分类： sports

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica’s Under-17 women’s national football team, known as the Reggae Girlz, discovered their path to the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after the CONCACAF qualifying draw placed them in Group D. They will compete against Honduras, Guyana, Aruba, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the initial group stage.

The qualifying tournament structure features twenty-eight teams divided across six groups for the first round. The top finisher from each group, plus the two most successful second-place teams, will progress to the final qualification round. They will be joined by four pre-seeded, top-ranked nations—Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States—who received automatic byes into the final stage.

First-round matches are scheduled to occur between January 24 and February 2. The subsequent and decisive final round is set for March, where four teams will ultimately secure their berths for the 2026 World Cup in Morocco.

This comes as FIFA has transitioned the U-17 World Cup to an annual event. In the previous tournament held in 2025, the CONCACAF region was represented by Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States, with Mexico earning the bronze medal.

Jamaica’s quest for World Cup qualification begins on January 25th with an opening match against Guyana. Their group stage campaign continues with fixtures against Aruba on January 27th, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on January 29th, 2026, and concludes with a pivotal match against Honduras on February 2nd.

Jamaica’s bobsleigh program is poised for its most significant Winter Olympic appearance in history, qualifying three teams for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games while facing critical equipment and funding shortages that could determine their medal prospects.

The Caribbean nation, renowned for its tropical climate and sprinting prowess, will compete in multiple bobsleigh events from February 6-22, marking its fourth consecutive Winter Games appearance since 2014. The delegation features Shane Pitter leading both the two-man and four-man teams, with former 100m national champion Tyquendo Tracey joining Andrae Dracres, Junior Harris, and Joel Fearon in the four-man competition. Welsh-born Mica Moore, who recently obtained Jamaican citizenship, will represent the nation in women’s monobob.

Rolando Reid, Communications Manager for the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (JBSF) and 2022 Olympian, expressed cautious optimism about medal possibilities despite equipment limitations. “I’m a very optimistic person and in bobsleigh, numerous variables from crashes to technical malfunctions create opportunities for unexpected outcomes,” Reid stated. “We possess exceptional sprinters and a skilled driver, providing genuine podium potential.”

The team’s competitive handicap centers around equipment disparities. Reid emphasized their current sled “is fast, but not German-fast,” referencing the technological supremacy of traditionally dominant bobsleigh nations. The federation has launched a Go Fund Me campaign to acquire advanced German-engineered sleds before Cortina training begins, which would improve aerodynamics and athlete positioning.

Financial constraints remain the program’s primary obstacle. Reid noted that while international reception for Jamaica’s bobsleigh program has been overwhelmingly positive, domestic corporate sponsorship has lagged despite decade-long Olympic participation. “These athletes compete with bare minimum compensation,” Reid revealed. “Any assistance would be profoundly appreciated as we’ve received more support outside Jamaica than within our homeland.”

Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda endorsed the team’s historic ambitions: “Commitment, hard work, and talent are measurements of success. Our bobsled team understood this, and now they must break the ice and reach the podium where history will be created.” The nation has participated in ten Winter Olympics without medal success, making this year’s equipment and funding challenges particularly consequential for their podium aspirations.

Jamaican track and field athletes delivered a spectacular performance across multiple US collegiate meets this weekend, headlined by record-breaking achievements from Jade-Ann Dawkins and Kobe Lawrence.

At the Thane Baker Invitational hosted by Kansas State University, former St Jago High standout Jade-Ann Dawkins made an extraordinary indoor debut by capturing the women’s triple jump title with a meet record of 13.31 meters. The reigning ISSA Girls’ Championships winner and three-time Penn Relays champion now holds the eighth-best mark globally this season. Dawkins surpassed the previous meet record of 12.83m set by Iowa Western’s Mercy Honesty in 2023. Another Jamaican competitor, Aaliyah Lindsay of Kansas State, secured third position with a leap of 13.01m.

In parallel success, former Jamaican junior representative Kobe Lawrence rewrote the record books at the same event by establishing a new University of Oregon shot put record with a massive throw of 19.81 meters. This monumental effort not only broke the meet and facility records but also ranks as the third-best performance in NCAA Division I this season. Lawrence shattered his previous personal best of 19.21m set last year at Arkansas, while simultaneously eclipsing two historic marks: the meet record of 17.20m set by fellow Jamaican Yekini Bowen and the 51-year-old facility record of 19.22m held by Tucker Smith of Oklahoma.

The Jamaican dominance extended across multiple disciplines as Annaleise Taylor (University of Oregon) claimed second in the women’s 60m hurdles (8.63 seconds), while unattached athlete Rohana Sudlow (former St Catherine High) secured silver in the women’s long jump (6.14m). Richelle Stanley (University of Kansas) added to the medal haul with a 5.58m jump in the same event.

Additional notable performances included Shanniqua Williams (Kansas State) taking second in women’s high jump (1.78m), Jhavor Bennet achieving fourth in men’s triple jump with an indoor personal best (15.73m), and David Beadle (Hastings University) winning the men’s weight throw (17.84m) at the Scott Nicely Invite in Nebraska.

Completing the Jamaican success story, Rhiana Phipps (University of Nebraska) triumphed in the women’s triple jump at the Graduate Classic (12.08m), while Cindy Rose (Indian Hills Community College) demonstrated remarkable versatility with third place in the women’s 600m (1:35.08) after previously setting a personal best in the 1000m (2:56.50) on Friday.

The semifinal bracket for the JISA/Canopy Insurance National Under-12 Alberga Cup is now complete, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the youth football competition. Defending champions Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory have successfully kept their hopes alive for a remarkable double title achievement this season.

They are joined in the final four by a trio of formidable opponents: the consistently dominant Lannaman’s Prep, the ever-present Hillel Academy, and the impressive Emmanuel Christian Academy (ECA). These teams secured their spots after a dramatic and action-packed quarterfinal group stage concluded on Saturday.

Emmanuel Christian Academy emerged as the most commanding team in the quarterfinals, achieving a flawless record. They swept all three of their Group B matches, amassing a perfect nine points to secure an automatic semifinal berth. The 2021 champions sealed their dominant run with a decisive 2-1 victory over Vaz Prep. The group’s other fixture saw Liberty Academy and Reach Academy play to a thrilling 3-3 draw, a result that eliminated both teams from contention for the best runner-up spot.

In another group, Lannaman’s Prep solidified their control with a powerful 5-0 triumph over St Andrew Prep, finishing atop their group with seven points. The battle for advancement, however, centered on the clash between Sts Peter and Paul and Christel House. Both teams needed a significant win to bolster their chances for the non-automatic qualifying position. The defending champions rose to the occasion, delivering a stunning 5-0 victory. This result gave them six points and a superior goal difference of +6, the best among all second-place finishers, thereby extending their title defense into the semifinals.

Meanwhile, 2023 finalists Hillel Academy secured top honors in Group C with a solid 2-0 win over St Hugh’s Prep. This outcome was complemented by Creative Kids’ 1-0 victory over Mona Prep, a loss that marks the end of Mona Prep’s long-standing streak of semifinal appearances.

The semifinal matches are scheduled for Wednesday at Liberty Academy. In a highly anticipated rematch of the Henriques Cup final, Lannaman’s Prep will face Sts Peter and Paul at 11:00 am. Immediately following at 12:30 pm, Emmanuel Christian Academy will square off against their neighbors, Hillel Academy. The tournament will culminate on Saturday at the American International School of Kingston (AISK) with the third-place play-off at 10:00 am and the championship final at 11:30 am.

The 2022 Africa Cup of Nations concluded in Rabat amidst unprecedented controversy, with tournament officiating becoming the central narrative rather than the football itself. The final match between host nation Morocco and Senegal descended into chaos following a series of contentious decisions by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, culminating in a dramatic 20-minute delay as Senegalese players protested what they perceived as biased officiating.

The tournament’s defining moment occurred when Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty in the final moments of regular time, shortly after disallowing a Senegalese goal for a foul on Achraf Hakimi. The disallowed goal, described by former French international referee Bruno Derrien as involving ‘very light contact,’ proved particularly controversial as video review might have validated the goal had play continued.

The penalty decision itself—awarded for El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Brahim Diaz—was characterized by Derrien as questionable at a critical juncture when match tension was ‘enormous.’ Ndala’s management of the crisis drew criticism, particularly his passive response as Senegalese players left the pitch in protest, a violation of FIFA rules that could have resulted in multiple dismissals.

This final controversy capped three weeks of growing mistrust toward match officials. Earlier rounds saw Cameroon protest a overlooked penalty in their quarter-final defeat to Morocco, while Nigeria’s midfielder Bright Osayi-Samuel labeled the refereeing in their semi-final ‘dreadful’ following questionable decisions.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui addressed the allegations of preferential treatment, stating: ‘Many people want to believe, or make others believe, that we get advantages from the referees. We are the team to beat, so people will try to find every possible reason to say that Morocco is favored.’

The aftermath has drawn response from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who condemned the behavior of some supporters and Senegalese staff while urging the Confederation of African Football to implement ‘appropriate measures.’ The controversies have notably tarnished a tournament otherwise praised for its organizational excellence, raising serious questions about refereeing standards in African football.

A pivotal Jamaica Premier League (JPL) double-header is set for Monday evening at Kingston’s Anthony Spaulding Complex, featuring four teams desperate to alter their fortunes in the second round of competition.

In the opening match at 5:30 pm, seventh-placed Tivoli Gardens confronts Molynes United, currently sitting 11th. This encounter presents a critical opportunity for Tivoli to re-enter the coveted top six with a victory. However, Molynes United enters the fixture with demonstrated resilience, having secured a 1-1 draw against Tivoli in their first-round meeting. Riding a wave of confidence from only one defeat in their previous seven outings, Molynes poses a significant threat to Tivoli’s ambitions.

The evening’s second clash at 7:30 pm pits Arnett Gardens against a struggling Waterhouse FC. Arnett arrives reeling from a demoralizing 3-0 defeat to Chapelton Maroons last week and is determined to orchestrate an immediate turnaround. Their campaign for redemption is bolstered by facing a Waterhouse squad they previously defeated 2-1 in the first round. Waterhouse FC, languishing in 10th place, faces a profound offensive crisis, having netted a mere six goals throughout their last eleven matches. Their path to climbing out of the bottom half of the table is unequivocally dependent on rediscovering their scoring form.

These simultaneous fixtures represent more than just points; they are tests of character and pivotal moments that could define the mid-season trajectory for each club involved.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — A constellation of Jamaican sprinting talent is poised to electrify the track at the upcoming BAUHAUS-galan Indoor meet this Thursday. The event, a prestigious stop on the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver circuit, will feature an impressive Jamaican contingent including world 100m silver medalist Kishane Thompson and the formidable Clayton twins, Tina and Tia.

The official start lists, released Monday, confirm the athletes’ participation, setting the stage for a high-caliber competition. The entry is headlined by Tia Clayton, who arrives in Stockholm boasting the current world-leading time in the 60m event. Clayton cemented her top status this past Saturday at the Anderson/Fuller meet held at GC Foster College in Jamaica, where she blazed to a new personal best of 7.02 seconds.

Her twin sister, Tina Clayton, a fellow World Championships silver medalist, adds further depth to the Jamaican delegation, promising a compelling narrative on the track.

On the men’s side, Kishane Thompson enters the competition in scintillating form. Fresh off a victory at the same Jamaican meet, Thompson clocked a time of 6.52 seconds in the 60m, a mark that currently ties him for the third-fastest time in the world this indoor season. This performance signals a strong return to form for the athlete, who experienced relay disappointment at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

The BAUHAUS-galan is now positioned as a critical early-season test for these elite athletes, offering a glimpse of their preparedness as the international athletics calendar progresses.