Bruising gym takes top honours
Stony Hill’s Bruising gym, coached by Carl Grant, took top honours in the Jamaica Boxing Board’s National Senior Championships, held recently at the Stanley Couch gym on Victoria Avenue.These were the 2015 Championships, which should have been held in December but were postponed.Bruising gym scored 14 points in the Elite section of the championships, edging the 2014 champions the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), 12, and then picked up another four points in the novice section of the championships. Third was the Stanley Couch gym with six, and fourth, Seaview gym with five.In the novice section of the championships, for boxers with less than five bouts, Sav Boxing Academy took top honours with eight points from Stanley Couch’s seven, Sugar Olympic third with six and St Thomas fourth with five.Grant took the award for outstanding coach, middleweight champion Daine Smikle won the outstanding male boxer award, Nyoka Hewitt won the outstanding female boxer award, and Joshua Forrest-Barrett was named the outstanding novice boxer.AVERAGE STANDARDThe standard of boxing on display was only average, and a lot of work will have to take place in the various gyms this year to bring the boxers up to international standard. There were a few promising boxers, however. The classiest and most promising boxer in the tournament was Daine Smikle, who lives in the United States and is coached by his father Gary Smikle, a former local amateur boxer champion, who also had a good career as a professional. In the novice class, middleweight Forrest-Barrett stood out.Smikle pulled off a big upset when he dethroned middleweight champion Janathan Hanson in the semi-finals and then disposed of Seaview gym’s Nick Reid by a technical knockout because of injury in the finals. Defending welterweight champion Kestna Davis, coming back from a long break because of an injury, had a close call in his semi-final against Canadian boxer Joshua Frazer, who pushed him all the way. Davis won that fight by split decision. In the final he looked much better and won by a unanimous decision over Kevonna Willis of the JDF.In other finals in the elite class, lightweight Ricardo Carter from G.C. Foster defeated Patrick Sahadeo of the JDF; female super heavyweight Sashagaye Fowler from Bruising defeated Jasmine Graham from Stanley Couch by a technical knockout in round one; light welterweight Damion Wiliams from the JDF defeated Bruising’s Damion Fuller, and light heavyweight Ian Darby from the JDF defeated England-based Reece Shagourie on points by a split decision.
LEICESTER (4-2-3-1)SCHMEICHEL,AMARTEY, HUTH, MORGAN, FUCHS,DRINKWATER, KANTE,MAHREZ, ALBRIGHTON,VARDYRIVIERE, PEREZ,WIJNALDUM,COLBACK, SHELVEY, SISSOKO,DUMMETT, TAYLOR, LASCELLES, JANMAAT,ELLIOTNEWCASTLE (4-3-1-2)A fascinating contest between one team moving in on their first Barclays Premier League title and another fighting for their top-flight lives.Leicester are now five points clear at the top of the table after winning 1-0 at Watford last Saturday. Third place Arsenal not playing in the league this weekend but Tottenham Hotspur, in second, can cut the deficit to two when they face Newcastle on Sunday. Fourth-placed Manchester City are at struggling Norwich and can edge into third if they win at Carrow Road.After 29 games of last season, Leicester were bottom of the Premier League with just 19 points. Now they are top on a massive 60 points.Riyad Mahrez got Leicester’s winner, his 15th Premier League goal of the season, though 11 of those have been scored on the road.Indeed, Leicester have scored 33 goals in the second half of games this term, two more than any other side.Newcastle, by contrast, have lost five of their last six Premier League games, most recently at home to Bournemouth. That leaves them, one place off the bottom with just 24 points, their lowest ever return from 28 games in the Premier League.They arrive at the King Power Stadium with just seven away goals, the fewest in the Premier League.Leicester won 3-0 at St James’ Park in November and, in this game last season, they won by the same scoreline, though Newcastle finished with nine men after Mike Williamson and Darryl Janmaat were sent off.Leicester have a clean bill of health but Newcastle have doubts over Papiss Cisse, Fabricio Coloccini, Andros Townsend, Paul Dummett and Yoan Gouffran. Definitely out are Curtis Good, Massaido Haidara, Tim Krul, Gabriel Obertan and Ivan Tovey.
World Championships FactJamaica’s Usain Bolt has won eight World Championship gold medals since 2009
SATURDAYDIGICEL SPORTSMAX2:6:45 a.m: CHELSEA vs ARSENAL9 a.m: ASTON VILLA vs WEST BROM11:30 a.m: MAN CITY vs WEST HAM6 p.m: NEWCASTLE UNITED vs WATFORD9 p.m: BOURNEMOUTH vs SUNDERLAND11 p.m: STOKE CITY vs LEICESTER CITYSUNDAYDIGICEL SPORTSMAX 2:7:30 a.m: TOTTENHAM vs CRYSTAL PALACE10 a.m: SOUTHAMPTON vs MAN UNITED4 p.m: LIVERPOOL vs NORWICH CITY
ZURICH (AP):Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, the former France great who had been favoured to take over as FIFA leader, were both suspended for 90 days yesterday, plunging football’s governing body deeper into crisis.Blatter and Platini were suspended by the FIFA ethics committee in the wake of a Swiss criminal investigation. The decision seemingly ends Platini’s bid to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in the emergency election in February.Another presidential hopeful, Chung Mong-joon, was suspended for six years in a separate case, and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke was banned for 90 days.The suspensions can be extended by up to 45 days.The International Olympic Committee called on FIFA to consider a “credible external presidential candidate of high integrity” as Blatter’s replacement.”Enough is enough,” IOC president Thomas Bach said. “We hope that now, finally, everyone at FIFA has at last understood that they cannot continue to remain passive.Repairing imageBach added, “They must act swiftly to regain credibility because you cannot forever dissociate the credibility of FIFA from the credibility of football.”Issa Hayatou, the longtime head of the African Football Confederation who was reprimanded in 2011 by the IOC in a FIFA kickbacks scandal, will take over as acting president.The 69-year-old Cameroonian, who has a serious kidney illness that requires regular dialysis sessions, is currently in Yaounde and is expected to travel to Zurich immediately.Hayatou said he would not stand for president in February but remained committed to the reform process.”We will also continue to cooperate fully with authorities and follow the internal investigation wherever it leads,” Hayatou said in a statement.The interim leader of UEFA will be Spanish federation head Angel Maria Villar, who remains at risk of being sanctioned from the FIFA ethics committee in its investigation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.UEFA’s 54-member nations are due to meet in Nyon, Switzerland, next Thursday, while FIFA vice-president David Gill and fellow executive committee member Wolfgang Niersbach have called for an emergency meeting of FIFA’s ruling body.Blatter’s suspension brings a sudden halt to a 40-year career that had survived waves of scandals until he was placed under criminal investigation.Last month, Swiss authorities turned up at Blatter’s office at FIFA headquarters and interrogated him. The criminal case centres on Blatter allegedly misusing FIFA money by making a $2 million payment to Platini, who was questioned as a witness.Blatter was also questioned by Swiss investigators about broadcasting contracts sold to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner in 2005 that were supposedly undervalued.’Misunderstanding’Blatter’s lawyer, Richard Cullen, said the ethics committee failed to follow procedure and based its decision on a “misunderstanding”.The suspension of Platini could have the most far-reaching implications. Platini submitted his formal candidacy to stand in the February 26 election to replace Blatter yesterday. That means it will have to be considered by the election committee after the October 26 deadline for candidacies. Chung, a former FIFA vice-president, was found guilty of breaches relating to the investigation into bidding for the 2022 World Cup, of which South Korea was a contender.Chung said his ban has “completely undermined the legitimacy and fairness of the next FIFA presidential election”.Valcke had already been put on leave last month after being the subject of allegations over a deal for black market sales of tickets to 2014 World Cup matches.Valcke’s lawyer, Barry Berke, said the Frenchman was the subject of “false allegations”.
SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP): Shoaib Malik’s highest score (75 off 54 balls) in Twenty20 Internationals could not prevent an England clean sweep in their three-match series. Yesterday’s match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium went down to the Super Over after both teams were tied on 154 at the end of their 20 overs. In the Super Over, Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal were unable to get Chris Jordan away and finished on just three runs. Only one run came off the bat, and Jordan also clean bowled Akmal with his last ball. England sent out captain Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler, and they got the required four runs in the fifth ball. Australia win first day-night Test ADELAIDE, Australia (AP): Australia successfully chased 187 to win the first-ever day-night cricket Test by three wickets against New Zealand on Sunday, with tailenders Peter Siddle and Mitch Starc ushering the hosts to victory in a dramatic finish under lights that will almost certainly ensure the format isn’t consigned to history as a one-time event. The match was over inside three days, which hasn’t happened in an Adelaide Oval Test since 1951, and which highlighted the differences of using the pink ball and playing under lights in the longest form of the game. Ball dominated bat, particularly in the twilight sessions. The first 25 wickets tumbled in two days, before New Zealand resumed Sunday at 116-5, an overall lead of 94. Josh Hazlewood, leading the attack because the injured Starc wasn’t allowed to bowl, returned a career-best 6-70, and Mitch Marsh took 3-59 to bowl the New Zealanders out for 208 in the first session and set up the target. Trent Boult responded with figures of 5-60 for New Zealand, including Shaun Marsh for 49, just as the home team appeared to be coasting, to ensure a tense two hours before Australia clinched the three-match series 2-0. SCORES: New Zealand 1st Innings: 202 (Tom Latham 50, Mitchell Santner 31; Mitch Starc 3-24, Josh Hazlewood 3-66). Australia 1st Innings: 224 (Peter Nevill 66, Steve Smith 53, Nathan Lyon 34; Doug Bracewell 3-18). New Zealand 2nd Innings: 208 (Mitchell Santner 45, Ross Taylor 32; Josh Hazlewood 6-70, Mitch Marsh 3-59).
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC):West Indies will use a camp in Dubai as their final preparation for the Twenty20 World Cup in India starting in March.The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said yesterday the 15-man squad would be engaged in a camp there from February 22 to March 6, before heading to Kolkata for the official warm-up matches.They clash with India on March 10 and take on South Africa three days later.West Indies have been drawn in Group 1 of the preliminary stage of the T20 World Cup alongside England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and a yet-to-be determined qualifier.Also on Thursday, the WICB finally confirmed the 15-man squad Twenty20 World Cup.The squad, which will be led by Darren Sammy, had been leaked by several media organisations earlier this week.As expected, the unit features the core of the side, which captured the title four years ago in Sri Lanka, when they beat the hosts in a dramatic final.Superstar opener Chris Gayle, all-rounders Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo, along with Kieron Pollard, have all been included.Off-spinner Sunil Narine has also been named in the squad but will undergo a test on his action next month before he can be confirmed.
KOLKATA, India, CMC – Fast bowler Jerome Taylor says West Indies will use yesterday’s warm-up loss to hosts India as a learning experience and hit back strongly when the Twenty20 World Cup bowls off. West Indies were soundly beaten by India by 45 runs at Eden Gardens, after suffering a batting collapse while chasing a target of 186. “We can look at the batting and the way we lost wickets. Wickets kept falling in clusters so I guess that’s one area we can improve on,” Taylor told reporters. “As a team, we are working towards one common goal which is winning and there’s always room for improvement. We will go back to the drawing boards and come again after this game.” He added: “If you want to be in the finals, you have to improve each and every time you go out on the park so we’ll look to improve in all departments of the game – batting, bowling and fielding.” India got up to 185 for five off their 20 overs, with opener Rohit Sharma anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 98 off 57 deliveries. Taylor led the attack with two for 26 while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn finished with two for 30. The Jamaican said despite the loss, the squad was in a great mood, especially coming off a two-week camp in the United Arab Emirates. “We have been playing cricket over the last week, two weeks. It’s a happy camp, to be honest with you,” Taylor said. “The guys are gelling together and they are upbeat about this tournament. They are just sharing each other’s experience among themselves and gelling together as a group. “This is a fantastic experience for us as well and hope we can take a lot from this and bounce back again.” Taylor said the defeat would not dent the side’s confidence but would enhance their preparation to face India later in the competition, if such a meeting arose. “It has provided us with an insight as to what India are going to be like so there’s a lot to take from this game … so that if we do come up against India again we can give a good account of ourselves.”
For all that, there are some other big matchups. Ellis’ schoolmate, Junelle Bromfield, and Ashley Williams of Holmwood Technical are heading for a highly anticipated meeting in the Class One 400m. Bromfield is strong and Williams is quick, but the STETHS girl is just about 0.3 faster on the clock this year. Despite all that and the lofty expectations for the clashes between Jauavney James, Shevon Parkes, and Leon Clarke in the Class One 800m and between the JC pair of O’Brien Wasome and Clayton Brown in the Class One triple jump, the girls’ Class Two 100m hurdles will share the spotlight. Two former Class Three and Four winners, Sidney Marshall of Manchester High and Holmwood’s Shanette Allison, demand attention in the Class Two 100 metres hurdles. Allison edged her elder rival at Central Champs and looked great on Tuesday in the Champs heats. Her time of 13.60 seconds led all qualifiers in the preliminary round. Perhaps next year, when she will again be in Class Two, she will knock on the door of the record, set at 13.38 seconds by Peta-Gaye Williams. As in the boys’ Class One 100m, there is another worthy contender. That’s Marshall’s teammate, Daszay Freeman. This leggy lass has sprint credentials, having beaten St Jago’s outstanding Kimone Shaw. Marshall is slick. Allison is quick and Freeman has the look of someone who will keep improving. One of them could become really, really good. That’s the great thing about Champs. Whether the athlete is as unheralded as Ellis or as established as bright prospects like Chambers and Matherson, those who watch Champs keenly could see a gem. So here’s a word of advice. Don’t lose focus after the big 100-metre final. The girls’ Class Two 100-metre hurdles could be the race of the meet. HIGHLY ANTICIPATED Absorbing match-ups are sprinkled liberally across the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships this week. Yet, despite the collective allure, one has captured the nation’s imagination. That special one pits Nigel Ellis of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) against Jhevaughn Matherson of Kingston College (KC) and Raheem Chambers of St Jago High School. In a world where the Olympic or World 100m champion has long been dubbed the world’s fastest human, that extra interest is understandable. Chambers and Matherson are precocious talents who each have won the Class Three 100m in record time. Two years ago, Chambers out-started his friendly KC rival to win in a Class Two record time of 10.29 seconds, with Matherson next in 10.37 seconds. By contrast, Ellis has never won a Champs medal before. This late bloomer moved from Cambridge High and has blossomed at STETHS. He was fourth in both the Class One 100 and 200m last year, with Chambers behind him in the shorter race. All of those ahead of him, including former Calabar standout Michael O’Hara, are gone. So is his 2015 personal best of 10.45. Some didn’t believe his fast-winning Western Champs times of 10.20 and 20.40 seconds until his measured 10.26-second dash to beat Chambers in the Under-20 100m at the recent Carifta Trials. Even though that was Chambers’ first 100m of the season, and even though Matherson smoothly released a 10.25 to win the under-18, everyone believes in Ellis now. His mission is to become the first boy from STETHS to win the Class One 100m.
DESERVE RESPECT President of the Jamaica Cricket Association Trevor ‘Billy’ Heaven believes the double victory by the West Indies men’s and women’s teams in the finals of the International Cricket Council’s T20 World Cup in Kolkata, India, yesterday has put new life into the Caribbean game. Captained by Jamaican player of the tournament, Stafanie Taylor, the Windies women won their first-ever T20 World Cup title, defeating Australia by eight wickets. A few hours later, the West Indies men’s team, with a mature knock from Marlon Samuels, won the ICC Men’s T20 title, defeating England in their final. “I want to commend the teams for giving us a double on the day, and I think both achievements were very, very remarkable and they put some new life in the West Indies,” Heaven said. Heaven also felt that it was an important moment for the Caribbean game. “If you look in the various territories at the turnout at the different venues and the different spots, it was simply fantastic. They went out there determined and they went out there knowing they have the talent, skills and determination to win that final, and from that standpoint, I think it’s a fantastic day.” Heaven said it was time for the West Indies women’s cricket team to be given the respect they deserve by the Caribbean people. “It’s a remarkable and historic occasion for women’s cricket in the world, and if you look at the teams they defeated, Australia, whether it’s the women’s team or the men’s team, Australia is always difficult to beat, so it’s a really difficult feat,” he added. “The women were motivated and they worked together as a team and they gave it their all. (Hayley) Matthews is a great talent going forward. She played a very mature game and supported Stafanie in a great way,” he noted. Heaven also singled out Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite, who hit four straight sixes to save the West Indies who entered the final over needing 19 runs to win. “Marlon Samuels played a very, very mature and brilliant innings. He read the game well. He knew he had to stay there, and irrespective of Brathwaite’s heroics in the last over, I believe Marlon set up the victory. Marlon stood there and he knew he had to be there at the end if West Indies had any chance at all of winning the cup,” he said. “That was Marlon at his best,” he added. He pointed out that the West Indies is the only men’s team to have won the T20 World Cup twice. “That’s also an achievement on our part,” he said. Meanwhile, Peter Lloyd, group marketing director of team sponsors, Digicel, said the telecommunications company was delighted with the teams continued success. “The ‘Windies’ teams fought hard and were rewarded with well-deserved wins against England and Australia – both formidable opponents. We wish all the West Indies teams continued success as we look to continue supporting them through our partnership with the West Indies Cricket Board.”
Spring 2019 Commissioner’s Honor Roll | 2018-19 Academic AwardsFRISCO, Texas – A total of 1,414 student-athletes from across the Southland Conference’s 10 springs sports have been named to the 2019 Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll, the league announced Thursday. A total of 295 student-athletes posted a flawless 4.0 GPA throughout the spring semester.The Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognizes Southland student-athletes within the sports of baseball, basketball, golf, softball, tennis and track & field who maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average (GPA) within the semester of their sport’s championship.“We’re again pleased to acknowledge so many high-performing Southland student-athletes,” league commissioner Tom Burnett said. “As outstanding as they are on the playing fields and courts, it’s always gratifying to know of their academic success that will later lead to graduation and further life-long accomplishments.”Incarnate Word led the way among all Southland Conference institutions with 147 honorees, followed by Abilene Christian with 134 and McNeese with 133.Central Arkansas accounted for 126 student-athletes, while Southeastern Louisiana rounded out the top five with 117 representatives. Houston Baptist and Northwestern State tied for sixth with 106 apiece, followed by Sam Houston State with 104. Stephen F. Austin (101), Lamar (98), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (96), Nicholls (83) and New Orleans (63) round out the 2019 Spring Honor Roll list.Southeastern Louisiana baseball placed a league-best 25 student-athletes on the honor roll, followed by 24 apiece from regular-season champion SHSU, ACU, HBU and UIW.Houston Baptist and UIW tied for first among men’s basketball teams, each placing 10 honorees among the league’s list. The Huskies hold sole custody of the lead spot for women’s basketball, accounting for 14 student-athletes.McNeese and Nicholls are tied for first among softball, landing 22 members on the list from each institution.Regular-season men’s tennis champion Abilene Christian also took the first position among Southland institutions with nine honorees. Sam Houston State boasts 11 women’s tennis student-athletes to claim the first-place spot.UIW holds the top spot among men’s track & field competitors, while the 2019 indoor and outdoor conference champion Stephen F. Austin contributes 33 honorees to lead the field.Lamar stands out front among men’s golf with 10 representatives, while McNeese paves the way for women’s golf with nine student-athletes.