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Canada blanked the Dominican Republic 10-0 in their opening match of the CONCACAF U17 Women’s Championships to move to the top of Group F on goal difference over Jamaica on Sunday.
Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association and Jamaica’s sports minister Olivia Grange have hailed Elaine Thompson-Herah on her historic win of the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award on Sunday.
No Jamaican female athlete had ever taken home the prestigious award that began in 2000.
The Jamaican sprint queen won on the back of her historic achievements last summer when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100/200m sprint double at consecutive Olympic Games and added a third gold medal to her trophy case when she ran the second leg of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that won in a national record of 41.02.
She would go on to create even more history when she ran times of 10.54 to become the second-fastest woman of all time while winning the 100m in Eugene, Oregon, and then added times of 10.64 and 10.65 to be the only woman to run faster than 10.7 on four occasions.
Her achievements topped USA’s Allyson Felix (athletics), Australia’s Ashleigh Barty (tennis), Australia’s Emma McKeon (swimming) and USA’s Katie Ledecky and drew praise from the JAAA and the Jamaican government.
"Becoming the second Jamaican and the first female to win the prestigious Laureus Award is a significant achievement for Elaine and by extension Jamaica,” said Gayle.
“This is also a boost for women in track and field and other sports to aim for the highest. We are particularly proud of Elaine for her continuous achievements on and off the track. This definitely sets the tone for a great year for all our athletes.”
Meanwhile, in a missive from the United Kingdom where she will launch the Jamaica 60 programme of activities in the United Kingdom on Monday evening, Minister Grange said Thompson-Herah was most deserving of the honour of “best athlete in the world”.
“This latest success for the fastest woman alive is a tribute to Thompson-Herah’s hard work and sacrifice,” Minister Grange said.
Thompson-Herah is the second Jamaican to win the award. Usain Bolt, won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.
A goal in each half from Maya Raghunandanan helped steer Jamaica to a 7-0 drubbing of Bermuda in their opening match in the CONCACAF U17 Women’s Championships in the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
Raghunandanan opened the scoring in the seventh minute and added a second in the 65th as Jamaica dominated the lop-sided affair to go top of Group F which also comprises Canada and the home team, the Dominican Republic.
Jamaica took 39 shots at goal, 12 on target and should have won by a more handsome margin. Notwithstanding, Avery Johnson added a second in the 11th minute and Tiny Seaton added a third in the 16th as Jamaica threatened to run rampant.
However, through faulty finishing by Jamaica, Bermuda managed to make it to the break without going further behind.
Jamaica added a fourth in the 47th minute courtesy of Tyesha Nelson but Jamaica had to wait a while before Raghunandanan got her second 18 minutes later. Shaneil Buckley added Jamaica’s sixth in the 78th minute.
Natoya Atkinson, who came on as a substitute for Johnson in the 64th completed the rout seven minutes from full time.
The Dominican Republic is set to face Canada later Sunday.
Panama defeated Trinidad and Tobago 5-1 and the United States swamped Grenada 20-0 on Saturday.
Tokyo Olympics triple gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah has won the Laureus Sportswoman Award for 2022. In doing so, she became the first Jamaican female athlete to win the coveted award that began in 2000.
The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah created history in Tokyo last year when she became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100m and 200m titles at consecutive Olympic Games. She won the 100m in 10.61, breaking the previous record of 10.62 set by American Florence Griffith Joyner at the Seoul Games in 1988.
She then won the 200m in a lifetime best of 21.53, the second-fastest time in history. She won a third gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that set a national record of 41.02, the third-fastest time in history.
However, she was only getting started. Following the Olympics, she ran 10.54, the second-fastest time in history, to win the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Oregon and then ran times of 10.64 and 10.65 to become the only woman in the history of the sport to run the 100m in under 10.70 four times.
“I really don’t think I can really express how it feels to be nominated amongst these wonderful and super talented ladies across their respective disciplines but to think that I could come out as the chosen winner of this prestigious award is just mind-blowing for me,” Thompson-Herah posted on Instagram in reaction to the news beneath a photograph of her holding her award.
“I would like to thank the Laureus Sports Academy for this wonderful recognition. I want to thank all my friends and family who have continuously supported me throughout my journey.”
She also thanked her sponsors Flow Jamaica, NCB Jamaica and Nike as well as her many fans.
“My fans, my fans! I love you guys so much, continue to motivate and pray for me as I set out to continuously rewrite the record books.”
Only one other Jamaican athlete has ever won the Laureus Sports Award. Usain Bolt won the Sportsman of the Year Award in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.
Formula One driver Max Verstappen won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award after winning his first title albeit under controversial circumstances.
Lamara Distin’s impressive season continued on Saturday when she won the high jump at the Michael Johnson Invitational at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium in Texas.
Re-stating her intentions to prolong her career until the 2024 Games in Paris, two-time Olympic 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is targeting 10.5, perhaps 10.4 seconds in the blue ribbon sprint.
The 35-year-old Fraser-Pryce revealed her revised objectives after coasting to a second-place finish over 200m at the Velocity Fest meeting at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday evening. The 2013 200m world champion, ran 22.79 after easing down 50m from the finish line in the race won by Bahamian Athonique Strachan in 22.55.
“The aim was to come out here today and get a run in. I haven’t raced in a while so I was definitely good to come and get a good run,” said the four-time 100m world champion before revealing what her new goals are, having achieved one of her goals of running 10.60 last season.
“10.6 after having that season last year has definitely opened a new door for me in terms of the dreams and the goals I am chasing this season. I am looking forward to running 10.5 and possibly 10.4, so that’s the aim and I think I am on my way to doing that, I just have to continue to trust that God will give me the strength, trust the coach and just continue to put in the work.”
Fraser-Pryce said her training has been going well, especially now that her training group at Elite Performance has grown over the past season with like-minded athletes Olympian Julian Forte and Rushell Clayton and the 2019 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist among others.
“It’s good. It’s good to have training partners that have a similar mindset in terms of the work and what is required to be successful. To have teammates like those, you come to training in the morning, you’re feeling a little down or something is not happening, the work ethic also motivates you to put that work in. The vibe is good, the environment is good.
“It’s a great group and I am really in an expectant mood for them as club mates.”
Several Jamaican Olympians will be on show this weekend at the next staging of the Velocity Fest Series at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Chief among them are the likes of Olympic medalists Hansle Parchment, Shericka Jackson and Stephenie-Ann McPherson.
Parchment, who is set to compete at the 2022 Drake Relays next week, will shake off some rust in the 110m hurdles where he will line up against rising star Rasheed Broadbell, Tyler Mason and Michael O’Hara, who is returning from an injury that ended derailed him last season.
Jackson, who has run a couple of 400m races this season, steps down to the half-lap sprint where she will match times with McPherson, who will also step down to the 200m for this meet along with fellow quarter-miler Tiffany James.
Also down for the 200m is the speedy Natasha Morrison, Anthonique Strachan and Sasha Lee Forbes.
2014 NCAA 100m champion Remona Burchell is in the line-up for the 100m along with long jumper Tissana Hickling, Kashieka Cameron as well as 2008 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist Melaine Walker.
The men’s 100m will feature Julian Forte, Tajay Gayle as well as Waseem Williams, Yohan Blake, Chadic Hinds and Antonio Watson.
The Women’s 400m event promises to be compelling as it should have Janieve Russell, Candice McLeod, Anastassia Le-Roy, James, Junelle Bromfield and the veteran Christine Day among the participants.
John Campbell scored 82 and Michael Thompson took three wickets as United Stars defeated Surrey Risers by 68 runs in the Dream 11 Jamaica T10 at Sabina Park in Kingston on Thursday.
In his 37-ball innings, the West Indies opener smashed seven fours and six sixes before he was dismissed off the last ball of the innings as United Stars made 155-3. Campbell put on 84 for the second wicket with Alwyn Williams who hit three fours and four sixes in his 18-ball 45.
Oshane Thomas was the best of the bowlers, taking 2-30 from his two overs.
In reply, Surrey Risers could only manage 87-6 as Thompson 3-15 and Tyrone Daley 2-17 combined to tear through the line-up. Only opener Chadwick Walton, who scored 36 and Delbert Gayle (24) managed double figures.
In the second match on the day, Man of the Match Jermaine Blackwood scored 46 and Kennar Lewis 27 as Surrey Kings defeated Surrey Royals by eight wickets.
Batting first, Surrey Royals scored 90-8 from their 10 overs. Javelle Glen, 23, and Pete Salmon, 20, were the leading scorers against the bowling attack led by Andre Dennis 1-12 and Oraine Williams 1-14.
Lewis and Blackwood made light work of the chase, getting to 95-2 from just 5.2 overs.
Everton Oharo 1-8 and Pete Salmon 1-18 were the wicket-takers for the Royals whose attack wilted under the onslaught of Blackwood, whose 46 came from just 17 balls and included five fours and four sixes.
Lewis remained unbeaten after smashing four sixes from the 14 balls he faced.
Tokyo Olympics 110m hurdles gold medalist is set to make his debut this season at the Drake Relays set for the Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa from April 27-30.
Former West Indies fast bowler Corey Collymore has been appointed head coach of the Barbados Women Cricket team that will represent the West Indies at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from July 28 to August 8.
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange has called for private sector support for the Primary Schools Athletics Championships that return on May 26 after a two-year absence.
The minister made the appeal during Tuesday’s launch of the event at the National Stadium in Kingston, which hosted the 49th Carifta Games that concluded on Monday.
“Between May 2 and 4 we will have the Eastern Championships at Stadium East to start us off, followed by the Central Championships between May 9 and11 at the GC Foster College, then the Western Championships at STETHS between May 12 and14 culminating with the grand finale, the inaugural staging of the National Athletics Junior Championships for Boys and Girls in the National Stadium from May 26 to May 28,” the minister said in outlining the schedule for the build-up to the championships.
“I am making an appeal to the private sector to provide sponsorship for these Championships in the same way support is given to the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships. There will be as many as 500 participating schools and so I am inviting the private sector to come on board now with support for the primary-level event.”
The minister said the government has invested a lot in the development of sports in the country but it is unable to go it alone, hence the need for additional support for the championship that has proven to be the crucible from which so many of Jamaica’s athletic stars have emerged.
“Over time, the Government has invested millions of dollars at the primary school level in track and field and (Institute of Sports) INSPORTS can take credit for laying the foundation on which the careers of many of our outstanding athletes have been built,” she said.
“Athletes the likes of World and Olympic 100m gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Olympic and World 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker, Olympic bronze medalist, Warren Weir, 2008 Olympic 100m silver and 200m bronze medalist Kerron Stewart, CARIFTA Games Under-17 200m champion and record-holder Jazeel Murphy, and 2007 World Youth 200m champion Ramone McKenzie and many others.
“More recent stand-out athletes to have competed at Primary School Champs have been Christopher Taylor, Tyreke Wilson, Raheem Chambers and Brianna Lyston. In the just-concluded CARIFTA Games, Jamaica won a record 92 medals. It begins at INSPORTS.”
Holy Thursday was an extra special day for Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Candice McLeod, who was presented with the University of the West Indies Premier Award for Sports at the university's Mona campus
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson have both been confirmed for the World Continental Tour Gold Kip Kieno Classic at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya on May 7, Media Liasion Elis Makori confirmed to Sportsmax.TV on Wednesday.
Fraser-Pryce, 35, has yet to open her season as she prepares for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July when she hopes to add another title to her collection of nine gold medals that includes an unprecedented four 100m titles as well as a 200m title.
The two-time Olympic 100m champion also confirmed her participation on social media on Wednesday.
“One of the most asked questions on the page (Facebook) has been “when are you visiting Kenya? Kenyan fans, how does May sound? See you in Nairobi,” said Fraser-Pryce, who will be most likely going for a fifth 100m title this summer.
According to Makori, the four-time Olympic 100m medallist, will most likely be running the blue-ribbon sprint at the meet. This most likely will mean that she will be going up against upstart American ShaCarri Richardson, who has also been confirmed.
Richardson was down to compete at the Bermuda Games last weekend but was a no-show.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Jackson competed on the indoor circuit where she ran a lifetime best 7.04 while finishing sixth in the final of the 60m dash at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.
So far this outdoor season, she won the 400m in 51.29 on April 2, at the Velocity Fest at the National Stadium in Kingston and then at the Bermuda Games on April 9, she ran 51.40s for a second victory.
Namibia’s Christine Mboma, the Tokyo Olympic 200m silver medallist and Fred Kerley of the USA are also down to compete.
Six years after he played in the Big Bash League, Chris Gayle will return to Australia to play league cricket in the 2022/2023 season in the colours of the Endeavour Hills Eagles.
Trudi Carter and Khadijah Shaw each scored hat-tricks as Jamaica clobbered The Cayman Islands 9-0 on Saturday to set up a top-of-the-table showdown with the unbeaten Dominican Republic at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
Carter scored in the seventh, 16th and 17th minutes as Jamaica scored five in the first half against the home side playing at the Truman Bodden Stadium in Georgetown. Tamoy Phillips’ own goal in the 12th and Jody Brown’s goal in the 14th meant that Jamaica scored all five goals within the first 20 minutes of the match.
Miraculously, Jamaica failed to add to the scoreline in the remaining time before the interval.
The domination continued after the break as Shaw scored three within 11 minutes (54’, 56’, 65’) as Jamaica boosted their goal-difference advantage over the Dominican Republic which were only able to defeat Bermuda 1-0.
Kayla McCoy came on as a substitute for Shaw and added her name to the score sheet in the 88th minute to complete the rout.
The lopsided victory means Jamaica leads Group C with the maximum of nine points, the same as the Dominican Republic but Jamaica has scored 19 goals and conceded one in their three matches. The Dominican Republic has 14 from their three matches, which means that they need to defeat Jamaica on Tuesday to win the group and advance to the next round of competition.
A win or a draw for Jamaica means they advance.
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