分类： sports

Jamaica’s track and field community suffered another significant setback as organizers abruptly cancelled the prestigious Queen’s/Grace Jackson Development Meet scheduled for January 31. This marks the latest in a concerning series of athletic event cancellations plaguing the island nation’s sporting calendar.

The organizing committee issued a concise statement expressing regret: “The Organising Committee for the Queen’s Grace Jackson Meet regrets to announce the cancellation of the 2026 event. We apologise for the short notice and appreciate your understanding. We look forward to rebuilding and hosting a stronger event in 2027.”

This developmental meet carries substantial historical significance, having been established 24 years ago in 2002. The event honors legendary sprinter Grace Jackson, an alumna of Queen’s High who played pivotal roles in both institutional and national athletics. Jackson was instrumental in securing her school’s sole Girls Champs title in 1979 before achieving international acclaim with a silver medal in the 200m at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Her athletic legacy includes holding Jamaican records in both 200m and 400m events and earning Sportswoman of the Year honors in 1986 and 1988.

The cancellation forms part of a disturbing pattern affecting Jamaica’s athletic schedule. Recent announcements confirmed the cancellation of Western Relay, originally slated for February 14. Additionally, the prominent Racers Grand Prix will not proceed this year due to reported funding challenges. The Central Hurdles Relays initially faced cancellation but received a reprieve when organizers discovered that resurfacing work at GC Foster College had been postponed, allowing the event to proceed on January 24.

In a commanding display of cricket, the West Indies Under-19 team secured their place in the Super Six phase of the ICC Cricket World Cup with a decisive 55-run victory against South Africa. The match, held at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, Namibia, showcased exceptional individual performances that propelled the Caribbean side forward.

Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, the West Indies posted a competitive total of 234 runs in 47.5 overs. The innings was masterfully anchored by Zachary Carter, who delivered a spectacular Man-of-the-Match performance. Carter’s magnificent 114 runs came off just 109 deliveries, featuring a powerful display of 8 sixes and 8 fours, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 109 percent.

Carter received valuable support from Jonathan Van Lange (29 runs) and Joshua Dorne (20 runs), though the middle order experienced a brief collapse with three quick wickets falling at 115 runs. South Africa’s JJ Bason emerged as the most successful bowler with remarkable figures of 5-23, while Jason Rowles contributed with 2-44.

The second half of the match witnessed an equally dominant performance from the West Indies bowling attack. Speedster Shaquan Belle delivered a devastating spell, claiming 6-40 and dismantling the South African batting lineup. He received support from Jakeen Pollard (1-19) and Isra-El Morton (1-27) as the team bowled out their opponents for 179 runs.

The victory places West Indies second in Group D with four points from three matches, trailing behind undefeated Afghanistan who lead with six points. South Africa remains third with two points, while Tanzania concludes the group stage without points. The West Indies will next face Ireland on Sunday, January 25th, in their second Super Six stage encounter.

In a stunning display of athletic prowess at the BAUHAUS Gala Indoor meet in Sweden on Thursday, Jamaican sprinter Jonielle Smith delivered a spectacular upset against the renowned Clayton twins. Smith, who had previously finished second to Tia Clayton just days earlier at the Fuller-Anderson meet, dominated the competition from the preliminary rounds. She initially set a new track record of 7.17 seconds in her heat, signaling her championship form.

The highly anticipated final saw Smith elevate her performance even further, shattering her own newly established record with an exceptional time of 7.12 seconds. The Clayton twins, Tina and Tia, who received automatic qualifications to the final, found themselves unexpectedly outperformed. In an extraordinary photo-finish scenario, both twins recorded identical times of 7.14 seconds, with Tina securing second place by the narrowest margin over Tia who placed third.

Jamaican athletes completed a remarkable podium sweep under the MVP track club banner, while Swedish competitor Julia Henriksson finished fourth with 7.31 seconds. The men’s 60m event presented another surprising outcome as Jamaica’s Olympic and World Championship silver medalist Kishane Thompson was relegated to third position. British sprinter Romell Glave captured victory with a record-setting 6.51 seconds, followed by compatriot Jeremiah Azu at 6.54 seconds, while Thompson completed the course in 6.56 seconds. Jamaica’s additional male contender, Rohan Watson, achieved seventh position with a season-best performance of 6.64 seconds.

Aston Villa has recalled Jamaican international winger Leon Bailey from his ill-fated loan spell at AS Roma, casting significant doubt on his future with the English Premier League contenders. The 28-year-old’s premature return from Italy follows a deeply disappointing stint marked by persistent injury setbacks and minimal on-field impact.

Bailey’s Italian adventure, which began with a season-long loan agreement featuring a €22 million purchase option, culminated after just 11 appearances across all competitions. The Reggae Boyz star managed only two assists and failed to score during his time in Serie A, playing fewer than 300 total minutes since August. His campaign was derailed from the outset, having sustained an injury during his very first training session with Roma.

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini characterized the experience as “negative for both him and us” during a Wednesday press conference. “He got injured on the first day of training, and from there, a real ordeal began,” Gasperini explained. “It was truly a shame because he was a player we thought could add value. I believe injuries were the main factor in this decision.”

The termination represents a surprising reversal from Villa manager Unai Emery, who previously insisted Bailey should “keep playing in Rome” despite his injury challenges. Emery declined to address the situation during Villa’s pre-match conference ahead of their Europa League clash with Fenerbahce, though speculation suggests Bailey could feature in Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle.

With the January transfer window closing on February 2, Bailey’s long-term future remains uncertain. Reports indicate interest from multiple European clubs, including Dutch giants Ajax, Spanish surprise package Girona, Italian side Fiorentina, and Portuguese champions Benfica. Premier League club Bournemouth had previously inquired about Bailey’s availability as a potential replacement for Antoine Semenyo, though they subsequently secured alternative attacking reinforcement.

Bailey, who joined Villa in 2021 and has made 144 appearances for the club, remains under contract until June 2027. His agent Craig Butler had not commented publicly at press time, with further clarity regarding the Jamaican international’s next move expected in the coming days.