29 July 2019

Where has Male sprinting gone in Jamaica?

By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Since the departure of Usain Bolt from track and field Jamaica's male sprinting has been struggling. In fact, male sprinting in Jamaica has plummeted, reaching what appears to be an all-time low. And this is so, notwithstanding the fact that many promising athletes should by now making their mark on the global stage. Even as athletes like Asafa Powell and Nester Carter fade into the shadows and make their exit from global track and field. Unmet expectations When we think of promising athlete like the 2018 Commonwealth Champion, Kemar Bailey-Cole and athletes like Julian Forte, Tyquendo Tracey, Odean Skeen and Raheem Chambers, Jamaica should not be in this predicament with respect to male sprinting. Indeed, both Bailey-Cole and Julian Forte have long dipped below ten seconds in the 100m and should by now be at the top of world sprinting. However, they have not run true to form; they have not delivered on the earlier promise that was on di....

26 July 2019

Revisiting that JAAA nonsensical decision on Danielle Williams

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The coming of age of a great athlete, in the World Championship year Approximately one month after the Jamaican National Junior and Senior Trials, Danielle Williams has posted a fluent and electrifying 12.32 in the 100m hurdles at the London Diamond League to become the world-leader and Jamaica’s national record holder. In her heat, Williams lowered her previous personal best from 12.48, to 12.41, and then went on to beat a quality field that included America’s Nia Ali, the 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist by some distance. Motivated by Misfortune It is clear that Danielle, the 2015 World Champion has been buoyed by the misfortune at the Jamaica National Junior and Senior Trials and is determined to place herself on the Jamaica team to Qatar. It is crystal clear that Danielle Williams is motivated by adversity and as such is bringing her “A” game to these Diamon....

26 July 2019

Akeem Bloomfield, a major disappointment

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of the 2019 edition of the Jamaica National Senior Trials, was Akeem Bloomfield’s fifth place finish in the 200m as also his non-entry in the 400m. In fact, based on his placing in the 200m and his withdrawal from the 400m, Bloomfield will not be selected for the 2019 Qatar World Championship schedule for late September to early October. However, if Bloomfield is able to win the Diamond league in the 200m or the 400m, he could qualify for either event by the ‘wild card” route and book his place in Qatar. This would give Jamaica four spots in either the 200m or 400m. Underperforming Indeed, Bloomfield’s fifth place finish in the 200m was a major shocker to analysts and fans, most of whom believed that the 19.81 athlete would have been an easy qualifier for the half lap event. Certainly over the last year there has been no other Jamaican athlete who has ....

25 July 2019

Jamaican athletes sparkle at 2019 London Diamond League

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Overall, the Jamaicans performed with distinction at the 2019 London Diamond League, producing a few personal bests and season's bests. The women were particularly impressive, outperforming their male counterpart across virtually all events, with one notable exception being the men's 400m in which Akeem Bloomfield was outstanding. Danielle Williams record run Things got off to a frenetic pace when the Jamaican and 2015 World Champion, Danielle Williams, posted a world-leading and national record time of 12.32 in the women’s 100m hurdles, having lowered her pervious personal best time of 12.43, to 12.41, in the semifinals. Williams winning time of 12.32 seconds erased the old mark of 12.40 set by Janeek Brown in June at the 2019 NCAA Track and field championship. Incidentally Williams winning time of 12.32 seconds makes her the seventh fastest woman in history. In the men's 110m hurdles, reigning....

8 July 2019

A turn for the worse, the plot thickens (The Danielle Williams situation)

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Dr. Warren Blake, the President of the JAAA, is someone whom I have always admired, respected, and held in high esteem. However, his recent pronouncement that Danielle Williams, the 2015 World Champion in the woman's 100m Hurdles event, will not be allowed to represent Jamaica at the 2019 Qatar World Championship later this year, has left me fuming. The JAAA's boss has made it quite clear that even if Williams emerges the winner of the Diamond league, she will not be allowed to run for the country of her birth. And why is this? Why this hardline buffoonery position and what appears now to be overt victimization of Williams? Evaluating the decision Let's look at the silliness of Dr. Warren Blake's and the JAAA's decision. After much protest (and this is Williams' right), the race was allowed to run without Williams. However, there was yet another false start, which resulted in an injury to anoth....

30 June 2019

Preview of the 2019 Prefontaine Classic; women’s 100m

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Fraser-Pryce vs Richardson The 2019 Prefontaine Classic will showcase some of the best female talents in the women’s 100m, on Sunday, June 30. 2019 Indeed, the talent pool will include the Jamaican two-time Olympic 100 Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the American and defending 100m World Champion, Torrie Bowie, the Ivorian pair of Marie Jose Talou and Murielle Ahoure, the American, English Gardner, the Swiss, Mujinga Kambundji, the Trinidadian, Michelle-Lee Ahye, and the young and exciting American, Sha’Carri Richardson. All eyes will be fully focused on Fraser-Pryce with personal best of 10.70 seconds and season best of 10.73econds, Sha’Carri Richardson with personal best and season best of 10.75 seconds, and Torrie Bowie with personal best of 10.78 seconds. Questions to be answered This race should provide....

28 June 2019

An “Antsy” Situation: the Danielle Williams False-Start Saga

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The just concluded Jamaica National Junior and Senior Trials ended in a rather disappointing and anticlimactic manner. After stellar performances by Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in both the women’s 100m and 200m finals, there was much anticipation and excitement generated for the women’s 100m Hurdles final. Indeed, that final would have seen the classic match-up between the 2015 World Championship, Danielle “Ants” Williams, and the in-form world leader and new National Record Holder, Janeek Brown. However, this is was not to be. False start drama Last Sunday, June 23, 2019, the Women’s 100m Hurdles was the scheduled penultimate event, that brought the island’s best, head to head. However, in that ill-fated final, Danielle Williams was judged to have false started, was red-carded and ejected from the field, after a lengthy and futile protest. Cle....

27 June 2019

Sprint Hurdler Janeek Brown Goes Pro

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By O'Neil A. Reid

Jamaica’s new women’s sprint hurdles champion Janeek Brown is now a professional athlete. The 21 year old Brown who has just completed her sophomore year competing for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks has signed a professional contract with Puma. Brown, the 5’5” former Wolmers Girls graduate is coming off a season where she led the Lady Razorbacks to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title. She was crowned the NCAA women’s 100m hurdles champion after posting an impressive time of 12.40 seconds in the finals. This is currently the fastest time in the world. Brown has shown consistent improvements over the past years. Last year at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and field championship, Brown finished 5th overall in the 100m hurdles, with a time of 12.80 seconds, a school record. This year she is the women’s 100m hurdles champion. Meteoric Rise Brown meteoric rise to th....

26 June 2019

Round 2, the renewed rivalry - Thompson vs. Fraser_Pryce

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The women’s 200m final provided much anticipation and excitement as was the case with 100m final. But this time, Briana Williams did not participate because of a fever after running the 100m final, and for which medical exemption was sought for her, by her coach, Ato Boldon. However, notwithstanding this, there was much to look forward to, as there was renewed rivalry between Fraser-Pryce and Thompson. However, Thompson is by far more dominant in the 200m than Fraser-Pryce, and so for many, the eventual outcome was a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, as per usual, Fraser-Pryce diehard fans were hopeful that she could avenge the defeat suffered to Thompson in the 100m, on last Friday night. But that was not to be! Different event, worse treatment! The Qualifiers From semi-final #1, Thompson qualified with an almost effortless 22.98, while from semi-final #2, Fraser-Pryce qualified with a respectable 22.58, the fas....

24 June 2019

Jamaica National Trials: Women's 100m final Review ET vs Shelly Round 1

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The women’s 100m final of the Jamaica National Senior Trials (June 21, 2019.), promised and delivered much. There was great buzz and anticipation all round, to see just who would be crowned the national champion in this event. After the semi-finals, eight women advanced to the final, qualifying with the fastest times across all three sections. The finalists included Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Briana Williams, Jonelle Smith, Natasha Morrison, Natalia Whyte, Simone Facey, and Schillone Calvert-Powell. Great Anticipation The clash between Thompson and Fraser-Pryce, and to a lesser extent, the young and talented Briana Williams, had long become the main attraction of the National Trials. Indeed, Thompson and Fraser-Pryce had not met since 2018. Many also had their eyes closely on the rapidly improving Williams, who has been breaking the National Junior Record with almost ev....

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