分类： sports

Cedricka Williams breaks Tennessee discus record

A wave of standout performances from Caribbean-born collegiate track and field athletes competing across the United States this weekend delivered historic milestones, long-standing record breaks, and career-best results that have turned heads across the NCAA circuit.

In Knoxville, Jamaican thrower Cedricka Williams of the University of Tennessee etched her name into the program’s history books at the annual Tennessee Invite on Friday. Claiming victory in the women’s discus event, Williams landed a 60.57-meter throw – a new personal season’s best – that pushed her past a nearly half-century-old school record. The previous mark of 60.56m had stood untouched since it was set by Jane Haist back in 1974, 49 years prior. Williams hit her record-breaking launch in the second round of competition, and her result currently ranks as the second-best discus throw posted by any NCAA athlete so far this outdoor season. A former standout at Jamaica’s Holmwood Technical and Barton County College, Williams’ breakthrough has cemented her status as one of the top throwers in collegiate track this year.

Down in Waco at the Baylor Invitational, two Louisiana State University athletes put up strong results in the women’s 200-meter dash. Freshman sprinter Skyler Franklin clocked a new program freshman record of 22.99 seconds with a 0.7m/s tailwind to claim third place overall, while fellow LSU competitor Kemba Nelson finished sixth with a time of 23.28 seconds into a 1.7m/s wind.

Over in Tampa at the South Florida Invitational, Zachary Cox, a former ISSA Champs finalist from Jamaica’s Cornwall College now competing with Boston University, notched two new outdoor personal bests in just his second collegiate outdoor meet. Cox first took fifth place in the men’s 100-meter dash with a 10.36-second run (1.2m/s wind), which marks the second-fastest 100m time in Boston University program history. Shortly after competing on BU’s second-place 4x100m relay team that finished in 40.49 seconds, Cox returned to the track to win the men’s 200m with a 20.98-second run (1.4m/s wind). That result shaved 0.08 seconds off his previous personal best and now ranks as the ninth-fastest 200m in Boston University history.

At Dartmouth College, former Jamaica College Champs gold medalist J’Voughn Blake notched a solid second-place finish in the men’s 800-meter run, crossing the line in a season-best 1 minute 48.54 seconds. The race marked only Blake’s second competitive outing in nearly a year, after he last competed at the NCAA East Regional in late May of 2023.

Rounding out the weekend of Caribbean success, Fabrienne Foster of the University of North Texas set two new personal bests at the 44 Farms Invitational hosted by Texas A&M University. Foster placed seventh in the women’s hammer throw with a 51.84m toss, and followed that up with an eighth-place finish in the discus throw, hitting a personal best 48.87m.

9 4 月, 2026
‘Grumpy’ Guardiola wants Silva to stay at Man City for life

LONDON — Ahead of Manchester City’s critical Premier League fixture against Chelsea this Sunday, manager Pep Guardiola opened up about the lingering uncertainty surrounding the future of captain Bernardo Silva, confessing he has been left completely in the dark about the 31-year-old Portugal midfielder’s plans.

Silva, who is currently in the final six months of his existing contract at the Etihad Stadium, has been at the center of swirling transfer speculation in recent weeks. The talk of an impending exit gained major traction after assistant manager Pep Lijnders, speaking to the media following City’s dominant 4-0 FA Cup quarterfinal victory over Liverpool last week, seemingly all but confirmed the star would be leaving the club at the end of the current campaign.

“Every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months — because there is only six weeks — and has a good farewell,” Lijnders said in his post-match remarks.

But Guardiola, who was speaking to reporters for the first time since Lijnders’ comments, pushed back on any suggestion that the club already knows Silva’s decision, revealing he has even grown frustrated with the midfielder for not sharing his intentions sooner.

“I’m so grumpy with Bernardo because a month ago I said, ‘If you take a decision, I have to be the first to know’,” Guardiola told reporters. “And he didn’t say to me anything yet, so I don’t know what’s going on. It has to be Bernardo who tells us what he wants to do next.”

Since joining Manchester City from AS Monaco back in 2017, Silva has cemented his legacy as one of the club’s most decorated and consistent signings of the modern era. Across his seven-and-a-half seasons at the Etihad, he has racked up 450 senior appearances, helped deliver six Premier League titles, and was a key part of the squad that lifted the club’s first ever UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023.

Guardiola made clear he would be delighted to see Silva end his legendary playing career at Manchester City, even as he stressed that the final call is entirely the player’s to make.

“I would love it if he could stay and finish his career here,” Guardiola said. “I don’t know. He’s going to decide what he’s going to decide, announce to the club, the media, the fans and everyone. It’s his decision. But it has been an incredible, incredible signing. If you look at the numbers, the minutes he’s played, the titles he’s won, especially how he shows up in bad moments.

“I always judge players by how they perform when everything is difficult. Time after time, when we’ve needed him most, Bernardo has stepped up and said, ‘I’m here to help’. That’s what makes him so special to this club.”

Off the back of winning the League Cup last month, City is still in the hunt for an unprecedented domestic treble this season. Currently, the club sits second in the Premier League table, nine points behind runaway leaders Arsenal, though Guardiola’s side hold one game in hand over the Gunners. The two title favorites are set to face off in a highly anticipated clash at the Etihad on April 19, a match that could ultimately decide who lifts the league title in May.

Speaking about City’s title challenge, Guardiola acknowledged his side have left themselves with too much ground to make up after a series of inconsistent results earlier in the campaign.

“We need to win a lot of points,” Guardiola said. “We were not consistent enough during the season. We dropped points that we should have taken and that’s why we’re in the position that now we cannot do it differently. The only thing we can do is keep winning and see what happens.”

9 4 月, 2026
Antigua Racing Cup: A New Regatta with a Big Antiguan Welcome

The highly anticipated first edition of the Antigua Racing Cup officially opened registrations on Wednesday morning, drawing international sailing teams from more than 15 countries to compete across four days of racing hosted at the iconic, UNESCO-listed Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua’s English Harbour. Competition is set to kick off on Thursday, April 9, with a lineup of up to three races planned on Antigua’s globally renowned sailing waters, where ideal sailing conditions have already aligned for the event.

Forecasters predict consistent seasonal trade winds, with an easterly gradient breeze of 10 to 15 knots expected, paired with occasional fresh gusts reaching up to 20 knots that are set to add excitement and challenge to the race course. Warm tropical conditions will greet all participants, with both air and sea temperatures hovering around 28°C (82°F), making lightweight rash vests and shorts the ideal attire for racing through the refreshing Caribbean spray.

Nelson’s Dockyard, the world’s only active Georgian dockyard and a protected World Heritage Site, serves as the central hub for all off-water activities for the regatta. Ahead of the first race, Racing Manager Jaime Torres led the mandatory Skippers’ Briefing at the historic Copper & Lumber Store Hotel, after which competitors moved to the Event Lawn for the official Regatta Opening Party. There, guests enjoyed complimentary Amstel Beer and local English Harbour Rum, embodying the warm, welcoming hospitality Antigua is known for.

The opening ceremony kicked off with a moving performance of Antigua’s National Anthem by a solo pannist from Princess Margaret School’s Steel Band, setting a celebratory tone for the event. Distinguished guests in attendance included Sean Cenac, Permanent Secretary of Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Tourism, St Pauls Member of Parliament Minister Greene, and Parks Commissioner Ann Marie Martin. Bobby Reis, Vice Chairman of the Antigua & Barbuda Yachting & Marine Association, served as Master of Ceremonies for the occasion.

In his opening remarks, Cenac extended a warm welcome to all sailors, crew members, event partners and supporters traveling from across the globe for the landmark event. He described the Antigua Racing Cup as a proud new addition to the country’s national sporting calendar, highlighting that the event brings together top-tier international competition, world-famous Caribbean hospitality, rich local culture and an unrivaled historic setting. Cenac emphasized that holding the regatta at Nelson’s Dockyard was a deliberate choice, as the site stands as a powerful testament to Antigua and Barbuda’s deep maritime heritage and longstanding connection to the ocean.

“The Antigua Racing Cup was created not just to deliver thrilling, high-caliber sailing competition, but also to shine a spotlight on our beautiful destination, boost engagement with local communities and deliver long-lasting economic and social benefits for our country,” Cenac explained. “It is incredible to see such a diverse, international fleet gather for this first edition, which lays a strong foundation for what we are confident will become a signature annual event for Antigua and Barbuda. To every competitor here: thank you for joining us at this starting point. You are the first to write the story of the Antigua Racing Cup, and that makes this moment very special. We wish all of you fair winds, tight competitive racing, and an unforgettable experience both on and off the water.”

Minister Greene echoed Cenac’s remarks, noting that the new regatta is an exciting expansion of Antigua and Barbuda’s growing sailing calendar, and reflects the nation’s ongoing commitment to building on its reputation as the undisputed sailing capital of the Caribbean. Greene highlighted that the event brings fresh energy to the start of the sailing season, giving international teams another compelling reason to extend their stay, compete, and explore everything the twin-island nation has to offer. He closed by wishing all participants an outstanding week of racing and hospitality in Antigua.

9 4 月, 2026
Easter Grassroots Youth Football Festival kicks off in Portsmouth

A landmark new initiative for youth football in the Caribbean is set to launch this week, as three local sports organizations team up to host the first-ever Easter Grassroots Youth Football Festival in Portsmouth, Dominica on April 9, 2026.
Organized through a partnership between Portsmouth Football Academy, Bombers Football Club and Sport Aid Dominica, the one-day competitive gathering will be hosted at Portsmouth’s iconic Benjamin Park, with play running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, according to an official statement from Bombers Football Club.
Unlike standard regional tournaments, the festival is purpose-built to shine a spotlight on emerging young talent across two age divisions: Under-11 and Under-13. Four squads have already confirmed their participation, drawing competitors from across the region: the host Portsmouth Football Academy, Dominica’s own National Football Academy, Newtown Juvenile Football Academy, and an incoming guest team from neighboring Guadeloupe, Club Sport Guadeloupe. Beyond the excitement of on-pitch competition, the event centers core developmental priorities: honing technical football skills, fostering collaborative teamwork, and upholding the values of respectful sportsmanship among the next generation of players.
The festival has secured wide-ranging institutional and corporate backing to bring the project to life. Hon. Fenella Wenham Shepherd is the event’s lead political supporter, with additional key partnership support from the Dominica Football Association, the Dominica Air and Seaport Authority (DASPA), and local beverage brand Trois Pitons Water. The release emphasizes that this cross-sector collaboration reinforces ongoing momentum for expanding youth-focused and community-rooted sports programs across the island.
What makes the festival stand out is its dual purpose: while it celebrates youth football, it also serves as a core pillar of a broader strategy to grow Dominica’s sports tourism sector. Event organizers are working to cement both Portsmouth and the wider nation as a growing hub for youth football development and cross-regional sporting cooperation. By including a visiting team from Guadeloupe, the event is already taking a critical first step to establish Dominica as a go-to destination for organized, high-quality youth sporting competitions across the Caribbean.
“This festival is about more than football—it is about creating opportunities, building discipline, and opening pathways for our young players,” event organizers shared in comments included in the release. “It is also a step toward developing sports tourism in the north of the island.”
Organizers have already announced long-term plans for the festival, with the goal of turning the one-off inaugural event into a recurring annual staple of the regional youth football calendar. Future iterations are set to expand participation, with invitations open to additional local academies, as well as more teams from across the Caribbean and beyond the region. Local community members are encouraged to attend the event at Benjamin Park to cheer on the young competing athletes.

9 4 月, 2026
Matthew Welcomes Home Team Antigua and Barbuda After Strong CARIFTA Aquatics Performance

After delivering an outstanding showing at the 39th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, Antigua and Barbuda’s national swimming squad has returned to a hero’s welcome in St. John’s, with the nation’s Sports Minister Daryll Matthew hailing the team’s efforts as a landmark moment for the country’s aquatic sports development.

In an official statement released following the team’s arrival, Matthew shared that he felt profound excitement to greet the young athletes back on home soil after their run at one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious regional age-group swimming competitions. Throughout the five-day meet, Matthew noted, every member of the delegation brought unwavering consistency and a high level of competitive excellence to every race they entered, exceeding pre-event expectations.

Leading the team’s historic medal haul was 16-year-old swimmer Anya DeGannes, who earned special recognition from the minister for her multi-gold performance and a series of new age-group records set at the championships. DeGannes was not the only standout, however: Madison MacMillan and Ellie Shaw also stepped onto the top of the podium, with MacMillan claiming gold and Shaw taking silver in their competitive divisions, both turning in personal best times to secure their places among the region’s top young swimmers.

Two male competitors, Jamie Tranter and Alessandro Bazzoni, also earned public praise from Matthew for climbing onto the podium and setting new national and age-group records during their events. The minister did not limit his commendations to medal-winners alone, highlighting the grit, dedication, and team-first spirit of Kaylee Warner, Alyssa Watkins, Christopher Walter, and Selah Wiltshire, whose consistent strong performances contributed directly to the squad’s overall successful showing.

Beyond the impressive collection of medals, Matthew emphasized that the team’s achievements extended to a range of other milestones. Multiple new national and age-group records were broken over the course of the competition, and nearly every swimmer representing Antigua and Barbuda walked away with a new personal best time, a result that underscores the steady growth of the sport across the country.

The minister also stressed that the team’s success would not have been possible without the hard work of the national coaching staff. He pointed to the staff’s months of rigorous preparation and long-term commitment to athlete development as core factors that allowed the young swimmers to perform at their best when it mattered most on the regional stage.

Looking ahead, Matthew framed the team’s performance at the 2024 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships as clear evidence that swimming in Antigua and Barbuda is moving in the right direction, with a new generation of talented young athletes proving they can compete with the best in the Caribbean. The result, he said, offers exciting promise for the future of the sport and the nation’s upcoming competitors in regional and international events.

9 4 月, 2026
Dion Kiethly Massiah Wins Jermaine Kentish Birthday Shootout for Third Straight Year

In an extraordinary display of consistent dominance in competitive shooting, Dion Kiethly Massiah has etched his name into the history books of the Jermaine Kentish Birthday Shootout, securing the tournament title for the third year running. The annual competition, organized to mark the birthday of the sport’s beloved community figure Jermaine Kentish, has grown into one of the most anticipated local shooting tournaments of the year, drawing dozens of top competitors from across the region each December.

This year’s event, held at the host shooting range over the weekend, saw Massiah outperform a field of 42 skilled sharpshooters through a series of grueling elimination rounds. From the opening qualifying stages, Massiah established his edge, posting the highest aggregate score across the first three rounds to secure the top seed heading into the knockout bracket. He maintained this momentum through each subsequent match, delivering near-flawless performances in pressure situations that pushed several of his opponents to their limits.

In the final head-to-head showdown, Massiah faced off against rising young shooter Marcus Green, who had pulled off two major upsets to reach the championship round. Despite a strong challenge from Green, who narrowed the score gap to just two points in the final five shots, Massiah held his nerve, sinking three consecutive bullseyes to seal the win with a final score of 147 out of a possible 160. Speaking after the victory, Massiah credited his consistent training routine and the supportive community around the Jermaine Kentish Shootout for his three-peat success.

Tournament organizers noted that the event has grown significantly since its founding, both in participation numbers and community engagement, with proceeds from this year’s competition going toward supporting youth shooting sports programs in the area. Jermaine Kentish, the namesake of the tournament, praised Massiah’s achievement, calling his three consecutive wins a testament to his skill, discipline, and love for the sport.

9 4 月, 2026
Column: Sportpaspoort affaire

In the lead-up to a critical World Cup qualifying play-off against Bolivia, a heated public and institutional campaign has erupted in the Netherlands targeting Dutch-born footballers who represent Suriname in international competition. What began as an isolated eligibility dispute raised by an Eredivisie club over a player’s purported naturalization as an Indonesian citizen quickly spilled over to the entire group of Suriname national team players, who were already in Mexico preparing for their do-or-die qualification match for this year’s World Cup.

As media coverage of the eligibility debate intensified, the Suriname technical staff initially dismissed the controversy as unfounded noise, choosing to downplay the issue to protect their players’ focus ahead of the high-stakes fixture. But after Suriname dropped the match on Mexican soil, criticism and regulatory action accelerated rapidly. When the players returned to their club duties across Europe, a raft of punitive measures followed: some were dropped from club selection, while others faced demands questioning their retention of Dutch nationality. Even in Belgium, player Gyrano Kerk was sidelined and barred from training with his club as collateral damage from the broader dispute.

The situation quickly devolved into confusion, with inconsistent application of measures across leagues and clubs. For some players, eligibility issues were resolved quickly after they secured official work permits, allowing them to return to competitive action, while others remained in limbo.

Officials from the Suriname Football Association (SVB) have pushed back against the eligibility claims, emphasizing that the special sports pass used to allow Dutch-born players to represent Suriname holds no legal standing for nationality claims. In contrast, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has warned all domestic clubs to only field players that can prove full eligibility, and has joined a number of clubs in demanding work permits from players that have represented Suriname.

A close look at Suriname’s existing nationality law makes clear that the eligibility claims against the players lack legal foundation. Article 8 of Suriname’s Law on Nationality and Residency explicitly outlines requirements for obtaining Surinamese nationality, mandating both a clear legal basis for naturalization and five consecutive years of primary residency in Suriname ahead of any application. Even the exception for naturalization granted for state interests, laid out in Article 9, requires formal legislative action to take effect. According to public records, none of the players in question have completed the mandatory steps to obtain Surinamese citizenship.

Without completed legal naturalization, none of the players hold Surinamese nationality. That means calls to strip them of Dutch nationality and treat them as foreign non-citizens carry severe unintended consequences: if the players are not Dutch and not Surinamese, they would effectively be rendered stateless. Legal observers note that the current actions by the KNVB and several European clubs appear to contradict the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, an international treaty designed to prevent exactly this outcome. To date, there is no evidence that Suriname has enacted any legal change that would grant these players formal nationality. The core purpose of the Suriname sports pass, officials confirm, is only to establish eligibility for international football representation, not to grant citizenship or change the players’ existing legal nationality status.

9 4 月, 2026
Kleurrijke start 61e Avondvierdaagse: bijna 5.000 deelnemers op pad

One of Suriname’s most beloved annual community walking events, the 61st edition of the Avondvierdaagse (AVD), officially launched on Wednesday, bringing together thousands of participants in a vibrant celebration of movement, community and local culture.

The multi-day walking marathon opened with a festive, energetic atmosphere, where participants showcased elaborate, finely detailed costumes paired with creative, handcrafted accessories that turned the route into a moving display of local creativity. A standout feature of this year’s edition is the unprecedentedly large contingent of individual participants: more than 1,900 solo walkers have registered to take part in the four-day event.

The official opening ceremony was led by two top government officials: Nalini Gopal, Minister of Sport, and André Misiekaba, Minister of Public Health. Joined by Lakshmi Vishnudatt, chair of the BVSS — the organizing body behind the event — the trio took the official first steps to mark the start of the 61st AVD, kicking off four days of scheduled walking for participants across all age groups.

As of the opening day, event organizers have counted a total of 4,900 registered participants. The field breaks down into 9 junior groups, 38 senior groups, and the 1,900+ individual walkers. Cultural participating groups drew attention from onlookers kilometers away thanks to their bright, eye-catching costumes and group singing that brought a joyful soundtrack to the walking route.

Across all organized participating groups, the National Democratic Party (NDP) remains the largest contingent by a significant margin, a consistent trend in past editions of the event. On the opening day of the 2026 AVD, participants completed an 11.3-kilometer route, with organizers already releasing the route details for the second day of the multi-day walking event. The four-day event is expected to draw ongoing community attention as participants complete each day’s route ahead of the closing ceremony.

9 4 月, 2026
CARIFTA Games 2026

The 2026 edition of the CARIFTA Games, one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious youth athletic competitions, broke with tradition this year by spreading its two core disciplines across two separate island host locations. From April 4 to 8, the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships welcomed over 500 regional swimmers to the Le Lamentin facility in Martinique, a French overseas department, while track and field events unfolded between April 4 and 6 at Grenada’s iconic Kirani James Stadium.\n\nFor Team Haiti, the 2026 Games will go down in history as a breakthrough performance, with the nation securing a total of six medals: two gold, two silver, and two bronze across swimming and athletics. The highlight of Haiti’s campaign came in the pool, where a small three-person delegation delivered the country’s best ever swimming results at the regional competition.\ Seventeen-year-old Christian Jérome emerged as Haiti’s undisputed star of the Games, claiming two gold medals and one silver in butterfly events. Jérome clocked 55.23 seconds to take top honors in the men’s 100m butterfly, followed by a winning time of 2:07.75 in the 200m butterfly. He added a silver medal in the 50m butterfly with a finish of 24.9 seconds, and further cemented his status as a rising Haitian swimming star by breaking his own country’s national record in the 50m backstroke, posting a new benchmark time of 28.97 seconds. Jérome’s two teammates, Jude Jérome and Mayah Chouloute, also turned in strong performances, both hitting new personal best times over the course of the aquatics competition.\n\nOn the track in Grenada, Haiti’s seven-member all-female athletics delegation exceeded pre-Games expectations by meeting the Haitian Athletics Federation’s explicit target of at least three podium finishes, adding one silver and two bronze medals to the country’s overall count. In the under-17 women’s 400m hurdles, Hope Edwards claimed silver with a time of 1:02.48. Breanne Barnett took bronze in the under-20 women’s 200m sprint with a 23.49-second finish, while Aisha Wajid rounded out the athletics medal haul with bronze in the under-17 women’s 800m, clocking 2:14.96.\n\nThe historic six-medal performance marks a new milestone for Haitian youth sports, highlighting the emergence of talented young athletes across both swimming and track disciplines at one of the Caribbean’s most competitive regional youth sporting events.

9 4 月, 2026
Over 520 million gourdes for the Grenadiers (video)

Haiti’s national football team, the Grenadiers, has received landmark financial backing from the country’s government to fuel their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, with a total of more than 520 million Haitian gourdes committed in a formal ceremony held Wednesday, April 8, 2026. The event took place at Port-au-Prince’s Villa d’Accueil, under the official patronage of Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who presided over the presentation of two separate 264 million gourde checks—equaling just over 2 million USD combined—to the Normalization Committee of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF).

The two tranches of funding serve distinct, critical purposes for the historic World Cup run. The first check is designated as a qualification bonus for the players, rewarding their achievement of earning a spot in the world’s most-watched sporting tournament. The second allocation is earmarked exclusively for pre-tournament preparation, designed to give the squad access to top-tier training resources, logistics, and support to compete at their best on the global stage. This dual investment reflects the Haitian government’s structured, ambitious commitment to elevating the national team’s performance this summer.

In his keynote remarks at the ceremony, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé extended warm congratulations to the Grenadiers for their historic qualification, noting that this milestone is more than a sporting win—it is a powerful representation of the courage and resilience that defines the Haitian nation. This appearance will mark only the second time Haiti has qualified for the FIFA World Cup in the country’s entire history, making the achievement all the more meaningful for fans across the nation. The Prime Minister emphasized that the public funding represents the government and the Haitian people’s unwavering confidence in both the national team and the broader cohort of young Haitian athletes. To ensure every Haitian can share in the excitement of the tournament, Fils-Aimé also announced plans to install public viewing screens across all regions of the country, giving all segments of the population access to watch the Grenadiers compete.

Monique André, president of the FHF Normalization Committee, delivered remarks on behalf of the federation, expressing profound gratitude to the Haitian government for the critical investment. André noted that the funding fills key gaps in the team’s preparation budget, removing financial barriers that would otherwise hinder the squad’s ability to train and compete at the highest level. As a gesture of appreciation, André officially presented the Prime Minister with the official game jersey the Grenadiers will wear during their 2026 World Cup matches, capping the celebratory ceremony.

9 4 月, 2026