most promising British swimming squads in decades.

Emma Wilson

Wilson, who won windsurfing bronze in Tokyo, is well placed to land gold in Marseille after making a stunning statement at this year’s World Championships, in which she won 15 of 20 qualifying races before finishing second in the winner-takes-all final race. Her consistency at the top level makes her arguably the best medal bet among the traditional surge of British sailing contenders.

Rhys McClenaghan

The Irish pommel ace finally ascended to the top of his sport after winning the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, and went on to repeat the feat in Antwerp last year. McClenaghan, who was denied a medal in Tokyo after an early error, will relish the prospect of renewing his long-time rivalry with defending Olympic champion Max Whitlock in Paris.