As expected, the world's top athletes - Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - walked away with top honours at Scotiabank/Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Golden Cleats Awards. I will be looking forward to an extraordinary year with these young athletes as they continue to dominate, said Fraser-Pryce, in reference to the likes of IAAF World Youth stars Bryan, Thompson, Michael 0'Hara, Jaheel Hyde, Martin Manley and Marvin Williams, who helped Jamaica to a historic table-topping performance at the championships held in Donetsk, Ukraine, earlier this year.
"We put that deal together with [Sheri-Ann Brooks] because we believe that her commitment to Caribbean sports, to Jamaica and to young people is consistent with what Solotel wants from its brand ambassadors and also mirrors Solotel's commitment to providing support and quality service throughout the Caribbean as well," [Kenneth Lewis] added.
[Veronica Campbell-Brown] found herself back in seventh place at one stage in the race, but powered her way past the field, which included longstanding nemesis Allyson Felix, to win in 11.01 seconds. Felix (11.13) placed fifth, with Trinidad and Tobago's KellyAnn Baptiste (1 1 .06) second and Jamaica's Carrie Russell (11.08) third. "I felt a little bit of energy in my last couple steps to push forward. It was so electrifying (inside the stadium), I could hear people in the stands saying, 'It is your home, don't let anybody beat you." It is always good to compete here, it is very fun and the crowd motivates me a lot, so it is great."
Long before reggae became a global superstar in the 1970s and since then the iconic expression of Jamaican culture, it was Jamaica's performing arts groups that were the standard bearers of the nation's image, chief among them the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) and the Jamaica Folk Singers which were established in 1962 and 1967 respectively. New works have similarly been introduced into the repertoire, many choreographed by the young members. The NDTC's organic relationship with the School of Dance and the entire cultural umbrella of the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts and the Little Theatre Movement ensures that there's a continuous and dynamic exchange of ideas, teaching and talent. A number of the senior dancers and choreographers are in fact lecturers at the School of Dance.
Representatives of several major Jamaican corporations, primarily representing companies in the food distribution and financial services sectors, will also be participating in and co-sponsoring the event. This year's conference will be held under the theme: "The Jamaican Diaspora: Unleashing the Potential".
Alphanso Cunningham hit world record form last Friday, July 26 to capture Jamaica s first gold medal at the 2013 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France. The 32-year-old Cunningham won the F52-54 Javelin final with a throw of 24.30 metres to claim the country s second medal to date.
"The team that Jamaica currently has, I am confident will make us all very proud," [Horace I Burrell]- said, while speaking at a sponsorship announcement cere^ mony for the local coaching school held at the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) head office, Wednesday, April 4. "I was speaking with the President of the United States Football' Federation and he tells me that the US are now trembling because they know that Jamaica has a strong front line and of all the teams in CONCACAF, they are afraid of two teams. Jamaica and Mexico." Burrell said.
'It's a phenomenal season, starting from the first track meet indoors when I ran two personal best times in the 60m and 60m hurdles and it just transferred to the outdoor season. I'm very happy about how things have gone this year," said Williams, a student at the Graham-coached Johnson C. Smith University. 'It really didn't cross my mind at all, to be honest. During the season my coach and I spoke and he asked me if I wanted to go to Jamaica and to the trials and naturally my answer was 'yes', because I always look forward to competing in Jamaica. But making the team and winning at trials was never in my head," Williams admitted.
News broke on July 14 that five Jamaican athletes had failed drug tests at the national championships in June, setting off one of the biggest drug scandals ever faced by Jamaican athletes and authorities. In addition to [Smikle], global stars, former 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic 100-metre silver medalist She rone Simpson, as well as Allison Randall and 19-year-old Damar Robinson also failed drug tests. The news broke one month after it was announced that Veronica Campbell Brown, another global star and two-time Olympic 200-metre champion, had failed a drug test after competing at the Jamaica International Invitational in May.
Former Herbert Morrison Technical star also sprinted his way into the history books, becoming the first athlete to win back-to-back 100m titles at the Championships.
