Leighton Levy

Leighton Levy

Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.

World champion Danielle Williams and fellow Jamaican Megan Tapper finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in a fast 100m hurdles races at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

In a race where the top six athletes all ran under 12.5s, 2022 world champion Tobi Amusan clocked a season-s best 12.33 to hold off a fast-finishing Jasmine Camacho Quinn and former world record holder Kendra Harrison, who clocked 12.38 and 12.44, for second and third, respectively.

Williams, who was among the early leaders clocked 12.47 with Tapper close behind in 12.48, the same time as the USA’s Alaysha Johnson.

 

In an incredible display of high-quality sprint hurdling Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment stormed to victory in the 110m hurdles in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday to win the 2023 Diamond League trophy over world champion Grant Holloway.

Parchment, the Olympic champion, hurdled his way to a world-leading 12.93s, which is also a personal best for the 33-year-old Jamaican. World champion Grant Holloway, the early leader, had to settle for second place clocking 13.06, 0.01 ahead of compatriot, Daniel Roberts, who clocked in at 13.07.

Parchment’s time also makes him the fastest Jamaican in the world this year, eclipsing the 12.94 set by Rasheed Broadbell at the National Stadium in Kingston in July.

Marileidy Paulino stamped her authority as the best female 400m runner in the world for 2023 when she destroyed a talented field to win the one-lap sprint at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

The 2023 world champion ran a fast 49.58s to add the Diamond League trophy to her world championship gold medal in what has been an incredible season in which she lost only once all year.

Paulino was almost a second clear of the fast-improving Polish athlete Natalia Kaczmarek, who clocked 50.38 for second place. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was not far behind in 50.47.

Jamaica’s Candice McLeod, who looked good for a podium finish after 300m faded to fourth in 50.76 with world championship bronze medallist Sada Williams of Barbados clocking 51.07 for fifth. Aliyah Abrams of Guyana was eighth in 51.97.

In a thrilling contest in the 400m hurdles in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday, Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton and Janieve Russell were third and fourth, respectively, in a race won in a meet record time by world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who added the Diamond League trophy to her collection this season.

Bol, who boasts a personal best of 51.45, clocked 51.98s after shaking off a brief challenge from American Shamier Little, to shatter the previous meet record of 52.77 set by Dalilah Mohammad two years ago.

The American and Bol were neck and neck with three hurdles to go but Bol unleashed her superior speed and strength to pull away from the rapidly fading Little, who finished second in 53.45 just ahead of the rapidly closing Jamaicans.

Clayton, who won her second bronze medal in Budapest clocked 53.56 to just held off Russell, the two-time Commonwealth Games champion, who stopped the clock in a season’s best 53.60.

Tajay Gayle finished second in the long jump at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday during a keenly contested event that saw the top-two tied in terms of distance achieved.

Gayle, the 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, soared out to a distance of 8.22m but had to settle for the runner-up slot to Switzerland’s Simon Erhammer, who also achieved a mark of 8.22 but won on the countback against the 2019 world champion.

Erhammer had additonal marks of 8.12m, 8.10 and 8.06m when compared to the Jamaican, who other best jumps were 8.08m and 8.06m.

Finishing third was Japan’s Yuki Hashioka, who jumped a season-best 8.15m.

Laquan Nairn of the Bahamas failed to break the 8m barrier, finishing seventh with a best of 7.27m.

 

 Elaine Thompson-Herah, the illustrious five-time Olympic champion and the reigning fastest woman alive, believes that her late-season resurgence in 2023 has set the stage for her to reclaim her best form in the upcoming year. Overcoming injuries that had her contemplating an early end to her season, Thompson-Herah concluded her 2023 campaign on a high note at the Eugene Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

At the Eugene Diamond League event, Thompson-Herah, known for her blistering 10.54-second victory in the 100m dash at that same venue two seasons ago, clocked a time of 10.79 seconds, securing a respectable third-place finish.

She faced stiff competition from Diamond League champion Shericka Jackson, who delivered a scorching 10.70 seconds, her second-fastest time ever, and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who equaled her lifetime best with a swift 10.75 seconds for second place. Thompson-Herah's performance also surpassed that of world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, who settled for fourth place with a time of 10.80 seconds.

Thompson-Herah's journey through the 2023 season was far from smooth, as persistent injuries disrupted her training regimen to the point where she contemplated ending her season prematurely. Her 100m campaign began in late June, recording a time of 11.24 seconds at Jamaica College. In July, her struggles continued as she failed to secure an individual spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, finishing fifth in the 100m finals with a time of 11.06 seconds at the Jamaican national championships.

However, a significant turning point occurred in Budapest when Thompson-Herah decided to change coaches, temporarily enlisting the expertise of Shannike Osbourne. This adjustment proved to be a catalyst for her rapid improvement. She delivered a remarkable 9.90 relay split, propelling Jamaica into the 4x100m relay final, where they ultimately clinched the silver medal.

Following the conclusion of the championships, the five-time Olympic gold medalist continued her resurgence, running 11.00 seconds for a third-place finish at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich. She further improved her form, clocking 10.92 seconds for victory in Bellinzona and 10.84 seconds for another triumph in Brussels. Her season reached a crescendo with her 10.79-second performance in Eugene, marking her fastest run since May 2022 when she achieved the same time at the Eugene Diamond League.

Reflecting on her challenging season, Thompson-Herah expressed gratitude for her late-season resurgence, saying, "God is awesome. You know, a couple of months ago, I really thought I'd close up the season due to injuries, and I think I have overcome that. I came out on the track to be tough, I am a tough cookie. I got four times, 11 seconds, 10.92, 10.84, and 10.79 today to close off. I think that is amazing. I am grateful to get those times to put me in a position for next year, so I am really happy for that."

Based on her current trajectory, Thompson-Herah seems set to re-take her place at the top of women’s sprinting and cement her legacy as the fastest woman alive.

In a groundbreaking move, Sportsmax Limited, the leading sports broadcasting channel in the Caribbean, has launched a state-of-the-art studio and production facility at its parent company Digicel Headquarters, located at 14 Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston. This multi-million-dollar investment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of sports broadcasting in the region.

For the past 13 years, Sportsmax had been broadcasting from its previous location at 22 Chalmers Avenue in Kingston, where it further established itself as the premier sports channel in the Caribbean, reaching millions of viewers across 26 countries.

At the launch event, Digicel Group CEO Oliver Coughlan emphasized the substantial investment made to upgrade the facilities to accommodate this move to downtown Kingston. He underlined the broader strategy behind Digicel's involvement in the sports media landscape, saying, "Over 10 years ago, Digicel made a strategic decision to get involved, purchase, and become a partner of Sports Max. We did it because our core competency is mobile, but we wanted to be a total entertainment provider."

Coughlan continued, "We want to have the best content across the Caribbean, and I think it's only fitting that this studio is in Jamaica because as an Irish person when I came here first, you know, we all know your track and field gods and goddesses. We watch them from across the world. When we come here and we see the religion that track and field is, it's just amazing to watch."

Regarding the upgraded studio's capabilities and offerings, Coughlan elaborated, "We see this as just another stepping stone in that amazing development of Sports Max within the digital family. This is state-of-the-art. It was an investment that I must thank Gyorgy for. When I came here about three years ago now, Gyorgy came up with a business plan and to invest a large sum of money, and that very first meeting we had has now resulted in this state-of-the-art complex."

Gyorgy Zsembery, Group Chief Executive Officer, Home and Entertainment at Digicel, shared insights into the goals and plans for the new facility, stating, "So my thoughts are very simple, you know. Sports Max started as a sports channel, but this is a media company with a lot of capabilities how to produce anything as it is now. It's not just sports channels what we produce, and also we do live productions, events, productions all the way to advertising."

Zsembery further emphasized the regional impact of this investment, saying, "We want to develop this business that others also use it, but at the same time we know that for our products, we have the best technical infrastructure. And you know it can be used for apps, it can be used for anything which is related to media or entertainment. So definitely not just moving something existing into this, but how to develop further for any companies in the region."

Regarding the new broadcast studio, Zsembery emphasized that it is comparable to the very best in the world.

“This is real like ESPN, Sky, CNN, the same level because I think when you do something you always have to do the best, which is in this moment the latest (technology). So we decided that we're investing into the best.”

Nicolas Matthews, CEO of Sportsmax Limited, highlighted the channel's rich history and its commitment to delivering exceptional content, saying, "We have been broadcasting and producing several sporting content for over 21 years. "

Matthews also shared exciting news about future programming, stating, "In addition to this extensive list of content, we will also provide the most anticipated event on the sporting calendar. Do you know what this is? All right, but this is the 2024 Paris Olympics next year. And guess what? We will be there and we'll be showing you Shericka Jackson breaking the 200-meter world record and we'll also be putting the cap on Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's retirement from track and field because she'll be performing at the Olympics in 2024."

In emphasizing the studio's capabilities and future potential, Matthews stated, "We haven't simply rebranded or relocated. We have reimagined the metaphorical ladder into an escalator which has now enabled us to not only meet our viewers' needs but has driven us to become the go-to business enterprise in media. We are now more equipped to efficiently handle all facets of production both in studio and outside broadcasts and you can look forward to this new state-of-the-art facility that our team has been expertly trained to operate and ensuring that we give you the best meter solutions available in the Caribbean. And I tell you when you see this, there's nothing else like this in the Caribbean."

Matthews and Zsembery cut the ribbon to unveil the new studio, which drew immediate praise from the awestruck guests that included Tessanne Chin, the winner of the 2013 edition of the Voice, who performed for the historic occasion.

With its new state-of-the-art facility, Sportsmax Limited is poised to continue its legacy of delivering top-quality sports content to the Caribbean and beyond, cementing its position as a premier sports broadcasting channel in the region.

 

Despite a heroic 157 not out from Jordan Johnson, the West Indies U19s lost by seven wickets to Sri Lanka U19 in the second Youth Test at Dambulla on Thursday.

In times of adversity, true friendship shines brightest, and the bond between Jamaican netball player Adean Thomas and her teammate Latanya Wilson is a testament to the strength of their friendship. Adean Thomas, who plays center for Jamaica's Sunshine Girls, has been a pillar of support for Latanya Wilson in the aftermath of the devastating fire that consumed her home on Rum Lane in Kingston on August 17.

Adean and Latanya, who plays for Adelaide Thunderbirds, Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League champions, became friends and teammates in 2019 when they joined forces on the netball court. While they were familiar with each other before, their friendship truly blossomed when they shared the same netball journey. Adean shares, "Since 2019, Latanya and I have been teammates. We kept in touch while she was in Australia, and our friendship grew stronger. We made the team for the Commonwealth Games, Taini Jamison, and World Cup, and ever since, our friendship has been even closer."

When tragedy struck on the night of August 17, Thomas, who had recently suffered the loss of her grandmother, knew she had to be there for her dear friend, Latanya. Adean reflected on that fateful day, saying, "When I heard the news, I was utterly devastated. Gezelle (Allison) and I immediately went to see her. I just bounced out of bed, cleaned my teeth, and headed right to Rum Lane without even taking a shower. Even in my pajamas, I conducted an interview to seek help for her. It didn't matter to me because she needed the support, and Jamaica needed to hear and see that."

Their initial conversations were not centered on the fire but rather on comforting each other through laughter, tears, and shared memories. Adean remembers those moments fondly, "The majority of our chats were unrelated to the fire and instead focused on topics like netball and school. We comforted each other, laughing, crying, and hugging each other."

The tragic circumstances of losing their homes and loved ones have indeed drawn Adean and Latanya closer together. Adean acknowledged that when he grandmother passed away, Wilson played a crucial role in supporting her during the Netball World Cup.

She adds, "We were closer even before the death of my nana. She gave me the support I needed during the World Cup. She never stopped being encouraging and motivating to me. She helped me stay upbeat and concentrated on the job at hand."

As Wilson received a new home on a lease-to-buy basis from the Jamaican government and generous support from entities like the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, Thomas, who was present once again in support, expressed her happiness and gratitude, saying, "I mean it's something good, you know, I mean with what she's been through and for the other persons that were involved in the fire, just for persons to come on board; it means so much to her and the team, and I'm just happy for her."

Jordan Johnson’s incredible purple patch with the bat continued on Wednesday but, alas, it might not be enough to save the West Indies U19 from defeat against their Sri Lankan rivals.

Johnson scored an unbeaten 133 to help the West Indies to 251-8 at stumps of the second day of their unofficial Test, a lead of just 51 going into Thursday’s third day.

Sri Lanka resuming from their overnight score of 191-4 after dismissing West Indies for a mere 127, extended their lead of 64 to 199, having amassed a first innings total of 326. The home side owed their commanding score to Maisha Tharupathi, who scored 70 batting in the lower order and Rusanda Gamage, who got 58.

There were also useful contributions from Ravishan da Silva (43) as well as wicketkeeper Sharujan Shanmuganathan (36),  Dinura Kalupahana (33) and an unbeaten 31 from Vihas Thewmika.

Nathan Sealy was the best of the West Indies bowling attack taking 4-82 while Isai Thorne took 2-64 and Tarrique Edward 2-75.

Needing 200 runs to overhaul the deficit, the West Indies started well enough reaching 110-2 with Stephan Pascal being the first to go for 25 when the score was 39.  Johnson joined Steve Wedderburn at the crease and together they took the score to 111 before Wedderburn lost his wicket for 37.

From there the West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals with Johnson providing the glue that kept the innings from falling completely apart against the bowling of Vihas Thewmika (3-55), Tharupathi (2-44) and Kaveesha Piyumal (2-55).

When play resumes on Thursday, Johnson will be hoping to significantly add to his 133 that so far includes 16 fours and a six while hoping that Tamarie Redwood, who has yet to score, can stay with him long enough to give the West Indies a fighting chance to extend the game into Friday.’

Scores: West Indies 127 (Johnson 52) and 251-8 (Johnson 133*) vs Sri Lanka 326 (Maisha Tharupathi 70, Rusanda Gamage 58)

 

 

Coming off a lifetime best jump at last Friday’s Diamond League meeting in Brussels, Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts found the going much easier at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb on Sunday.

The two-time World Championship silver medalist produced a lifetime best of 15.01m in Brussels but needed only 14.53m for victory in Croatia.

Ricketts was almost a half-metre better than Italy’s Dariya Derkach, whose best jump of 14.07m earned her second place. Ricketts’ Jamaican compatriot Kimberly Williams, who has struggled to jump 14m for most of the season, could only manage a 13.70m effort which was good enough for her to finish third.

Fedric Dacres produced a silver-medal winning performance at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia on Sunday.

World championships silver medalist Hansle Parchment sped to victory in a closely contested 110m hurdles race at the  Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Olympic champion, using his trademark late surge, clocked 13.13 to claim victory over the USA's Daniel Roberts, who was among the early leaders. The American clocked 13.15 in the blanket.

Wilhem Belocian of France crossed the line third in 13.30.

Oblique Seville continued his good form Sunday post last month's 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest when he finished second in the 100m at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia.

Seville, who clocked 10.88s for fourth place in the 100m final in Budapest, clocked 10.04 finishing just behind Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who won in 9.94.

Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs finished third in 10.08.

Jamaican 100m champion Rohan Watson was seventh in 10.32.

 

On Friday night, September 8, 2023, Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) celebrated the induction of three outstanding individuals into its Athletics Hall of Fame. Among the honorees were the 2023 World 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams, her sister Shermaine Williams, and their esteemed coach Lennox Graham.

Danielle Williams, who has had a stellar career in track and field, expressed her deep appreciation for the prestigious honor. She noted that being inducted into the Hall of Fame was a major accomplishment and a recognition of her remarkable achievements during her college years at JCSU.

Those achievements were encapsulated in her legendary seasons in 2013 and 2014 when she won nine NCAA titles (eight individual, one relay), 13 CIAA championships (11 individual, two relay), earned 13 All-America honors and was named either USTFCCCA National Women’s Indoor Track or Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three times.

She turned in arguably the greatest two-day performance in NCAA DII history at the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, where she helped lead the Golden Bulls to their second consecutive runner-up finish in the team standings.

The future world champion scored 30½ points thanks to event titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay, as well as a runner-up finish in the 100m hurdles. She also set divisional records in the 200m (22.62) and 4×100 relay (44.05), clocked the second fastest performance in divisional history in the 100mh(12.89) and notched the fifth fastest performance in the 100 (11.24).

In a four-year span, she was the third athlete from Johnson C. Smith inducted into the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame following in the footsteps of Leford Green (Class of 2017) and her sister Shermaine Williams (Class of 2018).

"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor. I never thought it a big deal when they told me in May, but being there last night (Friday), amongst the other inductees, I realized that it is indeed a big deal and a major accomplishment. Only 130 people in the entire history of JCSU have been inducted, and I am the youngest ever inductee, and that in itself is spectacular," said Williams in an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV

The experience was not only humbling but also exciting for Williams, who admitted that she does not often take the time to celebrate her own accomplishments. She shared, "The most memorable moment of the entire weekend was not just seeing people I haven't seen in so many years, but just hearing that so many of these folks watched the race (her gold medal run in Budapest) and have been keeping up with my exploits since I graduated, was magnificent to hear."

Williams won the 100m hurdles at the 2015 World Championships and continued her success by capturing the 2023 World 100m hurdles title in Budapest last month. This victory added an extra layer of significance to the Hall of Fame induction, as her family was present to witness the double celebration.

Williams expressed her gratitude for the support of her sister and coach, saying, "Being there with coach Lennox and Shermaine was a full-circle moment. We all started this journey together, and so to be able to celebrate with them was pure joy. Both of them are instrumental in the athlete I am today. Shermaine because she was the first in our family to transcend to new levels in athletics; making national teams and breaking records, her hard work, discipline, and determination were the catalyst and the inspiration for me when I started to compete. Coach took me from an inexperienced teenager with many flaws to a collegiate champion many times over and world champion. I thank God for both of them on this journey."

Coach Lennox Graham, who has been a pivotal figure in the success of the Williams sisters, speaking exclusively with Sportsmax.TV, also shared his thoughts on being inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside his athletes. He expressed his appreciation for the honor and recognized the significance of going in with both the Williams sisters.

"To be going in with Shermaine Williams and Danielle Williams is particularly satisfying because, I mean, it was our own JCSU Williams sisters. As you know, Shermaine and Danielle were the first female siblings to make the same World Championship final in 2015 in Beijing, when Danielle won the World Championships in the 100m hurdles and Shermaine was seventh. So those are things that it's impossible to forget," said Graham who won four national titles with JSCU and a number of Central Inter-Collegiate Athletics Association conference titles during his tenure.

Graham had an immediate impact on JCSU after being appointed head coach of the men’s and women’s programme in 2007.

He racked up an impressive resume that included being named 2015-16 Atlantic Region Women’s Track and Field Head Coach of the Year, 2015-16 CIAA Outdoor Women’s Track and Field Head Coach of the Year and 2013-2014 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

He was also honoured as the 2013-2014 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Coach of the Year (a First in JCSU history), 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (Atlantic Region), 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (Atlantic Region), 2012-2013 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2012-2013 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2011-2012 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2010-2011 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2009-2010 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year,  and 2008-2009 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

He emphasized the importance of treasuring such moments and reflecting on one's accomplishments, saying, "Back in the day, then I wasn't one to celebrate a lot, I was always on to the next, but I've grown a little bit older and realized that you must treasure these moments a little bit more. So it means more to me now than it did then. But it's great, it's a great feeling. It's an awesome achievement and recognition, and I just give thanks for it."

 

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