分类： sports

On the second day of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Regional Championships, a cohort of Jamaican collegiate competitors turned in standout performances to lock in their spots at the national finals, or advance to subsequent qualifying rounds, capping off a day of impressive personal and competitive milestones.

At the West Regional tournament hosted by the University of Arkansas, Kansas State long jumper Aaliyah Lindsay delivered the performance of her collegiate career to punch her first-ever ticket to the National Outdoor Championships, set to kick off in June at the University of Oregon. Entering her third and final attempt of the competition sitting outside the qualifying cutline, Lindsay unleashed a 6.55m leap with a 1.1m/s tailwind — a massive 13-centimeter improvement on her previous personal best, set when she took second place at the Big 12 Championships. The result landed her fourth place overall at the regional event, and lifted her into a tie for the second-best long jump mark in Kansas State program history.

Over at the University of Kentucky, host of the East Regional, Clemson long jumper Shantae Foreman needed just one valid attempt to secure her placement at the national finals. Her 6.47m jump, recorded into a -0.5m/s headwind, earned her second place overall in the event, enough to guarantee her spot in Oregon.

Also competing at the East Regional, Purdue shot putter Britannie Johnson joined Foreman in qualifying for her first ever national championships, thanks to a new personal best throw. Johnson launched the shot 16.91m, beating her previous top mark of 16.62m to claim ninth place and the final qualifying spot. Fellow Jamaican competitor Kimeka Smith of Clemson narrowly missed out on the national cutline, finishing 13th overall with a 16.74m throw.

Beyond the athletes who locked in national championship spots, a handful of other Jamaican sprinters and hurdlers advanced to the East Regional’s second qualifying rounds scheduled for Saturday. University of Florida standout Gabrielle Matthews turned heads with a dual qualification, booking her spot in the second round of both the women’s 100m and 200m. She clocked 11.08 seconds in the 100m (with a 0.3m/s wind reading), while Florida State’s Shenese Walker also advanced with a time of 11.15 seconds into a -0.3m/s headwind. Matthews followed that performance with a 22.68-second run in the 200m (0.9m/s wind) to lock in her second spot in the next round.

Five Jamaican 100m hurdlers also advanced out of the first round at the East Regional, led by Clemson’s Oneka Wilson who posted the fastest qualifying time of 12.79 seconds with a 3.0m/s tailwind. She was followed by Ohio State’s Janela Spencer (12.83 seconds, 0.2m/s), Louisiana State’s Salieci Myles (13.04 seconds, 0.3m/s), Clemson’s Briana Campbell, who ran a new personal best of 13.10 seconds with a 1.0m/s wind, and Auburn’s Danae Nembhard (13.23 seconds, 0.0m/s).

In the women’s 400m at the East Regional, the University of Georgia’s Dejanea Oakley secured her spot in the next round with a 50.60-second run, while Northwestern State’s Rushana Dwyer hit a new personal best of 51.03 seconds to qualify. Georgia’s Shaquena Foote failed to advance, managing only a 52.29-second run.

At the West Regional, Texas sprinter Carleta Bernard, who missed the entire SEC Championships earlier this season, made a successful return to competition by clocking 11.23 seconds (0.0m/s) to advance in the 100m, joined by Longhorns teammate Abigail Wolfe who ran 11.33 seconds (0.3m/s) to qualify. Texas Tech’s Tonie Ann Forbes also advanced to the 100m hurdles second round with a 13.23-second run (1.2m/s), while the University of Texas-San Antonio’s Shadae Findley qualified for the 400m second round with a 52.55-second finish.

Reporting by Paul A Reid, from Kingston, Jamaica.

London’s The Valley played host to a tense Unity Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday, where Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz side secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over India to punch their ticket to the tournament final. Despite widespread pre-match expectations of a more lopsided result for Jamaica, interim head coach Rudolph Speid has expressed full satisfaction with his side’s performance, highlighting the inexperience of the newly assembled squad as a key context for the outcome.

The game got off to a dream start for 23-year-old English-born debutant Courtney Clarke, who netted the opening goal just eight minutes into the match with a stunning long-range strike from the edge of the 18-yard box. Clarke, plies his trade at fourth-tier English club Walsall FC, spoke openly about the overwhelming emotion of his first international appearance, saying the moment has been a lifelong dream fulfilled.

“From the first day I joined the squad, every staff member and player has welcomed me like family,” Clarke said after the match. “This means the world to me, my family and everyone who supported me to get here. I have to thank the gaffer for giving me this chance to show what I can do on the international stage. I feel more Jamaican than English right now — this is truly a dream come true.”

After Clarke’s early opener, India dug in and frustrated Jamaica for much of the second half, forcing the Reggae Boyz to work diligently for their second goal. It was not until the 78th minute that Kaheim Dixon, returning to his home club ground of Charlton Athletic, found the back of the net to seal the win.

Speid emphasized that the scoreline reflected the squad’s unique profile rather than a lack of effort or quality. The current squad has an average age under 22, with many players taking the field together for the first time at the international level. Two players, Clarke and Everton defender Odin Samuels-Smith, made their senior debuts in the tie, while multiple players from Jamaica’s domestic Premier League earned valuable minutes, including starting players Kyle Ming of Mount Pleasant Football Academy and Nickalia Fuller of Tivoli Gardens FC.

“After getting that early goal, our priority shifted a little,” Speid explained. “We weren’t just pushing to pile on more goals; we were focusing on consolidating the result and using this match as preparation for what comes next. For such a young group, playing together for the first time, I think we did more than enough to get the win we needed.”

The result marks the second consecutive Unity Cup final appearance for the Reggae Boyz, who will face off against Nigeria in Sunday’s title decider. The two sides met in last year’s final under former head coach Steve McClaren, where Nigeria claimed the trophy after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win. Speid says his coaching staff has already begun analyzing Nigeria’s recent performance, and the squad is focused on securing a better outcome this time around.

“Playing against Nigeria is always an exciting challenge,” Speid said. “They’re one of African football’s true powerhouses, and they play an attractive, attacking style that always makes for a great game. We watched their match on Tuesday, we’ll do our full analysis over the coming days, and we’ll make any adjustments we need to get the result we want. Last year’s match was incredible, this year we’re hoping to come out on top.”

Full Starting XI: Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Odin Samuels-Smith, Damion Lowe, Kyle Ming, Courtney Clarke, Brandon Cover, Isaac Hayden, Tyrese Hall, Kaheim Dixon, Bailey Cadamarteri, Nickalia Fuller

Second-half substitutions: Christopher Ainsworth, Jeovanni Laing, Dwight Merrick, Nickyle Ellis, Dejaune Brown

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — A sudden calf injury has thrown 34-year-old Brazilian football star Neymar’s participation in the opening match of the upcoming World Cup into serious question, the Brazilian men’s national team’s medical head Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed in a press briefing Thursday.

The injury, which Lasmar confirmed will require between 14 and 21 days of targeted treatment and rehabilitation, has already ruled the Al Hilal forward, who recently returned to his boyhood club Santos on a short-term deal, out of Brazil’s two scheduled pre-tournament warm-up friendlies. Those exhibition matches, scheduled to take place ahead of the World Cup kickoff against Panama and Egypt, will proceed without the team’s most high-profile attacking playmaker.

Beyond the friendlies, however, the timeline for recovery also casts uncertainty over whether Neymar will be fit enough to feature when Brazil kicks off their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13. Following Neymar’s complaint of discomfort after training, the medical team conducted an MRI to assess the damage, which revealed a grade two muscle strain in the calf.

“Our current medical expectation is that he will be cleared to return to team activity and available for selection within that two to three week window,” Lasmar explained, adding that the medical staff will adjust the rehabilitation plan as Neymar progresses to avoid any risk of re-injury ahead of the tournament.

For Brazilian fans, the news comes as a major blow ahead of what is widely expected to be Neymar’s final appearance at a World Cup. The five-time champions have relied on Neymar’s creative attacking output for more than a decade, and his absence from the opening match would force head coach Dorival Júnior to adjust his starting lineup just days before the tournament gets underway.

After a promising debut in Las Vegas, the controversial Enhanced Games has announced a massive tenfold increase in the prize for any athlete who can dethrone Usain Bolt’s iconic men’s 100-meter world record at its 2027 second edition, catapulting the reward from $1 million to an unprecedented $10 million.

The landmark prize adjustment was revealed in a shareholder update from Maximilian Martin, chief executive officer of the Enhanced Games organization, coming hot on the heels of the competition’s inaugural showcase. During the first Games, 13 participating athletes notched 21 personal best performances under the event’s unique medically supervised performance enhancement framework, a core policy that sets the Enhanced Games apart from traditional international athletics competitions.

Bolt’s 9.58-second 100m record, set at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, has stood unbroken for more than 15 years, and remains the high bar that the $10 million reward hinges on. The massive payout is the most high-profile step the organization has taken to draw elite competitors to its alternative model of athletics.

Beyond the record-breaking bonus announcement, Martin shared key early success metrics from the first Games: the inaugural event secured over $32 million in total sponsorship deals, and cumulative viewership across linear television, streaming platforms, and social media channels outpaced the organizing team’s initial projections, signaling strong market interest in the unorthodox competition format.

One of the biggest success stories from the debut event came from swimming, where Greek sprinter Kristian Gkolomeev walked away with $1.5 million after clocking a new 50m freestyle world record of 20.81 seconds. Organizers noted that this payout is the largest single prize ever awarded to a swimmer in the history of the sport.

A core point of emphasis from the Enhanced Games organization is its commitment to competitor safety: all participants underwent rigorous pre-competition health screenings, and every athlete completed their events without major incident. With the 2027 Games already in active planning, organizers are also exploring opportunities to expand the Enhanced Games brand, including smaller satellite competitions and new endurance-focused sporting categories to broaden the event’s scope.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – In a highly anticipated announcement Thursday, Argentina national team head coach Lionel Scaloni officially confirmed that 38-year-old Lionel Messi will wear the captain’s armband and compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking a record-breaking sixth appearance at the global tournament for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Though Messi had not publicly confirmed his participation ahead of the squad reveal, fans and football analysts widely expected the 2022 World Cup-winning skipper to lead the defending champions this summer, four years after he lifted the iconic trophy in Qatar. The announcement brought with it several notable selections and surprising omissions that have already sparked discussion across the global football community.

Recent concerns over Messi’s fitness had dominated headlines in the week leading up to the squad reveal, after the Inter Miami forward was forced off early in a 73rd-minute substitution during his club’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union on Sunday. Initial medical tests diagnosed the Argentine star with left hamstring muscle fatigue, and Inter Miami has not yet released a clear timeline for his return to club action. Scaloni, however, downplayed the severity of the injury earlier this week, reassuring supporters that Messi is fit enough to compete in the tournament this June.

In a notable selection that defied injury concerns, Tottenham Hotspur captain and center-back Cristian Romero earned a spot in Scaloni’s 26-man squad, despite picking up a knee injury last month that ruled him out for the remainder of the 2025-26 Premier League season. Romero sustained the injury after a collision with Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey that forced him into his own goalkeeper, and he has not played competitive football since.
Overall, the Argentine roster retains strong continuity from the 2022 Qatar-winning side, with 17 of the 26 players that claimed the world title four years ago retaining their places in the squad. Scaloni also opted to inject new youth into the lineup, handing call-ups to promising young talents including 21-year-olds Nicolas Paz and Valentin Barco, as well as Palmeiras forward Jose Manuel Lopez, who earned his first international cap only last year.

One of the most talked-about omissions from the squad is 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono, a highly regarded young prospect from Real Madrid who was widely tipped to earn his first World Cup call-up. Other notable absentees include in-form Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia and AS Roma star Paulo Dybala, both of whom missed out on a spot in the final 26.

The 2026 World Cup, the largest iteration of the tournament in history with an expanded 48-team format, will kick off on June 11 across the three North American host nations. Argentina will play its first group stage match five days after the opening ceremony, facing Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. Before the tournament begins, the defending champions will travel to the United States for two pre-tournament friendly matches, taking on Honduras on June 6 and Iceland three days later on June 9. Argentina’s group stage opponents also include Austria and Jordan.

Messi will make history when he steps onto the pitch this summer, joining Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexican veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa as the only players in men’s football history to compete in six separate World Cup tournaments.

Full 26-Man Argentina 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, England), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille, France), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid, Spain)
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate, Argentina), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United, England), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica, Portugal), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille, France), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Facundo Medina (Marseille, France), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon, France)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors, Argentina), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami, USA), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea, England), Alexis MacAllister (Liverpool, England), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis, Spain), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg, France)
Attackers: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, USA), Nicolas Paz (Como, Italy), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Italy), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras, Brazil)