National senior men's cricket team captain, David Bernard Jr, said the team did not produce its usual battling qualities during the seven-wicket defeat against Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals of the just-concluded WICB Nagico Insurance Super-50 tournament. "In other games of the competition we were able to recover from seemingly difficult positions, but in the semi-finals we did not show any resolve," said Bernard Jr. "We also did not recover from the pressure that was applied by the Trinidad bowling attack and as a result we made a dismal total."
"For the games against Switzerland and France, we will have the best players from England," said [Schafer]. "Wes Morgan and [Adrian Mariappa] are good players from England that can help us for a good result," he said. "We will play against Barbados with the local players and players from the United States," said Schafer. "I think our football is not very good in Jamaica and this is clear, and you saw it with our matches against Trinidad. We have to work more, we need more fitness and more tactical training, but it can only happen when we have good pitches to play on," he said.
JUNIOR SQUASH champions Julian Morrison and Jake Mahfood stormed back from early-round losses to take the top two positions, respectively, in the first round of qualification for the 2014 Caribbean and Central American (CAC) Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which was contested at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston over the weekend. The loss meant Morrison had to face tournament favourite, Caribbean Under-19 champion, Ashante Smith, in the semi-finals on Sunday morning, rather than in the finals as had been widely predicted. Morrison rose to the occasion, toppling Smith 11-7, 6-11, 117, 11-6 to make it to the final Morrison and Mahfood, as well as [Karen Anderson], Mullings, [Melissa Lue-Yen] and Binnie, will go on to compete in the final round of qualification for the CAC and Commonwealth Games, which will be held in April 2014.
TWO-TIME Olympic relay gold medallist, Michael Frater, will be looking to keep Jamaica sprinting atop the podium in the 60 metre dash at the New York Road Runners Millrose Games on February 15, 2014. But the 31-year-old's task won't be easy as three young Americans - US Olympian Isiah Young, and 2013 NCAA champions D'Angelo Cherry, and Ameer Webb - will be in on the chase. 'The Armory is one of my most favourite places to race," said Cherry, who won 60m titles at the US and NCAA Championships last winter. "I'm in good shape and looking forward to running a great race at the Millrose Games."
The bowler was a key part of the the West Indies ICC World T20 Championship triumph 11 months ago, but found himself out of favour with the selectors after a patchy run of form. However, the player put in a sensational effort to help the Jamaica Tallawahs claim the Limacol Caribbean Premier League regional T20 tournament, and has carried that form into the regional A team's series against India. While quick to admit that the road back to top form is yet a work in progress, the bowling allrounder says he is confident and physically ready, should a recall be made.
"It was a really hard tournament, but I surprised myself by reaching the semis," said [Bicknell]. "These players are very good, but the tournaments I have played earlier this year have really prepared me well." "I would like to thank my parents and coaches, who have helped to develop my career," a very elated Bicknell said. "He has improved tremendously, listens well, is very competitive, trains non-stop and is very focused. I know he will win one of these high-level tournaments in the future," predicted [Mel Spence].
In one of the rare occasions that the big sprinter failed to break the 10-second barrier, he was chased to the line by Racers Track club teammate Kemar Bailey-Cole, who posted an identical time. Another teammate of Bolt's Antiguan Daniel Bailey was third in a time of 10.23.
"It's hard to explain," [Bolt] said. "I don't really know what went wrong." "I was looking to come here for a good time. I guess it's one of those days," he said. "I just never got going." "I did some starts and I was flying from the blocks so I said, "Yeah, this is good". I can't tell you what happened."
Bolt will be part of a star-studded cast that includes compatriot Veronica Campbell-Brown in the women's 100, as well as LaShawn Merritt and Oscar Pistorius in the 400, Christian Cantwell and Dylan Armstrong in the shot put, Dayron Robles at 110m hurdles, and Barbora Spotakova in the javelin.
Jamaica's veronica Campbell-Brown waves after winning the Women's 100 meters at the Diamond League Athletics meeting on Sunday May 15. in Shanghai, China. American Lashinda Demus. the meet's record holder, finished runner up in a season's best time of 54.58 seconds, with Olympic and World champion Melaine Walker of Jamaica coming third, also in an SB 54.96. The best of the other Caribbean performances came from Jamaican Dwight Thomas. He also finished fourth in the men's 110 hurdles, clocking a season's best 13.31.
"I don't know, Tve been having a bad season and coming back late from stress fracture so I'm just grateful to be here in the first place," Phillips said. "I'm just going through with faith and wherever that leaves me, then so be it." "I'm just grateful to be running ... I don't care about that controversy, that's their business, I pay attention to my business," Phillips stated.
Following his two successes in the 200 metres, Olympic and World champion Bolt is leading in this event with 12 points and is followed by the United States' Walter Dix in second on eight points with Norway's Jaysuma Saida in third with five points. The United Sates' Lashina Demus is third with six points, two more than Jamaican Melaine Walker who is fourth on four points. Kenia Sinclair has been having a wonderful season so far in the Women's 800 metres and following her easy victory over the past weekend at the Stockholm meet, she is the leader here with eight points and is followed by South African Caster Semenya on seven points and Morocco's Halima Hachlaf on six.
The Young Reggae Boyz have been drawn in Group B alongside football superpowers Argentina and France along with the formidable Japan. Group F: 1. Australia, 2. C(TM)te d'Ivoire, 3. Brazil, 4. Denmark.
Sunday, the quartet of Brandon Tomlinson, Bernado Brady, Odane Skeen and Dexter Lee, produced a season best 39.55 seconds to pick up the silver medal in the boy's 4x100, finishing second behind the US, who won in a world-leading time of 38.93 seconds, the second fastest ever at these championships. Trinidad and Tobago picked up their second medal of the Championships as they finished third for the bronze in a season best 39.72 seconds.
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.
American Carmelita Jeter winning the women's 100 metres final in 1 0.93 seconds at the Samsung Diamond League meet at Crystal Palace Stadium in London, yesterday. Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce right) was third in 11. 10 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago's Kelly-Ann Baptiste was second in 1 0.97 while Jamaicans Schillonie Calvert (11.23) and Aleen Bailey (11.36) were fourth and seventh respectively.
'It wasn't easy," said Jamaica coach Winfried Schäfer. "Costa Rica are a very good team. At 1-0 down, I change team. The goalkeeper did well in the first half and not too well in the second half. We still have [a] chance. Next game is against US in US in a month's time. We thank 'Tuffy'." Striker [Jermaine] 'Tuffy' [Anderson] hails the Jamaican crowd following the 1-1 draw against Costa Rica in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying action at the National Stadium. Anderson scored for Jamaica.
Spectacular and devastating were the two words being used in abundance last Saturday night, as fans described the fourth-round knockout victory scored by World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion, Jamaica's Nicholas 'The Axeman' Walters, over Mexico's Alberto Garza at the American Bank Center, in Corpus Christi,Texas.
Jamaica is drawn in Group A', along with Cuba, Canada, Chile and Venezuela. Group 'B' consists of Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. The top two teams from each group qualify for the semifinal where the top team of group A' will play the runner-up of Group 'B', and vice versa. The semifinal winners will advance to the Final. "This is a brand new experience for me and I am excited for the opportunity," said [Monique Salmon]. "I am new to the team, so I am looking forward to learning and contributing in every way possible. This is a dream come true."
The island's lone female jockey, Georgina Sergeon, made her long-awaited return to the saddle at Caymanas Park on Saturday, February 1 after she was seriously injured in a riding spill just over two years ago. The 23-year-old Sergeon secured two rides on the 10-race programme: GOOD LIFE, who finished third at odds of 11-1 in the second race over 1100 metres for maiden three-year-olds; and the rank outsider, QUIET RULER, who finished down the track in the eighth race over 1200 metres. On Saturday, January 21, 2012, Sergeon fell from her mount, TRICKY TRAIN, after the filly clipped the heels of another horse in a crowded field at the home turn. She came out of the spill with serious injury and had to be hospitalised. Having injured her spine and lower back, Sergeon had to undergo surgery, followed by a long period of rehabilitation.
World Youth 400 metres hurdles champion, Marvin Williams, of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Calabar High's Javon Francis were the stars at S's Youngster Goldsmith Meet at the National Stadium as both athletes clocked fast times in their respective events. Williams clocked 52.70 seconds to win the Boys' Under-20 400 metres hurdles event.
Holmwood Technical's Shanieke Watson and Munro College's Herbert Thomas were the best junior female and male athletes in their respective categories. Competing in the four-kilometre event for females, Watson recorded 15 minutes 52 seconds for the win, getting the better of the St Jago High duo of Monique McPherson (16:09) and Roshae Burrell (16:11).
Coach Glen Mills is predicting 'fireworks' from his 21-year-old charge, Yohan Blake, at the upcoming World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, following the athlete's close second to former world record holder Asafa Powell in the men's 100 metres at the recently concluded Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships. "Yohan was not healthy at the meet, and come World Championships we will see the best from Yohan as I expect a lot of fireworks from him," said Mills, whose athlete clocked 10.09 seconds. Powell won in 10.08.
[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."
"I want to go," [Warren Weir] revealed. "From a very long time, I have said that there should be a meet somewhere on the European circuit that allows us to run the 4x200m." "Seeing that there is a meet in the Caribbean, I would want to go, even if the other Racers athletes are not thinking of going. I would like to put a team together and go," Weir said. "I want to have my name on a world-record plaque somewhere that will stand for a very long time and I don't think the big man (Bolt) will turn down a world record, so we should look forward to that." "It was a wonderful season and I am pleased with everything I have accomplished," Weir said. "Hopefully, I will be number one for the 200m. We will see when next season ends. But that would be only the icing on the cake."
With Bolt emerging as the overall 100m champion of the recently concluded Diamond League series he, along with defending 100m world champion Yohan Blake, qualified for a bye to the World Championships. "I think Blake has earned his right to compete in the 100m by winning the 100m at the last World Championships, so I was always going to run the 100m," he added. "For the 200m, that will have to be determined based on what the JAAA decides, because I think that they are the ones who pick which wild card they want," [Bolt] said.
"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.
"The thing that stands out most, because it is something that people have been asking for, is the opportunity to see the top MVP - remembering that MVP has Asafa [Asafa Powell], Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, among others, versus the top Racers track club team, remembering they have Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake," [Paul Francis] disclosed. MVP fastmen Powell, Carter and Frater are already confirmed for their 4x100m team, and comeet organiser and MVP president, Bruce James, is anticipating Racers team comprising of and Olympic champion Bolt World champion Blake.
"I decided to change citizenship and jump for Jamaica, as I just felt like I needed a change," [Nicholas Thomas] explained. "I am in good shape but the weather messed me up - the rain and the wind. So it set the standards down a little bit." Thomas said after the event. "But it was good competition and I enjoyed it and, hopefully, I can go further in the next couple of weeks." "I am yet to burst on the senior level properly, but I have had a lot of injuries ... over the last four or five years." Thomas explained.
"The coaches have assured me that all our elite athletes are in great shape, fit and ready to perform," MVP's president, Bruce James, disclosed while speaking at the press conference to launch the meet last week at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston. "However, the meet is on April 16 and the athletes will only come out to perform if they are fit and healthy to do so," ne hastened to add. "The challenge is that last year at the [UTech] classic she was not feeling well, but decided to take a chance and in so doing she ran and hurt herself badly and was unable to run for the rest of 2010," James explained, while pointing out that the MVP athletes are not all likely to participate in their customary events.
"I can't believe what has taken place," said [Marshall]. "I would like a fair chance where every match I don't have to fret and worry that if I fail this game that could be it for me for the season." Marshall, who played three four-day matches two seasons ago before being dropped, also vowed to fight on amidst the setback. "It is not the first time this is happening to me," he said. "It is about the third or fourth time.
Rupert Green and Judith Dinnal on Sunday, January 5 won the respective male and female Run sections of inaugural LIME Foundation 6K Walk/Run held in Waterford in Portmore, St Catherine. Green, who ran unattached, won in 19:00.82 minutes over Kemar Leslie, 19:25.09, and Robin Rowe, 20:09.42, both of Mavis Bank Track Club. Among the women, Dinnal was a comfortable winner in 25:37.43, over Jilliane Lewis, 28:38.89, of We Got The Runs, and Floret Kelly of Double Marchers, who was third in 30:49.38.
His season-opener, which is just six centimetres off the A standard mark of 66 metres, saw [Jason Morgan] being ranked number one in the world at the time. He has since been supplanted by Australia's 22-year-old phenom, Julian Wruk, who since March 30 has recorded throws of 66.0lm, 66.05m and 66.32m. Morgan's mark now ranks him the second-best thrower in the world this year.
Jamaicas sprinter Steve Mullings winning the men's 100 metres in a personal best 9.80 seconds ahead of American Michael Rodgers during the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet yesterday in Eugene, Oregon. Rodgers was second in 9.85 Mullings said the two wins were a timely boost of confidence ahead of next month's World Championships in Daegu, South 'Korea.
[Jason Morgan], who finished 10th in qualifying at the IAAF World Athletic Championships in Daegu, South Korea, last year with a throw of 61.75m, well below his best, has been improving each week so far this outdoor season. He opened up with a 62.07m throw to win at the McNeese University Cowboy Relays at Lake Charles, Louisiana, in early March. Then, on March 17, he hurled the implement 63.82m for another win at the Louisiana Classics. That throw ranked him seventh in the world this season.
"Overall, I'm just happy to come away with a win," said [Fraser-Pryce]. "Today I didn't run according to how I wanted but still came out with a viotory. That made me happy. There is a lot more room for improvement in the 200m, and I'm looking forward to more races to see how best I can put a complete race together." The men's 100m also featured three Jamaicans, but it was American Justin Gatlin. 9.97 - the Olympic lOOm bronze medallist, who crossed the line first in a tight finish; barely bettering his compatriot Mike Rodgers and Jamaican Olympic 4x1 00m relay gold-medal winner Neata Carter, who both posted season-best times of 9.99. Jamaican Shericka Williams struggled in sixth place, despite posting a season best 52.23 with 200m specialist [Felix] running second in 50.19 and Great Britain powerhouse Christine Ohuruogu finishing third in a 50.53 season's best.
Vanessa Gidden and Simone Edwards were in impressive form as Jamaica's female basketbailers romped to a historic 69-58 victory over the Virgin Islands, to claim the team's first ever medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Discus thrower Jason Morgan and 800m specialist Kenia Sinclair are left considering their options after being left out of Jamaica's 45-member team to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
'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.
"When I look at the 200m, the record is so far out there, so for me I just try to improve each year and it's definitely not at the top of my list," said Felix touching on the records. "I never like to say never as far as the record is concerned but realistically speaking, I do think that they are very fast; I don't think at least in the 200m where my focus is. I don't think that record is going anytime soon. I can be wrong because track is like that, where amazing things happen that you are not suspecting." "I love running with Veronica and I love high-quality races and I wish we could meet more, it's just how it works out sometimes," Felix added.
'The plan is to run the Stawell Gift meet, it's something that we have been trying to get done for years," said [Paul Doyle] during a telephone interview Thursday. "It's a pretty awesome meet ... Asafa is excited to get over there and compete. "I've been ready to come down a couple of times over the past few years but I'm happy to say that this year will be the year," [Asafa Powell] said. "This year being the World Championships, there will be a lot of focus on that, it's not as if the competition in Jamaica has got any easier, but then again, he is well, he is more mature and focused in what he is doing," Doyle continued.
Jamaica closed out the 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in explosive fashion, bringing down the curtains with the championships' only world record; a blistering 37.04 seconds run in the men's 4x100m relay. In a race not void of incident, Bolt kept his cool, collected the baton from 10Om champion Yohan Blake and powered through to the finish to better the country's own 37.10 world record, which was set at the Belling Olympic Games in 2008.
"I just could not find the money to go to Boston at short notice, plus I don't believe that to represent Jamaica, I should have had to travel to Boston at my expense, " [Dusard] reiterated. "We appointed a coach who had a dojo in Boston. We took up this opportunity to train there to evaluate the guys. We already had four athletes representing Jamaica in Boston. Would it be fair for them to come to Jamaica to train?" "Yes, he would have to travel at his expense because we don't have that amount of funds," [Chris Chok] said, adding that Dusard had not trained with the JTF locally since 2011 and needed to be assessed.
A quartet of Jamaicans, led by world silver and Pan Am gold medallist, Nicholas Dussard, will take the mat at the annual International Tae kwon-do Federation's (ITF) New York Open, in Queens, September 29. The New York Open is an ITF event and [Ashieka Dyer]'s coach, [Jason McKay], said things could be tougher for the 19-year-old in Queens. "However, this is ITF, a different type of fight. She was left off the squad for Spain, next month, as she had failed to impress at the ITF World Cup in Brighton, England, last year, which was largely used to determine the squad for Spain."Dyer's form from Brighton had also cost her a spot on the female combined team at the Gold Cup in Orlando, where Subrina Richards performed creditably and landed a spot in Spain.
"She is well trained and trains hard. She has injuries here or there but knows she is being depended on," he said. "She has delivered on three other occasions and will be there to deliver again." "It's kind of overwhelming in the sense that the team will be depending on me to take them to victory. Normally, it's Sheckema, now they're depending on me. I have a lot of nerves but I am sure I will pull through for my team," she said.
Waterhouse had the better of the champions on the previous occasions they met, and as Harbour View's closest rivals, a win over them would have given Waterhouse something to hold on to. [Nicholas Beckett] was adamant that they would not be beaten, and especially not at their home ground. Amid celebrations of players, club officials and spectators, Harbour View Football Club's captain, Montrose Phinn (left), is presented the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) trophy by (from second left) Edward Seaga, chairman, Premier League Clubs Association, Erin Mitchell, brand manager, Red Stripe and Captain Horace Burrell, president, Jamaica Football Federation, following the Monday Night R5PL match between the east Kingston team and Waterhouse at Harbour View Stadium. Harbour View won 2-0. "One of the Waterhouse defenders was saying to watch me because I am good in the air. I turned back, giving the impression that I was not interested and then peeled off and headed back in to score," said Beckett of his fourth goal of the season.
Jamaican [James Beckford], a two-time World Championship medallist, posted a long jump victory at 8.09 metres, while Trinidad and Tobago's Ato Modibo and the U.S. Virgin Islands' Láveme Jones logged victories on the track. Jones clocked a wind-assisted 22.67 seconds to land the women's 200 metres, chased by American Wyllesheia Myrick (23.05) and Britain's Emily Freeman (23.15). In the women's 400 metres, Guyana's 2002 Commonwealth Games champion Aliann Pompey clocked 52.41 seconds for the runner-up spot behind Ireland's Joanne Cuddihy (52.26).
I thought that when we played against the last teams in the (Caribbean) final leg, those teams gave us an idea of what is to come in the CONCACAF final in terms of the physical characteristic of those players. I think that they will be a lot more explosive and also stronger than the Caribbean teams," said [Donovan Duckie]. "This will help us to enhance the develop - ment of our physical condition to be very competitive against them. It will also help us in our injury rehabilitation and to prevent injuries and also to develop specific explosiveness with more resistance training."
"One of the initiatives that the JFF has embarked on is getting exposure for our Premier League coaches. We got in touch with our Brazilian friends and so an arrangement was made where all 12 Premier League coaches for next season will be sent to Brazil between June 29 and July 12," JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell announced on Thursday night. May 19, at the 2010-11 Digicel Premier League awards ceremony, at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston.
