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.
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.
"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.
"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.
