分类： sports

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Stadium witnessed exceptional athletic prowess during Thursday’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships as three newly crowned 100m champions launched their campaigns for sprint doubles in the 200m events.

Shanoya Douglas of Holland High, fresh from her spectacular personal best of 10.98 seconds in Wednesday’s Class 1 100m final, demonstrated remarkable recovery to dominate her 200m heat. Clocking 24.21 seconds against a slight headwind (-0.8m/s), Douglas positioned herself as the frontrunner for semi-final qualification.

She was joined by fellow champions Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls (Class 2) and Excelsior High’s Briana Gray (Class 4), who both successfully navigated their opening rounds. East delivered a strong 24.38-second performance with favorable wind assistance (0.7m/s), while Gray secured her Class 4 heat victory in 25.66 seconds despite challenging wind conditions.

The qualification rounds revealed impressive depth across multiple categories. In Class 2, East’s progression came alongside silver medalist Shannia Campbell of St Jago (24.53s) and bronze winner Giana Murray of Mt Alvernia High (24.78s). Class 4 saw Vere Technical’s Omeika Shepherd lead qualifying with 25.30 seconds, followed by Hydel High’s Reneka Reid (25.49s) and Edwin Allen’s Niesha Campbell (25.52s).

Class 3 competition featured notable advances from Ferncourt High’s 100m silver medalist Rihanna Scott (24.87s), Hydel High’s Tyecia McDonald (24.85s), and Knox College’s Tawaina Marston (24.88s), all overcoming varying wind challenges to secure semi-final berths.

In a dramatic conclusion to the Class 4 girls’ long jump event, Anastacia Richards of St Elizabeth Technical High School clinched the gold medal at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships on Thursday. The victory was sealed in the final round with a decisive leap of 5.46 meters into a slight headwind of -0.1m/s, narrowly edging out her closest competitor.

Richards, who had initially led the competition with a jump of 5.32m into a stronger headwind (-1.7m/s), demonstrated remarkable composure under pressure. Her winning jump fell a mere centimeter short of her personal best of 5.47m, achieved just five weeks prior at the COCAA Western Championships.

The silver medal was awarded to Sukhuri-Shay Smith from Immaculate Conception High, who posted her best effort of 5.29m (-0.7m/s) in the final round. The bronze medal position was determined by countback after Gabriella Fletcher of St Andrew High and Edwin Allen High’s Leantrae Williams both recorded identical distances of 5.10m. Fletcher ultimately claimed third place based on superior subsequent jumps, leaving Williams in fourth position.

The annual championships, organized by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and sponsored by GraceKennedy Limited, represent the pinnacle of junior athletic competition in Jamaica, showcasing emerging talent in track and field events.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Defending Class 2 long jump champion Jaeda Robinson of Immaculate Conception High has successfully advanced to the medal round in her debut appearance in the Class 1 category at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships. The rising track and field star secured her position in Thursday’s qualifying round at the National Stadium with a jump of 5.53 meters into a slight headwind of -0.1m/s.

Robinson faces formidable competition in the finals, particularly from Edwin Allen High’s Akaylea Brown who dominated the qualifying round with an impressive leap of 5.80 meters (-0.2m/s wind). Close behind was Holmwood Technical’s Mikayla Longmore, who recorded 5.57 meters with a favorable tailwind of 1.3m/s.

The competition intensifies with the qualification of Hydel High’s dynamic duo—Sabrina Atkinson with 5.52 meters (-1.3m/s wind) and Jenice Dunkley whose wind-aided 5.45 meters (2.2m/s) secured her spot despite the strong tailwind assistance. Completing the field of finalists are Vere Technical’s Brianna Sawyers-Cross with 5.33 meters (-0.6m/s) and Edwin Allen High’s Renecia Edwards who recorded 5.31 meters into a headwind of -1.1m/s.

The stage is set for an exhilarating final showdown as these elite junior athletes compete for championship glory in one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious high school athletic events.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland—In a landmark policy reversal, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Thursday the reinstatement of mandatory biological gender verification for female category events, effectively excluding transgender women and athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) from Olympic women’s competitions starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The new framework replaces the 2021 policy that delegated eligibility determinations to individual sports federations, establishing instead a universal standard across all Olympic sports. The eligibility protocol will utilize a one-time SRY gene screening—a test that identifies male chromosomal material—administered through saliva, cheek swab, or blood samples.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry defended the scientifically-grounded policy, stating, “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can determine victory or defeat. It would be fundamentally unfair and potentially unsafe for biological males to compete in the female category.”

This decisive shift follows the gender controversy that emerged during the women’s boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting. Both athletes—previously excluded from the 2023 International Boxing Association World Championships due to failed eligibility tests—were permitted to compete in Paris by the IOC, which criticized the IBA’s decision as “sudden and arbitrary.” Both athletes ultimately won gold medals.

The reintroduction of gender testing marks a return to practices abandoned after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics following widespread criticism from the scientific community. The policy now establishes a clear biological boundary for female competition, prioritizing competitive fairness and safety according to the IOC’s medical advisors.

Jamaica College’s track and field phenom Michael-Andre Edwards demonstrated exceptional form at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, positioning himself for a remarkable double title defense. Fresh from securing the Class 1 long jump championship on Wednesday, Edwards delivered a spectacular performance in Thursday’s triple jump qualifiers at Kingston’s National Stadium.

The reigning champion needed merely one attempt to surpass the automatic qualifying standard of 14.90 meters, achieving an impressive leap of 15.43 meters with minimal wind assistance (0.1m/s). Edwards’ commanding performance establishes him as the athlete to beat in the upcoming finals.

Kingston College’s Amani Phillips also secured his finals berth with a single jump, recording exactly 15.00 meters with moderate wind support (1.6m/s). The qualification round saw several other standout performances: Rekelme Hunter (Kingston College) reached 15.41 meters (0.9m/s), Rajae Williams (Titchfield High) achieved a wind-aided 15.16 meters (3.2m/s), and Calabar High’s Kaleel Samuels cleared 14.98 meters despite facing a slight headwind (-0.5m/s).

These athletes have all guaranteed their places in what promises to be an intensely competitive triple jump final, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to this prestigious national championship event.

In a high-stakes bid to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, the Jamaican national team, under the guidance of coach Rudolph Speid, has fielded two new English-born debutants in its starting lineup for the critical intercontinental playoff against New Caledonia. The match, scheduled for a 10:00 pm kickoff (Jamaica time) at Mexico’s Akron Stadium, represents the Reggae Boyz’s final opportunity to qualify for the tournament hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Andre Brooks and Ephron Mason-Clark have been immediately thrust into the starting eleven, highlighting the team’s strategic incorporation of diaspora talent. They are part of a trio of new recruits, with 20-year-old Tyrese Hall named among the substitutes, as Jamaica seeks to bolster its squad for this decisive encounter.

The path to qualification is clear: a victory against New Caledonia would propel Jamaica into a final playoff showdown against the Democratic Republic of Congo next Tuesday, with the winner earning a coveted spot in the global football spectacle.

Jamaica’s starting formation features a blend of experience and fresh talent. The lineup is anchored by captain and goalkeeper Andre Blake, with a defensive unit comprising Ronaldo Webster, Ethan Pinnock, Richard King, and Joel Latibeaudiere. The midfield and attack are powered by Karoy Anderson, Isaac Hayden, the debutant Brooks, Mason-Clark, Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri, and Tyreece Campbell.

The bench holds significant firepower and options for Coach Speid, including substitutes Jahmall Waite, Amal Knight, Amarii Bell, Damion Lowe, Kyle Ming, Kasey Palmer, Tyrese Hall, Leon Bailey, Renaldo Cephas, Norman Campbell, and Jamal Lowe, ensuring tactical flexibility throughout the match.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A highly anticipated sprint double at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletic Championships was abruptly halted on Thursday following an injury to rising star Riquelme Reid of Excelsior High. The athlete, who had electrified the National Stadium just a day prior by claiming the Class 1 100m title in a stunning personal best of 10.12 seconds, was forced to withdraw from the 200m event after pulling up during the first-round heats. His sudden exit reshapes the entire competitive landscape for the final day of the five-day championships, set for Saturday. Reid had entered the competition as a formidable contender, boasting a wind-legal season’s best of 20.95 seconds in the 200m, a time that positioned him as the primary challenger to defending champion Sanjay Seymore of William Knibb. Seymore successfully navigated his heat, posting 21.03 seconds into a headwind of -1.5m/s to secure his place in the semi-finals. The path to the podium is now wide open, with several other athletes advancing strongly. Among them are St. George’s College’s Tyreese Foreman, the 100m silver medallist (21.18s), and Edwin Allen High’s Romario Finnigan, the 100m bronze medallist (21.31s). They were joined by Junior Gallimore (Hydel High), Omary Robinson (Jamaica College), Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (Holland High), and Oshane Jervis (Green Island), all progressing to the next round.