All set for hot Gibson/McCook Relays
ALL IS set for today’s 40th staging of the Gibson/McCook Relays, which will take place inside the National Stadium at 9:00 a.m. Things will get started with the heats of the high-school boys’ 4x400m relays, with the final set to bring down the curtains on the event. A bumper crowd is expected as usual, with action set to feature competition among primary, prep, junior high, high schools and clubs and institutions, as they all prepare for their upcoming championships. Chairman of the Organising Committee, Professor Rainford Wilks, is very optimistic about today’s staging despite earlier concerns about the possible impact of the general election, which were held on Thursday. “Plans have gone on well. We have been affected by the general election, mainly resulting in the cancellation of the Howard Aris Memorial Lecture,” Wilks shared. Multiple Olympic and World Championships medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was scheduled to speak, but could not facilitate the alternate date. “We regret that and hope to hear from her in the future,” said Wilks. He pointed to a fallout in sponsorship, but was very pleased with the level of entries received for the meet. “Entries are at the robust levels. Our plans to welcome a US College team for the first time after many years have fallen through,” he said. Despite this, he expects the usual quality performances. “The quality will be excellent, as seen from the development meets since January. We are very happy with preparations, and patrons can expect a high quality, efficiently run meet in a safe, fun-filled environment,” he added. As usual, a lot of attention will surround the high-school competition as teams will be using the opportunity to fine-tune ahead of Champs. Defending girls champion Edwin Allen, after five victories a year ago will be hoping for another dominant performance at the Gibson/McCook Relays. Following performances so far this season they look well set to win the Class 2, 3 and 4 4x100m relays along with the 4x200m and 4x800m event. After two sub-45 seconds runs this season, Holmwood look set to maintain this high standard and should go all the way, while defending champions St Jago will be hoping to spoil their party. The most outstanding female high school athlete Junelle Bromfield of STETHS will be on show today as she will be hoping to bring her team to their third victory this season in the 4x400m, after brilliant anchor legs at the Milo Western Relays and Digicel Grand Prix finale, where she made up large deficits to guide her team to victories. CALABAR CLASS TWO BOYS Among the high school boys, all eyes will be on Calabar’s Class 2 4x100m relay team and with Christopher Taylor, in their ranks, they look set to create history by going sub-40 seconds. Last year’s top team, Kingston College, look set to dominate in the lower classes, while St Jago and STETHS should battle it out in a competitive 4x800m relays With this being an Olympic year, several leading senior athletes will be on show and following their outstanding performances at the Milo Western Relays, the Maurice Wilson-coached G.C. Foster College/Sprintec will be looking to Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby, Sherone Simpson, Gayon Evans and Anastasia Le-roy on the female side. Among the males, Andre Clarke, Colin King, Demar Murray and Rasheed Dwyer should feature prominently. The University of Technology/MVP team will be coming out much stronger this time around after playing second fiddle to Sprintec/GC Foster in Montego Bay and they are expected to parade the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carrie Russell, Elaine Thompson and Stephanie McPherson on the female side, while the male side will have the likes of Nesta Carter, Kimarley Brown and Andrew Fisher.
Brought down LONDON (AP): Qualifying for the Champions League looks increasingly out of reach for Manchester United. The season could still end with silverware after Louis van Gaal’s side reached the FA Cup final by beating Everton yesterday. And yet van Gaal still has the air of a manager who could be leaving his job. Even amid the joy at seeing Anthony Martial score in the third minute of stoppage time to clinch a 2-1 victory over Everton in the semi-final, van Gaal responded curtly to a question about the team beyond this season. “I am not looking beyond this competition, the FA Cup, because we live in the present,” van Gaal said. “As for the future, I will discuss that with my board and not with you.” When it was pointed out that he had another season remaining on his contract, the 64-year-old Dutchman said: “Yes. You repeat what I have always said.” Martial set up Marouane Fellaini’s opener in the 34th minute against his former club. Although David de Gea saved Romelu Lukaku’s penalty early in the second half to preserve United’s lead after Ross Barkley was brought down by Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Gerard Deulofeu’s cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by United defender Chris Smalling with 15 minutes remaining. Martial’s winner was a slick completion of a rapid attack that prevented extra time. The 20-year-old France forward linked up with Marcus Rashford on the left flank and then played another one-two with Ander Herrera before slotting in the winner. The 11-time FA Cup winners will discover today whether Crystal Palace or Watford will be their opponent in the May 21 final. With four games remaining, United remain fifth, four points behind Arsenal, who play relegation-threatened Sunderland today. Crosstown rivals Manchester City are a further point ahead in third place after beating Stoke 4-0 in one of four Premier League games yesterday. Kelechi Iheanacho, City’s 19-year-old forward, scored twice after first-half goals from Fernando and Sergio Aguero from the penalty spot. Newcastle remained in the relegation zone despite coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Liverpool, who announced before the game that defender Mamadou Sakho failed a drugs test before a Europa League game last month. After conceding goals from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana in the first half, Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle salvaged a point, thanks to strikes from Papiss Cisse and Jack Colback on the manager’s return to the club he won the Champions League with in 2005. Disappointing season Southampton kept alive their outside shot at qualifying for the Europa League by compounding already-relegated Aston Villa’s woes. Dusan Tadic scored twice in a 4-2 victory for seventh-place Southampton, between headers from Shane Long and Sadio Mane. Deposed champions Chelsea are a place behind after cruising to a 4-1 victory at Bournemouth, who have already secured a second season in the Premier League. Cesc Fabregas played a key role in all four goals, including Eden Hazard’s double that produced his first league goals of a disappointing season for the reigning player of the year. Pedro Rodriguez and Willian also scored for Chelsea. The focus shifts to the title race in the coming days. Leicester, who have a five-point lead over Tottenham, host Swansea today. Tottenham face West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane tomorrow.
In 1966, a Gleaner article declared: “Jamaicans are naturally athletic and agile people, and we could produce divers of world class if more attention was paid to this aspect of swimming.” This bold proclamation was made just after 10 year-old Betsy Sullivan had represented Jamaica in 3m diving competition at the 1966 Commonwealth Games held in Kingston. ” … at that age you kind of know no fear. Whatever is there to do you just do it. Life is just for living at that age, you’re enjoying yourself and having a great time, totally oblivious to the fact I had qualified to a games at age 10 and the magnitude of what that meant. I was just an average 10 year-old playing with my friends, having a good time,” she remembered. “I wasn’t there to win, I didn’t have any expectations at that age, it was just a good experience and I really enjoyed it.” Six years down the road, the then – teenager, Sullivan – now Betsy Sharpe, became the first Jamaican to qualify for the Olympics in the diving event. MUNICH 1972 It will become the scene of both her most fulfilling and horrific experiences, but for the Olympian, it was the moment that defined her for the rest of her life. “That one was the pinnacle, because once you are an Olympian, you will always be an Olympian. That is something no one can ever take away from you. I was proud to represent my country,” said Sharpe during a recent chat with The Gleaner. A great accomplishment for a bright-eyed 16 year-old; still, the Munich Olympics, which were ironically marketed as ‘The Happy Games’, will be mostly remembered for the killing of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches by a group of Palestinian terrorists who had taken them hostage. Sharpe reminisced on the scenes in the Athletes Village and how that incident not only changed the mood of the Games, but also her own perspective. “I remember probably more than I want to remember from it. We could see the terrorist standing outside on the balcony with his gun because of the way the village was set out,” she shared. “The mood of the Games changed. The last time it was held in Germany, it was held in Berlin, and the whole thing with Jesse Owens and (Adolf) Hitler, and so Germany was going out of their way to try and make this a comfortable, friendly games, and that’s how we felt about it.” The extra security detail and the jubilant reactions to the false news that the hostages had been freed are all still fresh in her mind. “I was going through the line at breakfast and I had a smile on my face and the lady that was serving me breakfast she said ‘You don’t know do you? Nobody knows.’ “And I said, ‘Know what?’ And she said, ‘They were all killed.” What didn’t die for Sharpe, is the resolve that she developed from that experience. “Its not something that I usually tell people. I don’t believe in tooting my own horn from that point of view. There is something inside of me that no one can take away from me; I know what my accomplishments are, I just feel like I can hold myself up so high from the experience of being an Olympian, and I always have that self confidence and that’s what reaching that level of sports gives you – you know who you are,” she beamed. This summer, she will have company in the chronicles of Jamaican diving history with Yona Knight-Wisdom set to carve his name beside hers as Jamaican diving Olympian after his qualification to the Rio Olympic Games.
SORRENTINO’S STAR, ridden by outgoing champ-ion jockey Dane Nelson for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny upstaged her eight opponents to win race No. 2 in the Supreme Ventures two-year-old series, the $3.6 million Pick 3 Super Challenge Trophy over 1400 metres, at Caymanas Park yesterday.Running at odds of 4-1, SORRENTINO’S STAR, a maiden at the start, made amends for her close fourth to DREAMLINER in the October 19 Cash Pot ‘Only One For Me’ Trophy over 1200 metres (race one in the series), turning the tables on Wayne DaCosta’s DREAMLINER, who could only manage fourth over the longer distance of the PIck 3 Challenge.SORRENTINO’S STAR raced close up on the rails as the previously unbeaten ZUGULU, the 6-5 favourite, led comfortably from SIMPY THE BEST (5-2) leaving the half mile. However, ZUGULU, with Shane Ellis aboard, was joined by the smooth running SORRENTINO’S STAR on the outside entering the straight. He quickly disposed of ZUGULU to win by 13/4 lengths from the late-closing FUTURE KING (3-1) widest of all with top apprentice Linton Steadman aboard.A bay filly by Sorrentino out of the Touch Gold mare Santa Baby, SORRENTINO’S STAR was notching her first win on this her fourth start. She is owned and bred by Robert Dabdoub.Nelson, who recently returned home following a stint at Woodbine racetrack in Toronto, Canada, said he couldn’t believe that SORRENTINO’S STAR was a maiden.”I had been working her in the mornings in preparation for the races and she responded well,” said the three-time champion jockey. “The trainer instructed me to break her sharply and stay as close to the pace as possible She’s a nice filly and I’m looking forward to riding her again on Boxing Day,” added Nelson, who will ride the American horse UPPA TUNE in next Saturday’s $13.5 million SVL Diamond Mile.Meanwhile, Melissa Ward, riding 9-2 chance FIFTYONE-STORM in the eighth race, became the first of the three female apprentices who graduated from the Jockeys’ School on September 26 to ride a winner against senior jockeys. And former champion jockey Wesley ‘Callaloo’ Henry high-lighted the 11-race programme with a fabulous four-timer, this on a day when the Michael Beecham-trained SIR BUDGET scored a 52-1 upset in the ninth race over the straight, then had to survive a stewards’ inquiry and objection.
Track: Fast Weather: FineRace 1 1200 M (Purse $1,200,000) NB3-Y-O MAIDEN CONDITION RACE (DIV.I)THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE & PLANNING STAKES1. QUEENOFSAINTROSE SMuir 53.02. ABOGADO WHenry 56.0 Neck3. SHIP LODE JPatterson4 49.0 2 1/4L4. STERRI’S CHOICE DaneNelson 54.0 4LWIN: $1,119.00 PLACE: $233.00, $121.00, $206.00.Final Time : 1:14.3 ,Winner : 3yo ch filly – FEARLESS VISION out of EAST WINDTrainer : TYRONE PRINCE Owner : EDGAR LLEWELLYN & ELVIN DUNCANQuinella : $6,810.00 Exacta: $14,167.00Superfecta: $56,057.00Race 2 1400 M (Purse $1,160,000) 3-Y-O & UP CLM($450,0-$400,0)/NB5YO-NW4*1. FORCE DE JOUR PFrancis 57.02. GOLDEN BULLET DaneNelson 57.0 4L3. ITALIANO SEllis 55.0 3/4L4. UNBREAKABLE RWilson 54.0 2 1/4LWIN: $84.00, PLACE: $82.00, $107.00, $101.00Final Time : 1:25.3 Splits : 23.2, 45.4, 1:11.0,Winner : 4yo colt – SHARP HUMOR out of SONG BIRD TOOTrainer : WINSTON MORRIS Owner : ARTHUR W. FOREMANBred by DOUG BRANHAMQuinella : (1,3) $243.00 Exacta : (3-1) $286.00D/E : (7-3) $2,157.00Superfecta : (3-1-4-9) $681.00Race 3 1200 M (Purse $1,200,000) NB2-Y-O MAIDEN CONDITION RACE (DIV.I)THE TROPHY1. CUP O TEA OFoster 52.5 15/1*2. WILD GLADIATOR DaneNelson 55.0 3/4L3. PATCH CBudhai 50.5 1 1/2L4. PROUD PRESIDENT OWalker 52.5 3 1/2LWIN: $823.00, PLACE:$211.00, $77.00, $539.00Final Time : 1:14.0 ,Winner : 2yo b filly – TAQARUB out of EXCHANGE ONLYTrainer : WAYNE DACOSTA, Owner : LAURENCE E HEFFESQuinella : (2,3) $541.00 Exacta : (3-2) $1,949.00D/E : (3-3) $711.00Superfecta carry-over : $148,742.75Rolling Triple : (7-3-3) $26,351.00Race 4 1300 M (Purse $1,130,000) NB4-Y-O & UP RESTRICTED ALLOWANCE IV(NW3)THE SPRINT1. TOUCH DE ROAD RLahoe 54.02. GENUINE FRIEND SMuir 54.0 3 1/2L3. NO MONEY FRIEND OWalker 55.0 1 1/4L4. NATASHADONTPLAY RMitchell 53.0 1 3/4L5. CHIEF SECRETARIAT RHalledeen 54.0 HeadWIN: $279.00, PLACE: $151.00, $209.00, $85.00Final Time : 1:21.1 Splits : 23.1, 47.1, 1:13.1,Winner : 4yo gr colt – HE’STHEREALTHING out of TRUE VIRTUETrainer : JOSEPH THOMAS Owner : JOSEPH THOMASQuinella : (12,15) $4,354.00 Exacta : (12-15) $6,408.00D/E : (3-12) $4,532.00Trifecta : (12-15-4) $9,504.00Hi-5 carry-over : $664,244.75Rolling Triple : (3-3-12) $8,335.00Pick-4 : (7-3-3-12) $112,352.00Race 5 1200 M (Purse $1,200,000) NB 2-Y-O MAIDEN CONDITION RACE (DIV.II) THE TROPHY1. MISS MYRTLE RMitchell 53.02. LORD EQUUS OMullings 55.0 1/2L3. ORPHEUS JErwin 54.0 1/2L4. LITTLE BIG HORN LSteadman3 52. 5 3/4LWIN: $528.00 PLACE: $126.00, $69.00, $172.00Final Time : 1:12.3 Splits : 22.4, 46.2, ,Winner : 2yo ch filly – WAR MARSHALL out of MONUMENTHALTrainer : PATRICK FONG Owner : NEW BLUE LTD.Quinella : (2,5) $767.00 Exacta : (2-5) $2,193.00D/E : (12-2) $8,643.00Superfecta : (2-5-4-9) $21,458.00Rolling Triple : (3-12-2) $32,373.00Race 6 1500 M (Purse $1,300,000) NB3-Y-O RESTRICTED ALLOWANCE II(NW2) (DIV.I)1. ANOTHER BULLET OEdwards4 54.52. TURBO MACHINE CAT WHenry 54.5 Neck*3. ABBEY ROAD BebHarvey4 51.5 *6/5 3L4. CAMOUFLAGE LSteadman3 56.0 1 1/2LWIN: $1,248 PLACE: $254.00, $81.00, $72.00Final Time : 1:32.2Winner : 3yo b colt – NASHEET out of WISELY NOTED by WISED UPTrainer : EVERAL FRANCIS, Owner : TAINIYA S KERRBred by DACOSTA FARMS LIMITEDQuinella : (4,6) $2,351.00 Exacta : (6-4) $8,659.00D/E : (2-6) $17,614.00Superfecta : (6-4-11-13) $50,525.00Rolling Triple : (12-2-6) $244,179.00Race 7 1500 M (Purse $1,300,000) NB3-Y-O RESTRICTED ALLOWANCE II(NW2) (DIV.II)1. BLESSEDNESS KRobinson*2. SHINE JErwin 54.5 3L3. SWEET DIMENSION OWhite 51.0 3 1/4L4. SNEAK PEEK JAnderson 51.5 3/4L5. KING WITHIN PFrancis 55.5 1 1/2L6. TARANTINO RNelson 53.0 2LLate scratch : #3 GOLD CHARMWIN: $431.00 PLACE: $127.00, $64.00, $101.00Final Time : 1:34.2 Splits : 23.1, 46.2, 1:12.2,Winner : 3yo ch colt – BRIDLED QUEST out of WILD WILD WESTTrainer : NEIVE GRAHAM Owner : O’SHAUN CONNECTIONQuinella : (6,9) $375.00 Exacta : (6-9) $1,085.00D/E : (6-6) $26,552.00 (6-3) $1,495.00Trifecta : (6-9-7) $1,434.00Hit-6 carry-over : $211,225.30Rolling Triple : (ALL-6-6,2-ALL-6,2-6-ALL) $3,238.00Race 8 1200 M (Purse $1,200,000) NB3-Y-O MAIDEN CONDITION RACE (DIV.II)THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE & PLANNING STAKES1. WELL BLESSED PFrancis 53.02. KACI WHenry 50.0 4 L3. LAZZA SMuir 56.0 6/1 Nose4. I HAVE A DREAM RMitchell 53.0 3LWIN: $207.00 PLACE: $72.00, $93.00, $145.00Final Time : 1:15.0 Splits : 23.2, 46.4, ,Winner : 3yo b filly – BURNING MARQUE out of SO BLESSEDTrainer : JOSEPH THOMASOwner : JOSEPH THOMASQuinella : (5,9) $291.00 Exacta : (5-9) $627.00D/E : (6-5) $1,560.00Superfecta : (5-9-11-4) $7,663.00Rolling Triple : (6-6-5) $250,819.00Super-6 : (3-12-2-6-6-5) $202,531.80 Carry-over : $1,215,192.25Race 9 1820 M (Purse $1,080,000) 3YO&UP CLM($250,0-$210,0)/NB5YO-NW2&6YO&UP-NW4*1. BRAVE PROSPECT SEllis 56.02. ABOVE THE RADAR AChatrie 54.0 12L3. BROWN GIRL HPottinger4 51.0 6L4. GO GO TRAIN DaneNelson 54.0 2 1/2L5. AUDRE’S BLESSING BebHarvey4 52.0 1 3/4L6. EXPRESS TRUCK RMitchell 56.0 1 1/4LWIN: $155.00 PLACE: $135.00, $126.00, $171.00Final Time : 1:56.2Winner : 3yo b colt – SEEKING THE GLORY out of GOOD PROSPECTTrainer :MICHAEL MCINTOSHOwner : ANDRE S ADAMSQuinella : (2,10) $1,112.00 Exacta : (2-10) $1,810.00D/E : (5-2) $1,030.00Trifecta : (2-10-9) $2,496.00Hit-6 : (2-10-9-5-3-) $145,128.00Race 10 1300 M (Purse $1,350,000) IMP3YO&UP(NW3&MDN)/NB3YO – REST. STAKESTHE DIAMOND SPRINT TROPHY1. TARANIS DaneNelson 53.52. ROYAL ASSAULT SEllis 53.0 1 1/4L3. BIG GEORGE OWalker 53.0 Head4. ROAD WI SEH RMitchell 53.0 Head5. DWAYNE STAR PFrancis 51.0 1 1/4LWIN: $502.00 PLACE: $284.00, $156.00, $246.00Final Time : 1:18.4 ,Winner : 3yo ch colt – ADORE THE GOLD out of BEWARE BABYTrainer : RICHARD AZAN,Owner : ALEXANDER HABER & VON WHITE & RICHARD AZANQuinella : (5,16) $2,375.00 Exacta : (16-5) $3,490.00D/E : (2-16) $2,344.00Trifecta : (16-5-9) $6,394.00Hi-5 carry-over : $1,041,901.25Rolling Triple : (5-2-16) $16,538.00Pick-4 : (6-5-2-16) $72,720.00Race 11 1400 M (Purse $1,400,000) 3-Y-O & UP OVERNIGHT ALLOWANCETHE STAKES*1. PUDDY POOH PFrancis 51.02. HOUDINI’S MAGIC SEllis 53.0 5L3. SIR FREDERICK WHenry 53.0 3 1/4L4. SCOOP JORDYNE DDawkins4 52.0 Neck5. BLACK THORN OEdwards4 49.0 NeckWIN: $111.00 PLACE: $63.00, $134.00, $137.00Final Time : 1:23.4 Splits : 22.4, 45.0, 1:10.0,Winner : 3yo b filly – ADORE THE GOLD out of SHAHARTrainer : RICHARD AZAN,Owner : RICHARD N AZANQuinella : (9,11) $459.00 Exacta : (11-9) $597.00D/E : (16-11) $769.00Trifecta : (11-9-15) $1,483.00Hi-5 : (11-9-15-10-4) $47,263.50Rolling Triple : (2-16-11) $5,289.00Race 12 1000 M (S) (Purse $1,080,000) NB4-Y-O & UP RESTRICTED ALLOWANCE V(NW2)1. GEORGIAMYLOVE Mellissa Ward42. GRAND TRAIN LSteadman3 1/2L3. SURE MAN JInnis4 49.0 Neck4. BASIC INSTINCT NBerger4 48.0 2 1/4L5. COOL U BOOTS CMalcolm 49.0 NeckWIN: $607.00 PLACE: $314.00, $217.00, $269.00Final Time : 1:00.2 Splits : 23.1, 46.2, ,Winner : 4yo ch filly – HE’STHEREALTHING out of SAYURITrainer :EDWARD WALKER,Owner : EDWARD S WALKERQuinella : (3,12) $12,969.00 Exacta : (12-3) $25,097.00D/E : (11-12) $2,659.00Trifecta : (12-3-11) $27,887.00Hi-5 carry-over : $107,220.75Rolling Triple : (16-11-12) $61,889.00PlacePot 8 : Carry-over : $364,837.50Race 13 1600 M (Purse $13.5 million 2,754,000) 3-Y-O & UP DIAMOND MILE GRADED STAKES1. #5 SEEKING MY DREAM OWalker 53.02. #3 TYPEWRITER AChatrie 55.0 2 1/4L*3. #6 PERFECT NEIGHBOUR RHalledeen 55.0 2 1/4L4. #2 ALI BABA JErwin 53.0 19/1 35. #8 FRANFIELD SEllis 55.0 6/1 HeadWIN: $200.00 PLACE: $92.00, $181.00, $89.00Final Time : 1:36.2 Splits : 23.1, 44.3, 1:09.3,Winner : 3yo ch colt – SEEKING THE GLORY out of ALSAFRA by LEGAL PROCESSTrainer : WAYNE DACOSTA, Owner : DERRICK C SMITHBred by SHERMAN CLACHAR & NORMAN GORDONQuinella : (3,5) $1,102.00 Exacta : (5-3) $2,440.00D/E : (12-5) $3,296.00Trifecta : (5-3-6) $1,365.00Hi-5 : (5-3-6-2-8) $31,580.50Rolling Triple : (11-12-5) $8,161.00Race 14 1200 M (Purse $1,000,000) 4YO&UP CLM($180,0)/NB6YO-NW3 – START FOR $180,0 SINCE AUG. 8RACING INTO THE FUTURE TROPHY1. INFANTRY OFFICER AChatrie 52.02. EL NUMERO UNO WHenry 56.0 2 1/4L3. SIR D HPottinger4 53.0 28/1 Neck4. BURNING MEDIC RMitchell 54.0 2L*5. PERFECT FLYER DaneNelson 56.0 1/2LWIN: $348.00 PLACE: $121.00, $220.00, $594.00Final Time : 1:14.4 Splits : 23.1, 47.0, ,Winner : 5yo b mare – STORM CRAFT out of TRAIL RIDERTrainer : WINSTON CHARLESOwner :Quinella : (7,13) $2,817.00 Exacta : (13-7) $9,340.00D/E : (5-13) $2,389.00Trifecta : (13-7-10) $20,944.00Hi-5 Carry-over : $118,270.75Rolling Triple : (12-5-13) $98,546.00Pick-4 : (11-12-5-13) $9,099.00Super-6 : (2-16-11-12-5-13) $3,693,841.90 (6 OF 6)Pick-9: $15,792.00 (7 OF 9); $752.00 (6 OF 9) Carry-over : $2,769,766.86.
The best of local schoolgirls netball will be on show at the Leila Robinson Courts today. For the first time ever, both the rural and urban Inter-secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) finals will be played at the same venue. Action will begin at 11 a.m. – a the third-place play-off match between Manchester High and Holmwood Technical. One hour later, at noon, there will be three third-place matches for junior and senior teams from both rural and urban schools. The first of four finals will begin at 1 p.m. In a repeat of last year’s final, defending champions Denbigh High will take on Knox College in the rural junior final. This will be followed by the urban junior final at 2 p.m. between many-time winners Queen’s School and newcomers Gaynstead High. At 3 p.m., Holmwood Technical will take on first-time finalists Titchfield High in the rural senior final. Holmwood, who have reached their tenth consecutive final, will be gunning for their ninth overall title, but will be wary of a hungry Titchfield team. Carlene Graham-Powell, coach of defending champions Holmwood, is confident her team will retain their title. “The team did not play as expected in the semi-finals, as most of them were playing at this stage for the first time. However, since that game, we have gone back to the drawing board and had a nice team meeting with them, and we are very confident of victory,” said Graham Powell. In the urban final, which begins at 4 p.m., St Hugh’s will be hoping to avenge their second-round defeat by three goals to Camperdown High, the only unbeaten team in the Corporate Area. Kadi-Ann Dehaney, who was a part of the National Senior team to the Netball World Cup in Australia in mid-year, will carry the hopes of St Hugh’s. Coach of St Hugh’s, Roy Price, is confident they will win today. “We lost to Camperdown earlier, and they are a strong and well-coached team, but we know what we did wrong, and we have fixed those problems and we are hoping to win this time around,” said coach Price.
Reigning Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) champions, Arnett Gardens FC, are planning to keep Waterhouse on the canvas when both teams meet in the secondpreliminary stage at Waterhouse Stadium tomorrow.Arnett are currently in third position on 32 points, while Waterhouse are at the bottom on 15 points after 18 games in the 12-team league.With a gap of 17 points, Arnett Gardens have no intention of giving Waterhouse a chance to crawl up from last position.As far as the man in charge of the ‘Junglists’ is concerned, it is simply a case of, ‘when a man is down, keep him down’.”We will try to keep them down as they are a dangerous team,” coach of Arnett Gardens, Jerome ‘Jerry’ Waite told The Gleaner at the RSPL weekly press conference at Red Stripe last Thursday.”In previous games, Waterhouse dominated Arnett. We beat them in the first round and we are looking forward to continue this on Sunday,” added Waite, who guided Arnett to three national titles.Arnett will be without hard-tackling midfielder Renae Lloyd, as well as Damari Deacon due to red cards issued in their encounter against Tivoli Gardens two weeks ago, but Waite remains confident that the team will leave Drewsland with a positive result.”Lloyd will be a loss, but if you notice this season started without Renae Lloyd, the other player (Jason Moore), who will fill the slot had been doing well before Lloyd returned to the team,” the veteran coach noted before sharing his anticipation of the game.”Yes, you always have to look forward to a clash of this magnitude, despite where the teams are in the standings. And, it is always a fierce rivalry. We will not underestimate Waterhouse, although they are having a bad season, so far,” Waite maintained.”In their last game, they scored four goals but gave up the same, so there are loopholes in their defensive system, which we aim to exploit. We (Arnett) have won three games in a row and are aiming at four straight,” he concluded.
MUMBAI, India (AP):England pulled off their greatest World Twenty20 victory yesterday, beating South Africa by two wickets in the highest-ever run chase in the tournament’s history.Joe Root smashed 83 off 44 balls as England survived a very late scare to march to 230-8 in 19.4 overs after South Africa had posted 229-4 on the back of half-centuries from Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, and Quinton de Kock.England openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales had provided a roller-coaster start of 48 runs off just 15 deliveries, and Root motored along the chase by hitting six fours and four sixes against wayward South African bowling.”It’s just nice to contribute to a game of cricket,” Root said. “Be sensible, play smart cricket … and the guys were so calm under pressure.”England’s remarkable performance in the Group One match puts them only second behind West Indies’ highest-ever successful run chase in all Twenty20 Internationals when they made 236-6 against South Africa at Johannesburg last year.South Africa seamers were guilty of giving away 20 extra runs from wide deliveries to help England’s cause.Root combined in a match-winning 75-run fifth wicket stand with Jos Buttler (21) off 36 balls as England rebounded in style after being thumped by the West Indies in the opening group match two days ago.Root was brilliantly caught in the deep off Kagiso Rabada’s full toss delivery in the 19th over, but by that time, England required only 11 off 10 deliveries.With the scores tied, England lost two wickets in the first two balls of the 20th over before Moeen Ali drove to mid-off to complete England’s first win in the tournament.UNCHASEABLESCORE”We’ve all played long enough to know that no score is unchaseable,” South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said. “We said we needed to start with intensity and didn’t do that … the execution of our extras, it makes it very tough because you are always under the pump.”Earlier, Amla blazed 58 off 31 deliveries and de Kock smashed 52 off 24 balls against the same England bowling attack, which was destroyed by West Indies’ Chris Gayle at the same Wankhede Stadium.Duminy joined in South Africa’s runfest with an unbeaten 54 off 28 balls with three fours and three sixes as none of the four England seamers could stem the flow of runs.England captain Eoin Morgan said his side had “to play out of our skin” to win the match. “But there’s a lot of talent in our team if we play with freedom.”
Tavis Grant, Christopher Randall, Kwesi Watts and Jason Johnson all scored for Lennon and when Dixon missed, sending his kick high over the crossbar, it was time for the massive Lennon support to storm the field in wild celebration. It was the second successive match that STETHS have taken to penalty kicks, after their thrilling contest in the semi-final against Clarendon, which was decided on sudden death penalty kicks. But Lennon, starved of a schoolboy title and having come close on a few occasion, were determined not to let this one slip and when they grabbed the early lead, outplaying STETHS in midfield, it seemed they were well on their way. STETHS responded as they normally do, with Dixon the driving force once again. The midfielder found James on the flank and the forward drifted inside and unleashed a wicked shot but found Mullings too good to beat. The Lennon keeper was at full-stretch to palm the ball over the crossbar in acrobatic fashion to deny James. As fate would have it, Mullings could do nothing about the resulting corner kick, and James found just enough space to nod home. Dethroned after six-successive lien on the Ben Francis knockout crown, STETHS will now turn their attention to the defense of their daCosta Cup title, according to technical director Wendell Downswell, after the disappointing loss. “We are disappointed, but it was a beautiful game. Lennon really ran at us, and while we responded with that late goal, it’s always a lottery when it comes to a penalty shootout,” said Downswell. “We will be ready for them again in the daCosta Cup semi-final. We want our revenge for this defeat, but congratulations to them for a great game,” he added. WESTERN BUREAU: Lennon High School’s long wait for a schoolboy football title is over. The Mocho-based institution, spurred on by their superb goalkeeper, Tyrone Mullings, surprised St Elizabeth Technical 4-2 in a penalty shootout for an historic lien on the ISSA/FLOW Ben Francis KO title, after ended regulation and extra time locked at 1-1 at Manchester High. Tavis Grant gave Lennon a deserved lead in the 16th minute with a torrid strike that caught the STETHS custodian Kenroy Wallace off guard. He had little time to react, as the ball cannoned off the underside of the cross bar and over the line for a 1-0. It took STETHS the entire second half to find the equaliser, again coming late in an important match, when Demar James headed home from close range in the 93rd minute, sending the match into extra time. “This is huge; this is everything to the school and the Lennon community. There will be massive celebrations come Monday,” said Lennon head coach Merron Gordon. Huge it was, as STETHS, who would have made it seven-straight knockout titles had they won it, wilted in the shootout, with Alex Thompson and the usually dependable Chris-Andrew Dixon missing badly. Nicholas Gayle and central defender Clifton Woodbine scored STETHS’ first two kicks from the spot. WILD CELEBRATION
WESTERN BUREAU: Cornwall College sprinter Mathew Brown held off the field to land the marquee Class One 100 metres title at the County of Cornwall Athletics Association Western Championship and put his name in the hat for the remainder of the Digicel Grand Prix series this season. One record was broken early yesterday in the Class Two girls triple jump. Moesha Nott of Rusea’s twice broke Opal James’ five-year-old record of 11.80 metres. She set a new mark of 12.54m in the second round before smashing her own record in the third and final round, soaring to 12.63m. Toni-Shay Stewart of Manning’s grabbed second place with a leap of 11.33m, and St Elizabeth Technical’s Monique Williams, third, after jumping 11.21m. The exciting Grand Prix series of races includes the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, the long jump, discuss and high jumps events in Classes One and Two. Brown’s winning time, 10.58 seconds, was way off the record held by Nigel Ellis of STETHS, but was good enough to dismiss the challenge of Munro College’s Rushane Edwards (10.63) and that of his teammate, Washington Brown, who was third in 10.65. Green Island High School star Kimone Hines won the girls’ Class One equivalent, taking victory in 11.95. She was some way ahead of teammate Angel Jackson, who crossed the finish line in a modest 12.14 for second. Debra Wallace of Herbert Morrison copped third place in 12.23. IMPRESSIVE DENNIS The impressive Sachin Dennis from STETHS was not to be denied and he ran through the line to take the Class Two boys 100m final in 10.72, with second going to Irwin High School’s Jaydeon Crooks (10.88), while William Knibb’s Andre Bent grabbed third place in 10.91. The Class One boys 400m title went to Leon Gordon of Rusea’s (47.95), with Leonardo Ledgister of STETHS taking second in 48.29 and Ouekie Wright (48.34) also of STETHS, third. Petersfield’s Hisheeno Stewart’s 58.23 won a thrilling finish to the Class Two girls 400m event, another in the Digicel Grand Prix races, with second going to Winsome Harris of STETHS (58.35). Albert Town’s Tasinia Mothersill, 58.40, was third. Meanwhile, Antonio Watson of Petersfield took the Class Two boys 400m in 49.65 ahead of teammate Romario Taylor (49.95). Rosean Bernard (Munro) was third in 50.87.
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