Barbados and Jamaica emerged as the champions in the boys' and girls' divisions, respectively, as the curtains came down on the 2024 CAZOVA U19 Boys and Girls Zonal Championships at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on Sunday.

In a thrilling boys' final, Barbados demonstrated remarkable resilience by coming from two sets down to defeat Trinidad and Tobago. The Barbadian boys showcased their fighting spirit and strategic prowess, eventually securing the championship with a 20-25, 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 15-12 victory. Barbados earned their place in the final by overcoming the hosts, Jamaica, in straight sets (25-20, 25-21, 25-13) in the semi-finals.

On the girls' side, hosts Jamaica claimed the championship title with an impressive performance against Trinidad and Tobago. The Jamaican girls won the final in four sets, 25-21, 25-23, 24-26, 25-14, showcasing their dominance and skill throughout the tournament.

Jamaica’s boys finished fourth after a hard-fought match against the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in the playoff for third place. In an enthralling encounter, USVI edged out Jamaica 19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-16, 15-9. However, the USVI girls' team was not as fortunate, as they were defeated by Barbados in straight sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) in a keenly contested match.

In the opening round of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Under-19 Boys and Girls Championships in Spanish Town, Jamaica, the Barbadian women’s team and the Jamaican men’s team secured victories on Saturday. Trinidad and Tobago's Under-19 women's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 defeat to Barbados, while hosts Jamaica's men blanked Aruba 25-21, 25-22, 25-20 in their opening match.

The six-time champions, T&T, struggled to find their rhythm early on in their first match of the preliminary rounds in Pool 'A' at the GC Foster College. The Barbadian team capitalized on this, taking the first set 25-17.

In the second set, T&T seemed to regain their footing, building a promising 13-8 lead. However, the Bajans demonstrated resilience, leveling the scores at 13-apiece and then surging ahead to win the set 25-21, thus securing a 2-0 lead in the match.

Determined to stay in the game, T&T mounted a comeback in the third set, winning 25-16 and reviving their hopes of turning the match around. This spirited performance extended the match to a fourth set. However, Barbados delivered a commanding performance in the fourth set, sealing their victory with a 25-13 win.

With this loss, T&T's path to the semifinals now hinges on their next match against host nation Jamaica. A victory is crucial for T&T to advance in the tournament.

Adding to the excitement of the opening round, Jamaica's men’s team delivered a strong performance against Aruba, winning their match in straight sets with scores of 25-21, 25-22, and 25-20. This victory set a positive tone for the host nation in the championships.

In other action on Saturday, the lone boys' match featured host Jamaica facing Curacao, adding to the competitive spirit of the championships. The wins for Barbados Women and Jamaica's Men have set the stage for an exciting tournament ahead.

All is now set for the third edition of the Wray & Nephew Fight Night, and if the promise of the eight boxers on the card is anything to go by, then patrons will be in for a treat at the Ebony Vale Community Centre in Spanish Town on Saturday.

The main bout will see Jamaica Defence Force's Ian "Impact" Darby, in his first professional fight on local soil and he is brimming with confidence that his rival Fabian "Truck" Tucker will not last beyond the second round.

"The training level has been intense. We have a concept in the army that whatever task we are given, we must be prepared for it and so the Impact is well prepared. All thanks to my team, I am ready to come and showcase what I have been doing in my preparation for this fight. I am saying second round, knockout. The Impact is going to be victorious," he declared.

However, Tucker has other ideas.

"He is going to come under a lot of pressure because I am short, and he is tall, so I am going to stick on him the whole night. I will say maybe the third round (to knockout the opponent), definitely maybe the third round," said Tucker, who added that his preparation had gone well.

For the first time since its inception, there will be a female match-up in the series. National representative Sherikee Moore will face off with Shanika "G Girl" Gordon.

Gordon explained that she is fit and ready, especially with her army background.

"They (spectators) should come out and watch this fight card because I know I will do my best. I will provide proper technique and everything because I am doing what I love so I Know I will put in the work," she said.

Moore echoed similar sentiments.

"You can expect the best as always. I'll come out and do my best, show my styles and my techniques. As for my opponent, the only thing I expect her to have over me is the fitness. I do believe I still have the fitness as well, although she might have more fitness than I do, so it's not going to be challenging. I think I'll handle this, and I'll do my best."

Meanwhile, National coach Felipe Sanchez who is responsible for putting the fight card together, is very upbeat about the prospects.

"Something that is particularly interesting to me is that we have three of Jamaica's national boxers fighting other boxers. So here, we are going to see if they are still the sharpest or are there other sharper tools in the shed. So, this is going to be very interesting to see if they keep their crown or if we have new rising stars on our hands so that is something interesting to look out for because nobody wants to go back to their gym or hometown to say I lost and worst when it's on national television," the coach reasoned.

President of the Jamaica Boxing Association Stephen Bomber Jones lauded the partnership with Wray & Nephew in bringing back high-quality boxing on a consistent basis.

"It feels like our relationship is getting even stronger because it's not uncommon. Everybody understand that two of the bigger facets of Jamaica is our sports and our music and Wray & Nephew being committed and aligned with boxing for so many years not only makes sure that these shows get the production that is necessary, and the boxers get the platform, but they are now incorporating sport and music together by bringing an entertainment package at the end of each show and this Saturday we will have Capleton finishing off the festivities.

"So, the fireworks are going to be there early, from our amateur boxers to the pros, and the community and venue being such a beautiful venue, I think it's going to be a fantastic night of boxing, so I am looking forward to it," Jones noted.

Other boxers on the card are:

Amateurs

Kimarley Samuels vs Kevon Mckenzie

Calvin Mignott vs Shiaeine Blake

Sanji Williams (national boxer) vs Kirk Heron

Demar Haslam vs Delano McLaughlin

Jaden Eccleston vs Roberto William

Ackeem Allen vs Daniel Hylton (national boxer)

Professionals

Renaldo Beckford vs Cleveland Stevenson

Janathan Hason vs challenger to be announced