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.
"I got a lot of offers from a number of North American colleges, but I chose UWI, Mona because I don't really plan on leaving Jamaica. I was supposed to leave but decided to stay. I have grown and developed my skills here and I think it is the best option for me," [Federick Dacres] said. Ten sports scholarships were also awarded to footballers, with former Wolmer's Boys' goalkeeper Amal Knight leading a contingent, which also includes Taniel McKenzie, Davian Montaque, Shamal Thomas, Mitch Wright, Jerondy Henry, Daryl Denny and females Samantha Watson, Alicia Richards and Trudi Ann Young. The UWI netball programme will also be strengthened with the acquisition of Terry Ann Jones and national Under-21 Sunshine Girl Antionette Stone. Basketballers Kedar Clarke and Damion Johnson will also take up sports scholarships, along with volleyballers Solene Walker and Wolmer's Girls standout Vanessa Jones.
"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].
WORLD'S FASTEST man Usain Bolt success could be due to simply human evolution says Canadian Olympic 100m gold medallist Donovan Bailey Following up on a promising youth career, Bolt has gone on to dominate world sprinting since bursting on to the scene big time, with three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
"Suppose I don't make any quicker times in the 100, I would love to be able to run 18-something seconds in the 200, even if it was an 18.99 race," [Bolt] said in his 291-page book. "I don't think it's totally out of reach in the next season or so. Seriously, who would be surprised if I did it? Who's going to stop me from going faster?" Bolt asked. 'The only man who can bring an end to my status as a star of track and field in the next couple of years is me, and I'm a phenomenon, a serious competitor - a legend for my generation. Believe me, my time isn't up just yet."
According to Bolt, Mills once said to him : "I don't worry about you when you're unfit. It's when you're strong that I stress because your testosterone goes high - through the roof. You have the potential to get yourself into trouble." "Going out occasionally, dancing and chilling with friends was a release valve from the pressures of living in the spotlight," [Bolt] added. "It helped me to work properly on the track and nobody, nobody was going to tell me otherwise."
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.
JAMAICA'S PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller says athletes who represented the country in last month's Olympic Games in London will be rewarded for their efforts. Earlier this month, Sports Minister Natalie Neita-Headley announced plans to stage celebrations in honour of the athletes on the weekend of National Heroes' Day, around the middle of October.
The world's fastest man had expressed some doubt regarding his participation at the Rio showpiece, which will take place in four years' time. Bolt, after emulating his performance in Beijing four years ago and London, a few weeks ago, the sprinter admitted to being uncertain about the future and a possible target. It seems, however, that the sprinter is now a bit more certain. While admitting that he is likely to be past his prime at the next Olympic Games, in which the sprinter will turn 30 years old, he will certainly compete.
"I am feeling confident more than ever and I think next year it's going to be really hard for anybody coming up against me because I will be stronger, I will be much fitter and I will be much faster. Each year I grow day by day," said [Yohan Blake], nicknamed The Beast' for his work ethic. During an interview on local television in late 2008, [Bolt] named Blake as "a potential threat" to his reign. "My true potential was not at the Olympics because if you look back at my races after the Olympics I was running really fast. I was really nervous. If you touch me I would have fallen. That's how nervous I was but I covered it up pretty well," said Blake.
[Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce] burst on to the scene as a fresh-faced youngster in 2008, winning the local national trials before going on to shock the nation and the crown by claiming the title at the Beijing Olympic Games. Fraser-Pryce clocked an impressive 10.78 seconds to lead a Jamaican sweep of the event finishing ahead of compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart.
"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.
"We have to give God thanks for everything that we have accomplished and just look forward to 2012. We got a national record and I am really thankful to be a part of the team that did it. I'm grateful for my teammates and I think that with this team, we would definitely go far with more baton changes and we'll continue to give it our best shot," said [Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce]. Things didn't look too good for the Jamaicans in the semi-finals, which took place just over an hour prior to the final, as the baton exchanges between Fraser Pryce and [Kerron Stewart] on the first handover and Stewart and [Sherone Simpson] were terrible. But the latter believes that the experience of the girls helped to correct the problems in the short time that was available.
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.
An elegant player, Samuels stormed back into the selectors' favour after amassing 830 runs in the Regional FirstClass Championship, the most by any player. Samuels also had an impressive showing in the regional T20 Championships where he finished as the top run-getter. Despite receiving an earlier call-up to the West Indies for the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup, the batsman declined the invitation, declaring himself not yet ready to return to international cricket.
