分类： sports

Kingston, Jamaica – On the final day of competition at the National Stadium on Saturday, long-distance runner Ackelia Smith etched her name into Jamaican athletics history, securing a maiden national long jump and triple jump double at the annual Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior & Senior Championships. Smith, who already claimed the long jump gold with a 6.81m leap on the opening Thursday of the event, delivered a winning 13.95m triple jump effort with a +2.0m/s wind reading to complete the historic achievement, all while competing through a nagging heel injury sustained more than a week prior to the meet.

Competing through consistent pain that could have easily sidelined her from the entire championships, Smith expressed quiet satisfaction with her dual titles, even as she acknowledged falling short of her own personal performance expectations. “I have to say it was a good week because I ended up winning both events, but personally I would have loved to jump better,” the 2024 Olympic multi-event competitor shared post-victory. “Still, I was competing with an injury that could have kept me out, so I’m just happy that I was able to come out and compete at all.”

The triple jump crown marks Smith’s first national senior title in the discipline, adding to an already impressive resume that includes four prior national long jump titles. Securing the double had been a core goal for her heading into the championships, and the athlete says she is relieved to check the milestone off her list despite the physical setback. “Winning the double was part of the plan. I’m glad I was able to come out and get it done,” Smith said. “I hurt my heel a little over a week ago and have been working on rehab for that, so I’m happy I was able to get through the competition healthy enough to win.”

When asked to name her favorite of the two jumping events, Smith surprised many by saying she would pick the triple jump if forced to choose, despite her longer history of success in the long jump. “People think I’m crazy for this but I do love the triple jump,” she explained. “While I like the long jump a lot, I have always had a special passion for the triple.”

Though just four athletes stepped to the triple jump runway on Saturday, the field delivered impressive performances across the board. Jade-Ann Dawkins, a former St Jago High standout competing out of Kansas State University, took home silver with a 13.67m effort, while NCAA champion Shantae Foreman of Clemson University claimed bronze with a wind-assisted 13.49m mark. Machaeda Linton of Texas A&M University rounded out the four-person field in fourth place.

In other key results from Saturday’s competition, former World Championships gold medalist Tajay Gayle claimed his third national men’s long jump title with a leading 8.37m season-best leap. Jordan Turner took second place with a wind-assisted 8.22m, while Nikaoli Williams secured the third and final spot on the national podium.

In the women’s shot put, Lloydricia Cameron earned the first national senior title of her career, throwing a winning 17.57m to outpace the field. Kimeka Smith of Clemson University took silver with a 16.03m throw, while Britannie Johnson of Purdue University rounded out the top three with a 15.55m effort.

Beyond the final events decided on Saturday, the meet also hosted semi-final heats to set the field for Sunday’s closing day finals. Rising star Kerrica Hill posted the fastest qualifying time for the women’s 100m hurdles final, clocking a 12.69 seconds season-best to lead the field into the final. Joining Hill in the final are Demisha Roswell, Olympic bronze medalist Megan Simmonds, NCAA third-place finisher Janela Spencer, Amoi Brown, Tonie Ann Forbes, and former Western Championships winners Alexis James and Salieci Myles.

Defending national champion Ashanti Moore topped the women’s 200m semi-finals with a 22.88 seconds run to lead the field into Sunday’s final. Jodean Williams clocked a 23.05 seconds season-best to take the second-fastest qualifying spot, with Alana Reid, Niesha Burgher and Lavanya Williams also advancing to the decisive round.

In the men’s 200m semi-finals, 2023’s runner-up Christopher Taylor posted a 20.49 seconds season-best to secure the top qualifying spot, edging out former 400m hurdles national champion Roshawn Clarke, who ran 20.63 seconds to also advance. Jevaughn Powell, Adrian Kerr and Kadrian Goldson all claimed their spots in Sunday’s men’s 200m final as well.

LOS ANGELES, U.S. (AFP) – The 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G clash between Belgium and Iran delivered a tense, resultless stalemate on Sunday, leaving the once top-ranked Belgian side on the brink of a second consecutive early tournament exit after being reduced to 10 players for the final stretch of the match.

Loaded with global star power but hampered by an ageing core that includes midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne and target forward Romelu Lukaku, Belgium was ultimately lucky to escape the Southern California stadium with a single point. The Red Devils dominated possession for most of 90 minutes but failed to turn that control into dangerous scoring chances, instead ceding all the match’s clearest opportunities to a defensively resolute Iran side.

Iran’s star striker Mehdi Taremi thought he had opened the scoring in the first half off a well-orchestrated set piece, but the goal was quickly overturned by VAR for offside. The turning point came in the second half, when young Belgian center-back Nathan Ngoy sent a woefully misplayed backpass toward keeper Thibaut Courtois, leaving Taremi free to race in on goal. Ngoy dragged the striker down to prevent a clear scoring opportunity, earning an immediate red card that left Belgium down a man for the rest of the encounter.

The scoreless result means all three Group G matches played to date have ended in draws, leaving the table tightly congested. Belgium sits with two points through two matches, entering its final group stage fixture against tournament lowest-ranked side New Zealand, a match that gives the Red Devils a narrow path to advance to the knockout round.

Iran also needs at least one point from its final match against Egypt next Friday in Seattle to secure progression. The side faced significant off-field disruptions leading up to the Los Angeles clash, with persistent visa issues slowing travel from its base camp in Mexico to match venues in the United States. Reports indicate those travel restrictions have now been eased, allowing Team Melli to focus fully on preparation for its decisive final group game.

For the second consecutive Iran match in this World Cup, protesters from Los Angeles’ large Persian exile community gathered outside the stadium to demonstrate against Iran’s hardline ruling government. Inside the venue, the playing of Iran’s national anthem was met with loud boos and whistles, a stark contrast to the warm reception the Iranian players themselves received from the crowd, who cheered loudly for the team throughout the match.

Iran set up in a five-man defensive formation to start the game, dropping deep into its own half and ceding territorial control to Belgium. That defensive shape let the Red Devils complete hundreds of passes around Iran’s 18-yard box, but Belgium could not break through to create any high-quality chances. Lukaku, returned to the starting lineup after a strong substitute performance in Belgium’s opening 1-1 draw with Egypt, managed only one shot effort all half: a 36th-minute header that sailed well over the crossbar.

Against the run of play, Iran claimed the two best scoring opportunities of the opening 45 minutes. First, defender Hossein Kanani fired a low shot on goal after a long throw-in, forcing a sharp save from a fully stretched Courtois. Then Taremi capitalized on a cleverly worked free-kick routine to slot the ball into the back of the net, but the VAR review wiped out the goal to the disappointment of the heavily pro-Iran crowd inside the stadium. The former Inter Milan striker had escaped Belgium’s defensive wall, spun into open space and finished cleanly before the offside call was made.

After halftime, Belgium continued to press without creating consistent danger, while Taremi nearly found the breakthrough once again. After Kanani flicked on another long throw to the striker, Courtois came up big with another critical save to keep the game scoreless.

Around the 60-minute mark, Belgian head coach Rudi Garcia made three attacking substitutions to spark his stagnant offense, and the move almost paid off immediately. Maxim De Cuyper got on the end of a cutback from De Bruyne for a point-blank effort, but Iran’s keeper turned the shot away. Just moments later, substitute Hans Vanaken blasted a rebound well over the crossbar, as the Red Devils finally began to generate consistent dangerous pressure in Iran’s final third.

That momentum shift was derailed by Ngoy’s red card, after his underhit backpass put Taremi clean through on goal. Following the sending off, the match settled into a scrappy, nervous stalemate, though De Cuyper came close to a late winner with a low shot from just outside the penalty area that went just wide.

With both teams still in the hunt for a knockout round spot, the final group stage matches next week will deliver high-stakes action for all four Group G contenders.

The 2026 expanded FIFA World Cup, the first iteration of the tournament to feature 48 competing nations, has sparked a dramatic boom in sports betting activity across Jamaica, with two of the country’s leading betting operators reporting sharp growth in both new customers and wager values, according to statements from the companies’ top executives.

Adam Epstein, CEO of local betting firm Island Bet, revealed that the company has recorded a 200% jump in new customers signing up to place bets on World Cup matches, far outpacing pre-tournament projections. The expanded format, which welcomed multiple first-time World Cup qualifiers, has injected extra excitement into this year’s competition, driving engagement from both first-time bettors and long-time loyal patrons, who are increasingly placing larger stakes than in previous tournaments.

One of the biggest early upsets of the tournament – a 1-1 draw between four-time champions Spain and World Cup debutant Cabo Verde – has already produced one seven-figure winner: an Island Bet customer walked away with $1.2 million after correctly predicting the shock result. Epstein noted that Cabo Verde’s historic performance has captured the attention of Jamaican punters, who have increasingly placed wagers on underdog nations beyond the traditional tournament favorites. In addition to Cabo Verde, host nation the United States and other African sides have seen strong support from bettors, while perennial winners like Brazil remain the most popular picks to lift the 2026 trophy.

When it comes to wager sizes, Epstein confirmed that stakes range from as little as $20 for casual bettors testing the waters up to $250,000 for high-stakes bets on single matches. The CEO expects maximum bet values to climb even higher as the tournament progresses into the knockout rounds, when matches grow in stakes and star power. He added that Island Bet’s risk management team is fully prepared to handle any payout scenarios as the competition unfolds.

Stefan Miller, CEO of Jamaica’s Supreme Ventures Gaming Limited, echoed the positive growth trends, reporting that betting volume through the first eight days of the 2026 tournament was 40% higher than the corresponding period of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Miller noted that interest has already exceeded internal forecasts, with a notable influx of casual, first-time bettors joining long-time patrons in betting on matches. He projects that engagement will continue to rise as the tournament moves into the more high-stakes knockout phase.

Miller pointed out that sports betting has seen consistent double-digit annual growth in Jamaica since 2019, mirroring a global trend that makes it the fastest-growing segment of the betting industry. He attributes this sustained growth to shifting preferences among younger bettors, who view sports betting as a skill-based activity that requires knowledge of the game, historical context, and statistical analysis, rather than pure chance. Average spend per bettor has also risen 20% compared to the 2022 World Cup, with bets ranging from $100 up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, split between high-volume avid fans and casual bettors who wager for entertainment while supporting star players or beloved national teams.

Both CEOs credit multiple factors for the booming engagement in 2026. First, the expanded 48-team format has created more underdog storylines and opportunities for surprise results, which draws in fans. Second, the global appeal of football, which unites fans across backgrounds during the quadrennial tournament, creates a shared excitement that drives betting. Finally, technological advancements have streamlined online betting, making it far more convenient for customers to place wagers from anywhere. Both operators have seen strong growth across both retail brick-and-mortar outlets and online betting platforms, with thousands of customers participating in 2026 World Cup betting through both channels.

To capitalize on the heightened interest, both companies have invested heavily in customer experiences tied to the tournament. Supreme Ventures has launched its Gold Rush marketing campaign, which offers weekly prizes and surprises, including three round-of-16 match tickets awarded to customers so far, and hosts public watch parties at Caymanas Park that will run through the tournament final. Island Bet, meanwhile, has partnered with Lucky Play to open a new fan-focused location at Port Henderson Plaza in Portmore, St Catherine, where customers can watch matches on a large screen while placing bets.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11 and will conclude with the final on July 19, marking the largest expansion in the tournament’s 96-year history. In closing statements, both executives encouraged fans to enjoy the once-every-four-year event while reminding patrons to bet responsibly.

One of track and field’s most exciting young multi-discipline talents, Roshawn Clarke, is making a bold change of pace at Jamaica’s 2024 National Junior and Senior Championships. The 21-year-old Swept Track Club athlete, who holds the global World Under-20 record in the 400m hurdles—his signature event—has opted to sit out his specialist race this year to test his speed over the 200m distance.

Clarke’s career to date has already marked him as one of Jamaica’s brightest rising stars. He claimed a bronze medal at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships in the 400m hurdles, followed by a fourth-place finish at the senior World Athletics Championships in 2023. His personal best of 47.34 seconds in the event stands as the fastest time ever recorded by a Jamaican hurdler, making his choice to skip the national 400m hurdles field all the more surprising.

In comments after his 200m semi-final run, Clarke explained that the strategic shift was planned months in advance, in coordination with his coaching team. “Me and coach, we have been communicating about this season from the end of last season,” he said. “We just want to try something new, have a little bit of fun. Getting our body recovered from the hurdles. Over the years, we’ve been doing hurdles, you know, 400m hurdles takes a lot out of the body. So, we’re just trying to experience something new.”

Far from being an entirely new challenge for the versatile athlete, a return to short sprints is actually a homecoming. Before specializing in hurdles, Clarke cut his teeth as a flat sprinter, and his range of personal bests across distances confirms his all-round talent: 10.46 seconds for the 100m, 20.41 seconds for the 200m, 44.98 seconds for the 400m flat, and 6.62 seconds for the 60m indoor sprint. He has also represented Jamaica at the international level in both the men’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relays, adding further to his decorated resume.

Clarke originally considered contesting the 400m flat at this year’s national championships, but adjusted his plans after inconsistent training results early in the season. “I wanted to do it at this year’s championship, but it wasn’t connecting because earlier in the season I was so fast and then carrying it over into the 400m, I wasn’t getting the best execution,” he explained. “So, we just follow through with that and go for the 200m.”

In his 200m semi-final, Clarke delivered a promising performance to secure his place in the event final. Running into a stiff headwind of -2.9 m/s, he crossed the line second in 20.63 seconds, behind World Championships relay medalist Christopher Taylor, who clocked 20.49 seconds to take the top spot in the heat. Clarke held the lead coming off the final curve before easing off the gas slightly in the final 80m, a strategic choice that he said left him comfortable with his second-place seeding for the final.

“I came off the curve in the lead. I was just conserving a bit because we both planned the race before we ran. So, he [my coach] said I should check for my competitors at 80m,” Clarke recalled. “I didn’t see him [Taylor]. So, actually, I came off the turn, and I didn’t anybody. So, I tend to step off the gas a little bit and then I see him come by and I’m like, okay, he’s here. So, I went through for a second. So, it’s nothing that I couldn’t manage.”

Entering the 200m final with the second-fastest qualifying time, Clarke has already proven he can hold his own against Jamaica’s elite sprinters. Analysts and fans alike are now watching closely to see if the decorated hurdler can pull off an unlikely national title in his new event, capping off his experimental season with a historic win.

ATLANTA, GA — In the lead-up to the opening Group H World Cup clash at Atlanta’s cutting-edge Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the face of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal is impossible to miss. Towering billboards featuring the teenage Barcelona winger line the city’s skyscrapers, a clear signal of just how much hype surrounds the young star — and that hype just became necessity for the reigning European champions, who now find themselves pinning their World Cup hopes on his precocious talent. Pre-tournament title favorites Spain stumbled badly out of the gate in their first match, grinding to a lifeless 0-0 draw with World Cup debutants Cape Verde, a result that has sparked widespread questions about the squad’s ability to deliver on their pre-tournament promise.

Yamal, who missed nearly two months of action with a nagging hamstring injury and was only just returning to full match fitness, was held in reserve by head coach Luis de la Fuente until the final 25 minutes of the clash. Even in that limited playing time, and despite failing to break the deadlock, his introduction immediately shifted the dynamic of the match. For the 68,000 fans packed into the stadium, most of whom had turned out to catch a glimpse of one of the game’s brightest young stars, Yamal’s arrival finally gave the crowd something to cheer for. Spain’s slow, methodical passing attack, which had struggled to create any clear chances against a compact Cape Verde defense, finally gained a cutting edge: Yamal’s ability to run at defenders stretched the opposition’s backline and opened up space for his teammates.

“Lamine is undoubtedly a special player,” said Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino after the final whistle. “He has great ability to beat his man and disrupt the opposition’s defensive shape. Given Lamine’s quality, he can influence any game at any moment.”

Yamal catapulted to global stardom just two years ago, when he turned in a series of stunning performances as a 16-year-old to help Spain claim the Euro 2024 title. Alongside Nico Williams, the explosive winger on the opposite flank, Yamal formed one of the most dangerous attacking duels in international football, blending blistering speed, close control, and consistent goal threat that tore through opposition defenses at the Euros. But like Yamal, Williams has also battled injury issues this season, and he only saw action in the final minutes of stoppage time against Cape Verde.

Without both wingers’ elite one-on-one ability to unlock packed defenses, Spain slipped back into the familiar pattern of World Cup underperformance that has plagued the side since they lifted their only World Cup trophy in 2010. In the 16 years since that triumph, La Roja have won just three of their 12 World Cup matches, with a recurring tendency to dominate possession without turning that control into goals. Against Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the FIFA world rankings, that trend held: Spain controlled the ball for most of the 90 minutes but failed to register a single goal, echoing their toothless displays against Japan and Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, where they accumulated over 2,500 passes before finally finding the back of the net.

“Lamine showed exactly what he’s capable of the moment he stepped onto the pitch,” de la Fuente told reporters after the match. “He forced the opposition to change their approach, but that was the amount of playing time we felt was right for him given his recent injury.”

The Spain manager has urged fans and pundits alike not to panic following the opening draw, pointing to the side’s impressive 32-game unbeaten streak in competitive matches that stretches back more than three years. Yamal echoed that calm tone in a post-match social media post, writing, “Don’t have any doubt. We know this is a long competition and the objective is still far off. We will keep working and everything will work out how we want.”

The expanded 48-team format of this World Cup does give title contenders room to build momentum gradually, and a single win in their remaining two group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay would almost certainly be enough to book Spain a spot in the knockout rounds. But the opening clash has made one thing unavoidable: Yamal is central to Spain’s dream of lifting a second World Cup trophy, a reality that has put unexpected pressure on de la Fuente to start the teenager against Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday — potentially earlier than the manager planned when the tournament began.

Just days before the tournament kicked off, de la Fuente boasted that his squad’s depth made it the strongest contender in the competition. But after the underwhelming opening draw, La Roja now look heavily reliant on their teenage superstar — and on him staying fit through the grueling, expanded schedule of the weeks ahead.

One of Jamaica’s brightest track and field talents, former world 400-meter champion Antonio Watson, delivered a statement performance Sunday at the National Stadium, claiming his first-ever senior national title at the JAAA National Championships. Competing in the men’s 400-meter final, Watson crossed the finish line in a blistering 44.73 seconds – his fastest competitive time since his unforgettable underdog victory at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where he stunned the global athletics community to take home gold.

Watson made his decisive move coming around the final bend, edging into the top spot before the straightaway, and held off charging challengers to maintain his lead all the way to the line. Delano Kennedy secured second place with a solid time of 45.11 seconds, while Zaveir Brown rounded out the podium in third with a 45.26-second finish.

On the women’s side of the 400-meter competition, Stacey-Ann Williams also earned her first senior national crown, clocking an impressive 50.33 seconds to claim the top spot on the podium. Leah Anderson finished as runner-up with a time of 51.04 seconds, while Shana Kay Anderson took third place after crossing the line in 51.52 seconds.

The national championships serve as a key qualifying event for Jamaican athletes targeting international competitions, making the breakthrough titles for both Watson and Williams a major milestone in their respective careers. The event, held at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, continues to showcase the depth of young sprinting talent that Jamaica has become globally renowned for.

MIAMI GARDENS, U.S. – In a stunning Group E World Cup clash that shook up the tournament standings on Sunday, World Cup first-timers Cape Verde fought back from a second-half deficit to snatch a 2-2 draw against two-time world champions Uruguay, extending their unlikely fairy tale run in the competition after a shock opening draw with Spain.

The underdog African side got off to a dream start that caught Uruguay completely off guard. In the 21st minute, Kevin Pina etched his name into Cape Verde’s history books, scoring the nation’s first ever World Cup goal with a blistering long-range free kick. The effort slipped through a disorganized Uruguay defensive wall and beat goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, sending the underdog fans into wild celebrations.

Uruguay, who had already been held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia in their opening fixture, looked set to fall to another upset until they turned the game around in the final minutes of the first half. First, in stoppage time before the break, a cross into the box led to Cape Verde defender Sidney Lopes Cabral heading the ball against his own post under heavy pressure from Rodrigo Bentancur. Maximiliano Araujo was first to react, nodding the loose ball into the net past stranded Cape Verde keeper Vozinha to level the score.

Just two minutes later, in the sixth minute of first-half added time, Uruguay completed their quick turnaround. Araujo nodded a cross across the face of goal, and Agustin Canobbio connected cleanly with a volley to slot the ball home, giving the South American side a 2-1 lead going into halftime.

Uruguay dominated the opening stages of the second half and looked poised to hold onto their lead, until a costly mistake from 40-year-old veteran keeper Muslera handed Cape Verde a lifeline. In the 61st minute, Muslera inexplicably rushed far off his goal line to intercept a through ball, only to be beaten to the touch by Cape Verde substitute Helio Varela. Varela controlled the ball beautifully with one touch and rolled it into the empty net to draw the underdog side level again.

Late in the match, Cape Verde’s Vozinha – the hero of their opening draw with Spain – fumbled a shot that would have let Araujo tap into an open net, but the effort was ruled out for offside, sparing the keeper’s mistake. Real Madrid star Federico Valverde had a late chance to win the match for Uruguay, but he blazed a dangerous free kick from just outside the box over the crossbar.

The result leaves both teams heading into their final group matches with very different outlooks. Cape Verde now sit with two points from two games, keeping their knockout stage hopes very much alive. Next Saturday, they will face off against a Saudi Arabia side that suffered a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain earlier on Sunday. A win for Cape Verde would secure their spot in the round of 16, a remarkable achievement for a debutant nation ranked far lower than both Uruguay and Spain.

For two-time champion Uruguay, however, the outcome puts their progression hopes in serious jeopardy. The draw marks the second consecutive match where they have dropped points against a lower-ranked opponent, leaving them with just two points going into their final group game against European champions Spain. Uruguay now likely need a full three points against Spain to avoid being knocked out in the group stage for the second consecutive World Cup, a hugely disappointing result for a side with such a decorated tournament history.

Before kickoff, Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa made two adjustments to the side that drew with Saudi Arabia, opting to leave star striker Darwin Nunez on the bench. Cape Verde manager Bubista made three changes to his starting lineup, all in attacking positions, as he looked to generate more offensive pressure than his side managed against Spain. Despite that attacking change, Uruguay carved out the first clear chance of the match, with Valverde drilling a left-footed effort just wide of the goal early on.