分类： sports

The Jamaica Football Federation’s National Championships qualifying tournament is reaching its decisive phase, with four high-stakes matches scheduled for today that will reshape group standings and determine which teams edge closer to securing a spot in the 2026-27 season’s main competition. The qualifying round offers two total berths to the championships, with all competing sides vying to claim one of the four group winner spots that will advance to the next stage of contention, raising the intensity of every remaining fixture.

The most anticipated matchup of the day will take place at Trelawny Stadium, where Group D’s top two sides Coopers Pen and Lucea will go head-to-head for sole possession of first place. Currently, Hanover’s regional champions Lucea sit atop the group standings with seven points, holding a narrow one-point advantage over second-place Coopers Pen, who have climbed up the table after back-to-back wins in their most recent outings.

Lucea enters the match with both historical and positional momentum: the side is already one step ahead after a 2-1 victory over Coopers Pen in their first meeting, and a win today would give them a valuable season sweep over their closest rival. More importantly, a positive result would cement Lucea’s place at the top of the group, putting them on track to make history as the first ever team from Hanover to qualify for the JFF National Championships. However, Lucea cannot afford a slip-up: a loss against Coopers Pen would open the door for third-place Faulkland United to overtake both sides, assuming Faulkland picks up a win on the road against Russia at Llandilo Sports Complex.

Faulkland United entered the qualifying tournament as one of Group D’s pre-competition favorites, but their campaign has fallen flat of expectations so far. The side has only notched one win to date, a dominant 3-0 opening victory over Russia, and has collected just one point from their last two matches, falling to Coopers Pen before playing out a dramatic 3-3 draw with Lucea this past Wednesday.

Across the other three groups, the race for first place remains similarly tight. In Group A, table-toppers Cedar Grove will travel to face York United at the York Sports Complex, looking to avenge their scoreless draw in the first matchup between the two sides. A win for Cedar Grove would stretch their lead at the top to a commanding five points, putting them well on course for top spot. Conversely, a win for York United—their first of the entire qualifying tournament—would see them jump over Cedar Grove to claim first place in the group.

In Group C, Mile Gully has a clear opportunity to climb to the top of the standings when they face off against last-place Vineyard at the Vineyard Community Centre. Vineyard has had a disappointing campaign so far, failing to pick up a single point through all their matches, leaving Mile Gully heavily favored to take all three points and the top spot.

Group B’s qualifying race has been narrowed down to a two-team contest after the Portlanders withdrew from the competition, leaving Kings Academy and Axum tied on four points at the top of the table. No match between the two is scheduled for today, leaving their battle for first place to be decided in future fixtures.

To recap Wednesday’s preliminary results: Cedar Grove earned a tight 2-1 away win over Brown’s Town, Kings Academy defeated Portlanders 3-0 in what would be Portlanders’ final match before withdrawal, the 3-3 draw between Lucea and Faulkland United held, and Coopers Pen picked up their second consecutive win with a 3-1 victory over Russia.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a display of dominant athletic prowess at the National Stadium on Sunday, Nayoka Clunis cemented her status as Jamaica’s undisputed queen of women’s hammer throw by capturing her sixth national championship crown at the annual JAAA National Championships. Clunis, a veteran who has twice represented Jamaica at the World Athletics Championships, delivered a winning throw of 68.93 meters to outpace all competitors and wrap up the top spot on the podium. The star thrower’s performance was nothing short of consistent: five of her six attempts landed beyond the 65.00-meter mark, a benchmark that far outstripped the work of her fellow competitors and highlighted her long-standing dominance in the national scene. Clunis has been in exceptional form throughout 2024, setting a new Jamaican national record of 72.03 meters during a competition in mid-April. That record-breaking throw has already pushed her to fourth place in the Commonwealth rankings, positioning her as one of the region’s top contenders for future international competitions. Behind Clunis, the battle for the remaining podium spots was clear: Britannia Johnson, a competitor representing Purdue University, took home the silver medal with a best throw of 52.70 meters, while Fabrienne Foster of the University of North Texas claimed bronze with a top mark of 48.00 meters. The result extends Clunis’ unprecedented run of success at the national level, and sets the stage for her to compete for more international honors in the coming athletic season.

At the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior & Senior Championships held at Kingston’s National Stadium on Friday, 19-year-old sprinter Gary Card delivered a career-defining performance that cemented his place among the world’s most exciting young track talents. Card clocked a blistering 9.93 seconds in the senior men’s 100m final to take second place, breaking the long-standing Jamaican junior men’s national record in the process. The breakout run also reshaped the global under-20 sprint rankings, pushing Card into the exclusive ranks of history’s fastest junior sprinters.

Finishing just behind race winner Oblique Seville, who ran a world-leading 9.82 seconds this season, Card’s new time sliced 0.10 seconds off his own personal best of 10.03 seconds, set at the prestigious Penn Relays back in April. The previous Jamaican junior record of 9.99 seconds, set by Bouwahjgie Nkrumie in 2023, now falls to Card, who also sits atop 2024’s World Under-20 100m rankings. He outpaces Australia’s Gout Gout and Nigeria’s John Caleb, both of whom have clocked 10.00 seconds this season, to claim the number one spot.

In the all-time global under-20 100m rankings, Card now shares third place with American sprinter Christian Miller, running just fractions behind the top two: Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who set the current world junior record of 9.91 seconds in 2022, and American Maurice Gleaton, who ran 9.92 seconds earlier this year. The teen sprinter credits his consistent preparation and elite training environment for the breakthrough, saying his daily work had long signaled that a fast time was on the horizon.

“Based on training times and how I felt overall, I knew that I could go where I’ve never gone before — and I was excited to do so,” Card explained after the race.

This season, Card made the deliberate choice to skip the high-profile ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships to enroll at the University of Technology, Jamaica, and join the elite MVP Track and Field Club, a decision that has already paid dividends. Lining up against far more experienced senior competitors in the final did not phase the young sprinter, a reality he attributes to training alongside some of the fastest athletes on the planet. He is a regular training partner of Kishane Thompson, an Olympic and World Championships medalist widely regarded as one of the top sprinters in the world today.

“It’s not unusual to me because I train with the fastest man in the world. Every day I get beat up at training, so it just shows that it’s worth something,” Card added.

With the 2024 international athletics season now hitting its stride, Card says he is ready and willing to compete at any championship he is selected for, regardless of scheduling conflicts. Two major events on the horizon are the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, though the Commonwealth Games concludes just days before the start of the World Under-20 Championships. For Card, the selection does not matter — he is focused only on putting forward his best performance wherever he gets the chance.

“I don’t have a preference. As long as I do the best I can anywhere, it’s really anything for me so I just have to run, to be honest,” Card said.

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.