‘We should be informed’ – Blake concerned athletes not reporting to camp on time
Previous success in China BEIJING, China: President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Dr Warren Blake, seemed less than pleased with some high-profile late arrivals to the team’s training camp in Tottori, Japan, ahead of the IAAF World Championships. In spite of this, he is looking forward to a fruitful return to Beijing, China, where the championships will unfold this weekend. Several top-name athletes such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and other members of MVP did not arrive until late last week, citing documentation issues. Usain Bolt, who was expected to join last Friday, was reportedly allowed to meet his teammates in Beijing instead. The entire team expected to be in the city today. This comes as JAAA continues to insist on the mandatory nature of the camp. “Ideally, it would have been great if all the athletes, from all the training groups, saw it as their duty, their national duty, to come to the camps on time. In fact, most of the athletes did turn up at the camp, but others didn’t come at the start, for various reasons, and some of these reasons I feel could have been avoided,” Blake said, without pointing to specific situations. “We still use the term ‘mandatory’ and we still insist that if they are going to be coming in late, for any reasons then we should be informed, and we should have discussions so that an amicable agreement can be reached, and not just ignore the camp totally,” he added. “To just ignore the camp and our wishes, as an association, would create problems.” Blake suggested that the situations with Bolt and the MVP group’s late arrivals were communicated to the management team. Meanwhile, at the 2008 Olympic Games, which was also hosted in the Chinese city, Jamaica underlined its place as a giant in the track and field arena with an impressive 11-medal haul, which included six gold, three silver and two bronze-led by a virtuoso performance from Usain Bolt, who broke three world records and went on to become the face of the sport. Blake, who arrived in Beijing after 8 p.m. on Monday (7 a.m., Monday, Jamaica time), along with JAAA general secretary, Garth Gayle, said he expects the Jamaicans to have similar success. “Beijing is where our recent successes in track and field started,” said Blake. “I know the foundations were laid long ago, but we really burst on to the world scene in a really strong way in 2008. “So we have been looking forward to coming back to Beijing and we expect good results as we did in 2008,” said Blake, who was also quick to point to the team’s more diverse look this time around. “One of the thrust of this administration has been to broaden the scope of participation in these events, and I am quite happy to see that, especially in the field events, where we have placed a great deal of effort, that we have had significant successes,” he added. “We have three male discus throwers qualifying, a male shot put thrower, a female discus thrower and two triple jumpers, and I think we are doing pretty well in the field events.” The World Championships get underway on August 22 and ends August 30.
Richard White and Glenn Lawrence were the toast of the ninth annual Couples Negril Charity Golf Tournament, which was held at the Negril Hills Golf Club in Westmoreland on Sunday.The pair, who carded the best overall net score, won the two-man scramble event ahead of Errol Williams and Dennis Jones, and Glenroy Walker and Murine Blake.”It was a competitive challenge and, at the end, it feels good to come out on top,” said Lawrence.”We have been close in previous years, but this year, we said we wanted to win, and played to win.”The tournament, which attempted and raised $1.2m for a number of local charities in the area, also had other sectional winners. Top among them was the best-overall gross score and closest to the pin challenges. Ian Royal and Steve Richards took home the gross score title, while many-time national female champion Maggie Lyn was one of four closest to the pin victors. The others were Bobby Vertullo, Donald Anderson and Maurice Foster.Lyn, who pointed out that the tournament is one that she always looks forward to participating in, said she wanted to do better this year.”The greens were very challenging as we are not used to the greens being so slow,” said Lyn.”We had to really put a lot of emphasis in our shots, and when we tried to hit it hard, it wasn’t easy to put. But, overall, the course was in good condition, and we enjoyed it.”Lawrence, meanwhile, who is also chief executive officer of Couples Negril, said he was pleased with the staging of the event.”It is good to see again a good turn-out for what is a worthy cause,” he said.”We take giving back to our community very seriously, and to know that lives will be changed as a result of this tournament makes us feel good.”The charities that are slated to benefit from this year’s event are Clifton Boys’ Home in Darliston, Westmoreland, and Grange Hill Primary School, also in the parish.Main sponsors of the event include Digicel Solutions, Cable and Wireless, Caribbean Producers, Inter-Brand, VIP Attractions, NCB, and First Caribbean Bank.
WESTERN BUREAU:Malique Campbell fired in an 86th-minute goal to give St James High a 1-0 win over Lacovia High in their daCosta Cup Group P quarter-final match yesterday at Jarrett Park.It is proving difficult to sort out the group, as Manchester High matched St James by logging a 3-1 victory over Paul Bogle High, as all four teams now have four points from two matches.The game was never shaping up to be a thriller from the get-go, but St James should have won more comfortably, having dominated the contest. They were rather unlucky not to break the deadlock in the 15th minute and then had to ride some luck of their own.On 29 minutes, Lacovia forward Oshane Staple smashed a right-footed effort towards goal, but found Aian Miller in goal for St James in terrific form, as he twisted in mid-air to tip the ball onto the crossbar.That was the closest Lacovia came to scoring. Thereafter, it was practically all St James. The only thing lacking was a goal.However, they did get the breakthrough, and it came at an opportune time, just before the 90 minutes expired, when Campbell scored from the top of the 18-yard box.Meanwhile, defending champions Clarendon College returned to winning ways with a resounding and crucial 2-0 beating of Glenmuir High at Juici Field.It was a good win, but still sees them behind the eight ball in a very competitive group, which is led by Rusea’s High, on goal difference, over Dinthill Technical, after both schools played to an entertaining 3-3 draw.Much-needed winThe results mean that Clarendon College will need to win their final group match on November 11 against Rusea’s High and hope that Glenmuir can hold Dinthill to a draw, if they are to prolong the defence of their title.St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) again proved how devastating they can be, by whipping Vere Technical 6-3 in Santa Cruz.Their red-hot striker, Michael ‘Diddy’ Kerr, took toll with a superb hat-trick, while midfield genius Shawn Genus was also on target for STETHS, who now lead Group R on maximum six points from two matches. Kerr now has 25 goals for the season.The next set of matches on November 11 will determine the teams to advance to the semi-final round.Yesterday’s ResultsDinthill 3 Rusea’s 3Seaforth 0 Lennon 2STETHS 6 Vere 3Mannings 2 Marcus Garvey 0St James 1 Lacovia 0Glenmuir 0 Clarendon Coll 2Manchester 3 Paul Bogle 1
A thanksgiving service for the life of the late trainer Harry Parsard will be held on Thursday, September 1 at the Constant Spring Church of Christ, 2 Mannings Avenue, starting at 1 p.m.Parsard died after a short illness on Tuesday, August 16 at age 79.The veteran was a stalwart of the racing industry in his capacities as owner, trainer and breeder. He was also an executive member of both the United Racehorse Trainers’ Association (URTA) and Racehorse Owners’ Association.At the time of his death, he was the second vice-president of the UTRA.Above all, Parsard interacted with members of the racing fraternity on a day to day basis as the main supplier of hay and horse feeds to his many clients. He was the owner of a large hay farm in Clarendon as well.In recent years, Parsard, in collaboration with his son Ian, made an indelible mark in grade one races with the 2014 champion sprinter and Gold Cup winner POTCHEEN, UPPA TUNE and PETE’SWILDONE, not to mention the consistent American filly LONG RUNNING TRAIN.But despite their success, Parsard in an interview last year admitted that his greatest training feat was saddling the 35-1 outsider SUPERLUMINAL to win the 2015 Jamaica St. Leger, beating the derby winner SEEKING MY DREAM in the process.Having worked with the British Railways while living in England 40 years ago, Parsard named many of his horses after his previous occupation – LONG RUNNING TRAIN, ORIGINAL TRAIN, GRAND TRAIN, CITY TRAIN, DR TRAIN, WAR TRAIN and ONE GREAT TRAIN, to name a few.He is survived by his son Ian, vice-president of finance and operations at Jamaica Broilers and daughter Dr Susan Wright.
With all these front page issues surrounding the life of the previously secluded country lad, that of when to call time on his illustrious career, could not escape. That crucial decision for a top-of-the-line athlete, was always going to take centre stage at some point. There is a culture endemic to the country’s track and field and sport in general. Call it unacceptable, for lack of a harsher word. It suggests that “time to go” decisions are to be made by other than the individual in question. Foster’s Fairplay is of the firm view that packing it all in, should reside in the province of the athlete along with his or her handlers. Too often, it comes and in many cases, distastefully so, from administrators and others looking on. Few around at the time can forget the case with the outstanding and most successful at the time, Olympic sprinter, Donald Quarrie. Coincidentally, with Hurricane Matthew heading in Jamaica’s direction, although prayers for a reprieve are ongoing, it was Gilbert time, approaching the Seoul Olympics in 1988, when DQ, as he was affectionately known, was denied a sixth Olympic moment. The Montreal 1976 100m/200m silver and gold medallist, respectively, had achieved the qualifying mark and placed second in the longer distance, at the trials, but was forced to return to his Los Angeles, California residence without the joy and splendour of hitting that career-ending six. It is now Bolt’s time to drop the departure bomb. Once again, he is handling the limelight, in consonance with the showman image that he has adopted. In dramatic style, he is carefully selecting his exit date. The seemingly favourite option is the 2017 London World Championships, where the Jamaican backdrop will be huge – a most fitting stage to say goodbye. One senses that the world’s most elite does not envisage any threat to his supremacy, although there is the suggestion that only one sprint would be attempted. Although not specified, this might very well be the half-lap race. This so, as there is a lingering career dream, still not fulfilled – the prospect of putting the 200m world record to rest, with a mind-boggling 18 point. To even contemplate that feat is scary for lesser mortals. A famous quote from the sports aficionados when fantastic times from the big man in upcoming events are discussed, sometimes trashed by the non-believers, is “Remember, this is Bolt.” There is even talk of taking some time away from the sport, recharge his batteries, rebore his cylinders, and return for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A recent quote attributed to him while going through a particularly rigorous gym routine in his Rio preparations, is instructive. “Why am I doing this?” That self-uttered thought alone should snuff out any flicker of taking on the best in the world in another four years, while on the doorstep of age 34. Leaving the sport, which his presence has graced with a splendidly enhanced and redecorated image, must be solely the prerogative of Usain Bolt. With no qualification to so rule, Foster’s Fairplay suggests: Let London 2017 be the grand farewell. Thank you, Usain. Email feedback to lauriefoster2012@gmail.com. London goodbye When to quit Usain St Leo Bolt has never failed to be a prime time focus of attention. Call him superstar, superman, super hero or just simply a legend, his athletic achievements, awesome presence and antics, to boot, to which the less gifted can only aspire, have attracted the cameras and microphones of the world. The accrued exposure attached to the excitement and ecstasy within his adoring fanbase has catapulted his image far beyond the global sporting cohort. This product of a Christian background, maintained by caring parents, Wellesley and Jennifer, rigid in discipline and decency, has assumed an image that can aptly be described as “larger than life.” There is a highly predictable result to all this adulation and acclaim. The only ‘triple trebler’ in sprinting competition at the prestigious Olympic Games, has his every move tracked with precision. The nature of this mirrors the inner workings of the Hublot watch brand, for which, alongside fellow sporting greats, Pele, Kobe Bryant and JosÈ Mourinho, he has been appointed an ambassador. Even his private life (can someone of his stature have such a thing?) has been placed under intense, intrusive and intimately-revealing post Rio scrutiny.
HOUSTON (AP):There’s no hiding it. One edge the New England Patriots have over the Atlanta Falcons in today’s Super Bowl can’t be denied – experience.It’s a factor never to be scoffed at when the AFC and NFC champions meet for the league title.Sure, New England (16-2) have a bunch of young players – 16 with four years or less in the NFL – and the Falcons (13-5) actually have four guys who have played in a Super Bowl – Dwight Freeney, Courtney Upshaw, Dashon Goldson and Philip Wheeler. Don’t let that mislead you.When a team has a quarterback and a coach in their seventh Super Bowl together, along with a slew of players who helped it win the championship just two years ago, well, that’s the kind of experience that can be key.Just ask Tom Brady.”I’ve got a good regulation of my emotions and I know when I need to get amped up and I know when I need to relax a little bit, and I think you learn those things,” said Brady, a three-time Super Bowl MVP who’s 4-2 in the game.”You kind of have to be right on the edge. It’s such an emotional game. You don’t want to be out of control, but you can’t play with no emotion. You strike different chords for different emotions at different times.”The Falcons aren’t discounting the edge of having been down this path. Freeney, who won a ring with Indianapolis at the 2007 game, believes the mental approach is critical.WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL”I was 24 or 25 or whatever I was,” he said of playing in the Colts’ victory against Chicago. “My body and everything was just on a whole different level, which is to be expected at that age.Atlanta have never won an NFL crown, are in only their second Super Bowl in 51 seasons of life – a decisive loss to Denver came in 1999 – and rarely have been a contender to get this far.Since Brady became New England’s starter, he ranks first in postseason wins (24), passing attempts (1,263), completions (788), yards (8,628) and touchdowns (61). He has the most multi-touchdown games (19) and most career 300-yard games (11) in NFL playoff history. He will also become the first player to appear in seven Super Bowls, and with a victory would have the most rings, tied with Charles Haley.
Another schoolboy, in Kingston College and Harbour View midfielder Fabian Grant, has been added to the Reggae Boyz squad to face Honduras in a friendly international at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas, USA on February 16 at 8:30 pm. Grant, who scored a spectacular goal from 20 yards to give Kingston College the lead in the Walker Cup final, which they won 2-0 by beating Jamaica College, joins Cornwall College’s and Montego Bay United’s Jourdaine Fletcher as the other schoolboy in the team. He replaces Alvas Powell. There is just one more change to the squad that played the USA on Friday, with Portland Timbers’ Andre Lewis coming in for Omar Holness. The rest of the squad reads: Romario Williams, Cory Burke, Je-Vaughn Watson, Kemar Lawrence, Sergio Campbell, Damion Lowe, Oneil Fisher, Andre Blake (GK), Ryan Thompson (GK), Owayne Gordon, Kevon Lambert, Dwayne Ambursley, Ladale Ritchie, Shamar Nicholson, Micheal Binns, Ewan Grandison and Rosario Harriot.
It’s been a year, but things remain the same as Edwin Allen and St Jago High scored convincing wins to capture the girls and boys’ titles along with cash prize of $250,000 each at yesterday’s Digicel Grand Prix Central Athletics Championships at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport. This was the final meet in the Digicel Grand Prix event before Saturday’s finale the G.C. Foster Classic, which takes place inside the National Stadium. Edwin Allen topped the female section with 404 points. Hydel finished second with 339.50 points and $100,000; edging out Holmwood Technical, which finished third with 339 points, which gave them a $50,000 payday. St Jago amassed 423 points to totally dominate the male section, walking away with $250,000. They were followed by Edwin Allen (111 points) for $100,000 with third place going to Holmwood Technical with 110 points and $50,000. Despite heavy showers, which started before the start of the girls Class Two 200m and continued for the majority of the evening, competition was still extremely high, especially among the females, where the top five girls’ teams in the island were involved in a battle royale on a day where the record keepers ended up adjusting 90 marks over both days. One of the country’s budding young female sprinters, Kevona Davis of Edwin Allen was a standout yesterday, as she produced a breathtaking performance in the 200m. Running in a negative wind of 4.5 metres per second, Davis, who was following up on her impressive showing at the Carifta Trials, confirmed her abilities after recovering from a slow start, to easily cover her rivals and win in a new record of 23.56 seconds to erase her old mark of 24.18 seconds set a year ago. The Girls Class Two and Three 800m also produced record breaking performances through Cemore Donald and Rushana Dwyer of Edwin Allen. In a very close battle, Donald clocked 2:09.32 to edge out Charokee Young of Hydel, who was second in 2:09.41 with Holmwood Technical’s Brittney Campbell finishing third in 2:09.98. In Class Three, Dwyer finished strongly to win in 2:10.94, ahead of Bellefield’s Aneisha Lawrence in 2:12.59 with Dwyer’s teammate Jessica McLean taking third in 2:15.22.In Class One, Holmwood’s Chrissani May (2:10.17) got the better of Vere’s Britnie Dixon (2:11.12) and Edwin Allen’s Kara Grant, who was third in 2:12.33. In field event action, St Jago High’s Tissana Hickling led the way with two record breaking performances. She won the Class One long jump with a mark of 6.33m and the triple jump with a 13.29 metres leap. In the Class Two long jump, Edwin Allen’s Annia Ashley won with a new mark of 6.02m.
Team Canada’s boxer Dave ‘Fast and Furious’ Leblond has appealed to the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control (JBBC) to have his defeat to Jamaican fighter Tsetsi ‘Lights Out’ Davis overruled.If successful, this would result in a rematch between the two for a spot in the next round of the competition.Leblond’s trainer, Patrice Trudeau, told The Gleaner that although he and Leblond are not upset that Davis won, they believe the judges made what he describes as an egregious ruling.”The judges made a choice and we’re OK with the decision, regardless of the fact that we think we won, it’s more about a state of mind than the actual facts,” Trudeau told The Gleaner: “We’re satisfied in what we came to do. You saw at the end of the fight how satisfied as a team we were. That’s really what the heart of it is. But if you’re asking me if Tsetsi Davis won the fight and outscored Dave Leblond, I’ll say no.”However, Trudeau said he would not go into the details of the grounds of the appeal, which was submitted to the JBBC on Wednesday afternoon.NO DETAILS”It’s not that I can’t go into the details, but I’m just not gonna go into the details with that because we took our time to write the reasons of the appeal and we forwarded the letter of the official appeal to the board on Wednesday. Things, sometimes, can go south when you really want them to go north, but we trust that the board can do an excellent job sorting out what we brought up. Our job was really to highlight the facts and what we saw that was actually there.”JBBC officials refused to speak about the issue, saying at the time that they had not reviewed the appeal as yet, but they believe it is unlikely that the decision will change.However, Contender promoter Mark Kenny said Leblond may actually have a case.”Under WBC (World Boxing Council) rules, egregious scoring may be grounds for an appeal,” he said.”The appeal is just basically for an extra scrutiny, and we’re fine with that, and we agree with it. Sometimes that’s good to show that the show takes itself very seriously. If the appeal turns round and sanctions result that are correct? That’s fine.”rachid.parchment@gleanerjm.com
Philippines Football League club FC Meralco Manila will be facing stiff competition in its bid to keep stars Phil and James Younghusband in the squad as the mid-year transfer window opened this week.Two clubs, including newcomer San Miguel Davao Aguilas, have expressed interest in acquiring the Younghusband brothers, whose three-year deal with Meralco ends at the end of August.ADVERTISEMENT ‘I’m out!’: PewDiePie releases last video before taking break from YouTube Filipinos turn Taal Volcano ash, plastic trash into bricks PLAY LIST 01:40Filipinos turn Taal Volcano ash, plastic trash into bricks01:32Taal Volcano watch: Island fissures steaming, lake water receding02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite Indian national gunned down in Camarines Sur View comments Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. “Two clubs are interested, but they are still under contract with Meralco,” said a reliable source. “What’s important to them (Younghusband brothers) is that they can continue playing at a high level.”The Younghusband brothers have been with the Sparks since 2011, winning two trophies, including the UFL Cup in 2014.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSEnd of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legendSPORTSRedemption is sweet for Ginebra, Scottie ThompsonSPORTSMayweather beats Pacquiao, Canelo for ‘Fighter of the Decade’A source within Meralco said the club is ready to offer Phil and James a one-year deal.But the two clubs are reportedly offering a longer deal for the Younghusband brothers. Simone Rota, who recovered from a knee injury recently, is also reportedly beefing up the Aguilas, along with another Ceres player, Jorrel Aristorenas.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next PH students strike gold It will cost AguilasThe transfer won’t be easy as it looks.With the transfer window closing on August 15, two weeks before their contract ends with Meralco, the Sparks could ask for a transfer fee for the two players.“The fee could go beyond P10 million (for the Younghusband brothers),” said the source.After going winless in its first 10 games of the season, Davao, which is owned by businessman Jefferson Cheng, is undergoing a massive roster upgrade with midfielders Matthew Hartmann and Jason De Jong heading to the Mindanao club from Global Cebu and Ceres-Negros respectively.ADVERTISEMENT McGregor blasts Cerrone in 40 seconds in UFC return MOST READ LeBron James scores 31 points, Lakers beat Rockets End of his agony? SC rules in favor of Espinosa, orders promoter heirs to pay boxing legend 787 earthquakes recorded in 24 hours due to restive Taal Volcano OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ‘a duplicitous move’ – Lacson Marcosian mode: Duterte threatens to arrest water execs ‘one night’ Kawhi Leonard, Clippers rally to beat Pelicans LATEST STORIES