分类： sports

Organizers of Barbados’ Prime Minister’s Cup have announced an extension to the registration deadline for the tournament’s brand-new women’s division, as they work to reach their goal of fielding 12 competitive teams for the historic first edition of the competition. Omari Eastmond, chair of the Prime Minister’s Cup Organising Committee, confirmed the new cutoff for registration is August 9, giving interested teams and athletes additional time to sign up for the groundbreaking event.

The introduction of a women’s division marks a major milestone for the Prime Minister’s Cup, which has run for three years without an official women’s bracket. A core part of the initiative’s mission is advancing gender equity in sports, starting with equal prize purses for male and female competitors: the women’s champions will take home the same $100,000 top prize that has long been awarded to the men’s winning team. This equal pay commitment came directly from Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who rejected the original proposal of a reduced $50,000 purse for women when the new division was first announced last month.

“When they came to me and said that the Prime Minister’s Cup for men would get $100 000 and the women would receive $50 000 because they are less teams, I told them this Prime Minister will not practise gender discrimination,” Mottley stated during the tournament’s launch event. She also issued a public call to female athletes across the country, urging them to rise to the occasion and help the tournament hit its 12-team participation goal.

Eastmond echoed that call, emphasizing the far-reaching benefits of expanding opportunities for women in football beyond the pitch. “Women’s football empowers female athletes, both on and off the field. Young female players consistently report greater confidence and motivation compared to non-players,” he explained. “However, I think the biggest advantage of women’s football is breaking the stereotype that it is a male-oriented and male-dominated sport.”

Athletes interested in joining the new division can complete their registration via the official Prime Minister’s Cup Instagram page, where a direct registration link is posted in the account’s bio.

Following the recent passing of cricket icon and Barbados National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers, the island nation’s Minister of Sport Charles Griffith has put forward a series of ambitious proposals to honor his unparalleled legacy and ensure his impact on global sport and Barbadian culture endures for future generations. Griffith outlined these plans during a parliamentary sitting Friday, as lawmakers gathered to reflect on Sobers’ extraordinary life and career.

At the top of the minister’s proposals is the establishment of a National Sports Hall of Fame, designed to celebrate the achievements of Barbados’ most accomplished athletes. Griffith argued the time has come for the country to build this dedicated cultural and historical attraction, telling parliament that both local residents and international tourists would benefit from the immersive, interactive experience the facility would offer. The Hall of Fame would feature cutting-edge exhibits including QR code technology that lets visitors instantly access detailed biographies, career highlights, and archival content on Sir Garfield and other celebrated Barbadian sporting heroes. “Visitors who come to this island should be able to go into that Hall of Fame and scan a QR code and be able to get all of the information in relation to Sir Garfield, all of the information in relation to our sporting heroes on island,” Griffith said.

Griffith also proposed declaring July 28, Sir Garfield’s birthday, a national public holiday. Widely recognized as the greatest all-rounder in the history of cricket, Sobers’ contributions to the sport and Barbadian national identity deserve ongoing recognition for young people, the minister argued. By creating an official national holiday, Griffith explained that every generation of children would have the opportunity to learn the story of Sobers’ achievements, answering the simple question “What is this holiday about?” with a lesson on the legacy of one of the country’s most beloved figures.

A third proposal calls for the issuance of a limited-edition commemorative stamp bearing Sir Garfield’s likeness. Beyond serving as a permanent tribute to the National Hero, Griffith noted that proceeds from stamp sales would create a sustainable funding stream to support emerging young Barbadian athletes. The revenue would go toward covering costs for equipment, training access, and competitive opportunities for promising sportspeople who lack the resources to develop their talents.

Sobers’ death last month triggered an outpouring of tributes from across Barbados, the Caribbean, and the global cricket community. Griffith hailed Sobers as the undisputed “GOAT” – greatest of all time – noting that the cricketing icon embodied every core value of athletic excellence: consistent top-tier performance, inspirational leadership, remarkable resilience, adaptability, outstanding sportsmanship, and a decades-long career at the peak of the sport. “There’s a template that he left on this rock in relation to sportsmen and how they should traverse that journey in sports,” Griffith said.

The minister shared a personal anecdote from his early days in office, recalling that one of his first official duties was visiting Sobers at his private residence to ask for his blessing in reviving the cricket tournament named in the legend’s honor. Though Griffith admitted he was initially intimidated by a large guard dog at the property entrance, what left a lasting impression was Sobers’ quiet humility, even after a lifetime of global acclaim. “I was struck by the fact of how humble this man was,” he said.

Griffith also highlighted Sobers’ longstanding commitment to mentoring emerging cricketers, which included shaping the career of West Indies batting legend Brian Lara. Unlike many elite athletes who hoard knowledge and opportunity, the minister noted, Sobers dedicated time to lifting up the next generation. “He was prepared to share that knowledge to better some of our cricketers who also reached the international level, and I think that that is the hallmark of a man who understood that he was able to climb the ladder and wasn’t going to kick it down,” Griffith said.

In addition to outlining the new honors for Sobers, Griffith updated parliament on the Barbadian government’s ongoing investment in national sports infrastructure. To date, more than $50 million has been allocated to upgrading sporting facilities across the island. Key initiatives include the ongoing Herman Griffith Primary Schools Cricket Competition, island-wide talent identification programs, and the development of a new Sports Council complex at Blenheim, which will be outfitted with modern practice pitches, bowling machines, and video analysis technology to nurture the next generation of elite Barbadian cricketers.

Drawing inspiration from Sir Garfield’s life and career, Griffith closed by emphasizing the enduring lesson Sobers leaves for young Barbadians across all sports: “I want our youngsters on the island who are involved, not only in cricket, but other areas of sports to see what is possible in relation to dedication, what is possible if you believe in yourself [and] what can happen at the end of the day.”

As pre-tournament preparations kick into high gear for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League, the Barbados Tridents gained valuable momentum on Thursday, notching a tight six-run victory against the Barbados Invitational XI in a memorial fixture hosted at Kensington Oval. The match was staged to honor legendary cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, bringing together emerging local talent and the Tridents’ competitive squad for a high-stakes exhibition ahead of the main league campaign.

After winning the pre-match coin toss, Tridents captain opted to set a target batting first, and the side delivered a solid total of 183 runs for the loss of eight wickets across their full 20-over allocation. Young batter Rivaldo Clarke led the Tridents’ scoring with a blistering half-century, reaching 50 runs off just 34 deliveries, with six well-placed fours peppering the boundary throughout his innings. Kadeem Alleyne contributed a quickfire 30 runs, while Kevlon Anderson added 28 and Shadrack Descarte chipped in with 21 to push the Tridents to a competitive total. For the invitational side, bowler Tariq O’Neale turned in an outstanding individual performance, claiming four wickets while conceding only 31 runs, and Kemar Hutson-Smith matched O’Neale’s economy to pick up two wickets for 31 runs.

Chasing the 184-run target to win, the Barbados Invitational XI mounted a strong fight but ultimately fell short of the mark, finishing their 20 overs on 177 runs for seven wickets. Opener Shian Brathwaite produced a standout knock for the home invitational side, scoring an aggressive 81 runs off 51 balls. His innings included seven fours and four towering sixes that kept the run rate on track for much of the chase. Rashawn Worrell supported Brathwaite with 23 runs, and Zachary McCaskie added 16 late in the innings, but the invitational side could not close the gap in the final overs. For the Tridents, spin bowler Zishan Motara was the pick of the attack, taking two wickets for just 16 runs, while Jamar Layne claimed two wickets for 33 runs to seal the narrow win for the CPL side.

The warm-up fixture provided the Barbados Tridents with critical match practice ahead of their Caribbean Premier League campaign, allowing emerging and established players in the squad to test form and combinations against top local talent, while also honoring one of Barbados’ greatest sporting icons.

West Indies men’s cricket team head coach Daren Sammy has opened up about his side’s recent ICC World Test Championship campaign, highlighting the steady, impactful leadership of Test captain Roston Chase in the wake of a drawn two-match series against Pakistan. The series ended all square at 1-1 after Pakistan secured an eight-wicket victory over the Caribbean side in the second Test, hosted at Port of Spain’s Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. This result came on the heels of a solid 1-0 series win against Sri Lanka that West Indies claimed back in July.

Sammy emphasized that Chase’s leadership has been the most uplifting takeaway from the back-to-back Test campaigns. Through the challenging moments the squad and coaching staff have navigated in recent months, the captain’s consistent communication and shared understanding of the team’s long-term goals have proven critical to maintaining team morale and focus. “Roston has never lost his voice in the dressing room,” Sammy noted, adding that Chase maintains remarkable emotional balance regardless of match outcomes: he does not get overconfident after big wins, nor does he let defeat drag down his leadership, a trait that has cemented his status as a reliable anchor for the side. Sammy also praised Chase’s improving individual on-field performances, alongside the hard work of his entire coaching staff, noting that he is proud of the clear progress the entire program has made over the course of the summer.

Reflecting on the two back-to-back Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, both part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, Sammy said the entire squad has stayed committed to the team’s development process. He pointed to the Sri Lanka series as a particularly standout performance, where the Caribbean side reached significant batting and bowling milestones that had eluded the team for more than a decade. “Against Pakistan we enjoyed the competition, but the look on everyone’s faces after the final Test was one of clear disappointment,” Sammy admitted. “The players knew they had not capitalized on opportunities that would have given them the series win.”

Even with the disappointing end to the Pakistan series, Sammy was quick to commend every player and staff member for staying aligned with the team’s plan, buying into the group’s definition of success, and tuning out external criticism and noise. The head coach added that the team’s batting unit has consistently delivered critical runs throughout the 2024 summer Test window, but identified second-inning batting performance as a key area for continued improvement. He also reserved praise for his bowling attack, noting that the unit has consistently managed to take all 20 opposition wickets in Test matches – a mark of progress that Sammy says he is particularly proud of.

Looking ahead, West Indies is set to wrap up their 2024 Test calendar with a series in Bangladesh, and Sammy says the squad is already focused on finishing the year on a high note. A series win in Bangladesh, he added, would be the perfect icing on the cake for what has already been a period of steady growth for the side. “We’ve been clear with every player about our collective and individual goals,” Sammy said. “It’s critical that everyone stays on the same page about what we want to achieve, and exactly how we plan to get there.”

As the highly anticipated 2024 Barbados Road Tennis Open (BRTO) prepares to kick off later this August, defending women’s champion Sheldene Waldrond has declared she is fully prepared to retain her crown at Barbados’ most prestigious road tennis competition. Spanning from August 15 through October 3, the tournament carries a generous purse that awards a $20,000 top prize to both the men’s and women’s singles champions. In an interview ahead of the tournament, Waldrond revealed she resumed structured training earlier in 2024, specifically adjusting her routine to adapt her game and gain a competitive edge over the field. “I’ve been putting in the work, switching up my training regimen to change the dynamics of my play, and I’m hungry to get back on court and defend my title,” she said. Waldrond, who claimed her 2023 title after a hard-fought final victory over Rachel Smith, also expressed enthusiastic approval of the organizers’ decision to add an Under-18 junior division to this year’s tournament lineup. A long-time advocate for growing the sport among young people, she has made it a priority to mentor emerging female players. “I love seeing young women get involved in road tennis, and I always do what I can to give them confidence and help them grow as competitors,” Waldrond added. For event organizers, 2024 marks a major milestone: this year’s tournament is the fifth iteration of the BRTO, which has evolved from a bold initiative into a cornerstone of Barbadian sporting culture and national pride. Shawn Burke, chairman of the BRTO Planning Committee, reflected on the tournament’s origins and growth, noting that the event was founded five years ago with a clear mission: to elevate Barbados’ unique indigenous sport, create life-changing opportunities for local athletes, and build a national stage that matches the caliber of the island’s exceptional homegrown talent. “What started as an ambitious vision has transformed into Barbados’ premier road tennis competition, one that consistently showcases the absolute best talent our island has to offer,” Burke explained. He added that the tournament’s steady growth over the past five years serves as proof of what can be accomplished when bold vision is paired with consistent commitment and community buy-in. Every year, the organizing team challenges itself to raise the bar for the event, improving experiences not just for competing players, but for the fans and corporate partners who have continued to believe in the sport’s future in Barbados. In honor of the fifth anniversary and in recognition of the critical role fans play in making the BRTO a success, organizers have expanded fan engagement activities for this year’s tournament. Attendees will get the chance to sign a collection of commemorative display rackets, take photos with their favorite players, share their experiences on social media, and enter a competition for a special fifth anniversary prize, which will be awarded to the social media post that earns the most likes from the public. “This fifth anniversary doesn’t just belong to the players who take the court,” Burke said. “It belongs to every single person who has supported this tournament, cheered on our athletes, and believed in our mission over the last five years.”