分类： sports

Defying a string of recent disappointing performances, West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy is projecting unwavering confidence in his squad’s capability to clinch a historic third ICC T20 World Cup title. The tournament, scheduled from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka, will see the Caribbean side enter as perceived underdogs.

The selected 15-man roster, confirmed by Cricket West Indies, guarantees continued Jamaican representation at the T20 World Cup for the tenth consecutive edition. Batsmen Rovman Powell and Brandon King, both named to the squad, will be making their third successive appearance at the global showpiece. This achievement places them among an elite group of Jamaicans, including legends Chris Gayle and Andre Russell, who have featured in multiple tournaments.

Current form, however, presents a significant challenge. The team arrives on the heels of a 2-1 series defeat to Afghanistan, compounding a dismal run that includes recent losses to New Zealand, England, Australia, Pakistan, and even Nepal throughout 2025. This follows an early quarterfinal exit on home soil in the previous World Cup and series defeats to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka late in 2024.

Despite this adverse trajectory, Coach Sammy’s optimism is palpable. He draws direct parallels between the current team’s composition and the victorious 2016 squad he captained to glory in India. Sammy highlighted the immense firepower within the group, pointing to players like Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, and a deep roster of all-rounders as sources of his belief.

“The realistic point is we can win it and I believe so,” Sammy asserted. He acknowledged the external skepticism but emphasized a powerful, unified energy within the camp during their final preparations in Johannesburg. For Sammy, the mission is singular: “When we board that plane from Johannesburg to India, we are going out there to play a tournament to win. That’s the only focus on our mind.”

The West Indies commence their Group C campaign against Scotland on February 7, followed by crucial matches against England, Nepal, and Italy. The top two teams will progress to the Super 8 stage, where the Windies hope their quiet confidence transforms into a spectacular upset.

Jamaican track sensation Brianna Lyston has embarked on her professional athletics career with a renewed sense of physical and mental preparedness, signaling promising prospects for the 2026 season. The 21-year-old sprinter made her professional debut at Saturday’s New Balance Indoor Meet in Boston, securing second place in the 60m event with a time of 7.11 seconds, narrowly behind British champion Dina Asher-Smith (7.08).

Lyston’s transition to professional track follows her signing with global sportswear giant Adidas, which concluded her NCAA eligibility at Louisiana State University. After nearly a year away from competition since her last race in March, the former world Under-20 champion has undertaken significant mental health work to prepare for her return to elite athletics.

The Jamaican athlete has joined Pure Athletics club in Florida under the tutelage of renowned coach Lance Brauman, who also mentors Olympic and World Champion Noah Lyles. Brauman’s patient, athlete-centered approach has provided Lyston with a supportive environment that prioritizes both performance and enjoyment of the sport.

Despite facing injury challenges throughout the previous year, Lyston reports substantial improvements in her overall condition. Her training focus has shifted to building a solid foundation while rediscovering her passion for sprinting.

Lyston’s collegiate performance at LSU established her as one of Jamaica’s most promising sprint talents. She recorded six sub-11-second 100m times in 2024, including a personal best of 10.84 seconds that ranked her as Jamaica’s fastest woman that year and the 13th fastest in history.

Though yet to compete at senior global or national championships, many Jamaican track enthusiasts view Lyston as a potential successor to sprint legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah. The young athlete maintains a measured perspective on these expectations, consciously limiting her social media engagement to avoid external pressure while acknowledging the honor of being considered among Jamaica’s emerging talents.

Lyston’s competitive schedule remains undetermined, with decisions regarding potential participation in this summer’s Commonwealth Games pending further discussions with her coaching team. Her 2022 achievement as Jamaica’s third-ever World Under-20 200m champion—joining Veronica Campbell Brown and Briana Williams—demonstrates the pedigree she brings to her professional career.

Jamaican teenage sprinters Johan-Ramaldo Smythe and Shanoya Douglas from Holland High School delivered extraordinary performances at the Puma New York International Showcase 2026 on Saturday, setting new national junior indoor records in their respective events.

Smythe demonstrated exceptional speed in the 200-meter invitational, clocking an impressive 21.18 seconds to claim victory in his heat. Despite his remarkable time, he secured second place overall as American athlete Brady Pineo from Wesley Chapel High School edged ahead with a winning time of 21.02 seconds in the final standings. Smythe also showcased his versatility by dominating his 60-meter heat with a swift 6.91 seconds, though he faced disqualification in the final where Pineo again triumphed with 6.82 seconds.

Douglas emerged victorious in the 300-meter event, establishing her new national record with a blistering time of 36.98 seconds. She finished well ahead of her closest competitor, Rhia Randolph of West Orange High School, who completed the race in 38.16 seconds. The victory carried additional significance as Douglas responded decisively to pre-race challenges from competitors.

Coach Garth Smythe expressed immense pride in his athletes’ accomplishments, particularly given the travel challenges they faced. ‘We are grateful that the athletes got to compete at this elite level despite arriving in New York late morning without adequate rest due to jet lag,’ he stated. ‘Their performances truly spoke for themselves under these circumstances.’

The coach revealed that Douglas’s victory contained an extra layer of satisfaction as she had received competitive threats during a press conference approximately two weeks prior. ‘We took it personally,’ Smythe acknowledged, ‘and she addressed it emphatically by defeating that competitor by nearly two seconds.’

Regarding his son’s performance, Coach Smythe explained that Johan-Ramaldo’s indoor time of 21.18 seconds translates to approximately 20.7 seconds outdoors, suggesting even greater potential. The young sprinter reportedly could have achieved faster results but was unfamiliar with indoor track conditions, essentially jogging through significant portions of his race.

The athletes, who followed Coach Smythe from Muschett High to Holland High, maintain their established training regimen. The team now focuses on fine-tuning techniques and preparing for upcoming competitions including the Carifta Trials, Carifta Games, and championship events.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—In a significant career development, Jamaican national team goalkeeper Amal Knight has secured a multi-year contract with American professional soccer club Greenville Triumph SC of USL League One. The South Carolina-based organization formally announced the acquisition on Tuesday, pending standard league and federation approvals.

The signing represents a strategic enhancement to Greenville’s defensive lineup, adding a seasoned veteran with extensive professional experience. Knight most recently competed with Charlotte Independence during the latter half of the 2025 season, where he demonstrated his capabilities across seven matches and 630 minutes of play.

His professional trajectory includes two standout seasons with Lexington SC, where he established himself as a formidable presence in both USL League One and the USL Jägermeister Cup competitions. Statistical analysis reveals Knight’s exceptional performance, ranking among the league’s top save specialists with 178 career saves—placing him seventh in USL League One history—while simultaneously recording four clean sheets during his tenure.

Beyond domestic competition, Knight’s career has included international experience with FC Chitwan in Nepal’s Super League during 2025. His international credentials are equally impressive, having debuted for the Jamaican National Team in 2018 and accumulated 14 caps, including 13 FIFA-sanctioned appearances. His most recent international match was a January 18th friendly against Grenada.

Domestically in Jamaica, Knight has made over 140 appearances in the Jamaican Premier League, further solidifying his reputation as a consistent and reliable professional. The Jamaica Football Federation has publicly congratulated Knight on this new professional achievement, recognizing his continued contribution to Jamaican soccer excellence.

Greenville Triumph SC officials emphasized that Knight’s acquisition brings valuable depth, consistency, and leadership qualities to their roster development strategy as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Two Jamaican collegiate athletes have earned prestigious conference honors following record-shattering performances in horizontal jumping events last weekend. Shantae Foreman of Clemson University and Lansford Cunningham of Tusculum University were both recognized as the top field event athletes in their respective conferences.

Competing at the Orange and Purple Invitational hosted by Clemson University, Shantae Foreman delivered a spectacular performance in the women’s triple jump. The former St. Jago athlete soared to a world-leading distance of 14.17 meters on her sole attempt of the competition. This remarkable achievement established a new Clemson University program record, surpassing the previous benchmark of 13.85 meters set by Portugal’s Patricia Mamona in 2010. Foreman’s jump also broke her personal best of 13.84 meters set last season.

Foreman’s performance has significant implications in both collegiate and international athletics. Her mark eclipsed the previous world lead of 13.87 meters set by France’s Clemence Rougier in Limoges on January 17. Additionally, it now ranks as the second-best indoor triple jump performance by a Jamaican woman in history, trailing only Suzette Lee’s 14.25 meters recorded in Indianapolis back in March 1997.

Meanwhile, Lansford Cunningham, a former Cornwall College athlete competing for NCAA Division II Tusculum University, achieved his first weekly conference recognition. At the Hokie Invite held at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Cunningham leaped to a personal best of 7.42 meters in the men’s long jump, earning him second place in the competition. This performance extended his own Tusculum University program record, improving upon his previous mark of 7.32 meters set just two weeks earlier.

These accomplishments highlight the continued excellence of Jamaican athletes in track and field, particularly in jumping events, while demonstrating their competitive prowess within the American collegiate system.