Sports

World and Olympic 400m hurdles semi-finalist, Dr Neil Gardner, was his usual flamboyant self, as he walked away with the coveted Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence during Wednesday night's ritzy ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Last year's runners-up UWI Pelicans blanked visitors Excelsior 5-0 and GC Foster blanked hosts Mico 5-0 in two male matches, as the Intercol Table Tennis League continued last Thursday.

English-born middleweight boxer, Reece Shagourie, could guarantee Jamaica a third medal at the XVI Pan American Games, if he wins his opening bout at the Expo Guadalajara Arena this evening.

Comeback kid Marlon Samuels and new Test finds Kirk Edwards and Devendra Bishoo are among 18 men's players offered central retainer contracts by the West Indies Cricket Board.

Dan Wheldon is being remembered not only as a champion driver, but as a devoted husband, caring father, loyal friend, beloved son - and a neat freak.

Discarded West Indies opener Chris Gayle sent the sternest of messages to his detractors yesterday, plundering a brilliant century to propel Jamaica to a convincing 134-run victory over Combined Campuses and Colleges in their Regional Super50 Group B clash at Everest.

After taking part in the Jamaican leg of the 2011 Digicel Kick Start Clinics, young footballers Shamar Dillon and Dominic James scored themselves a place at the Digicel Academy at the 11th hour, having achieved the highest points in the Digicel Hot Shot Wild Card competition.

Jamaica Football Federation General Secretary Horace Reid and Technical Director Walter Gama will represent the federation at a FIFA organised seminar for general secretaries and technical directors from all CONCACAF Member Associations affiliated to FIFA. The seminar is to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, October 25-28.

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) booked themselves a semi-final date with reigning daCosta Cup champions Rusea's yesterday afternoon, when they opened their Ben Francis KO defence with a big 5-0 win over Cedric Titus on their home turf in Santa Cruz.

Over the years, I have travelled many a road, I have interviewed many people, I have listened to many speeches, and I have read many things about sports, about Jamaica's sports and West Indies cricket, but hardly anything compared with what I heard during the past week.

Hola amigos, buenos dias. Some have said it's a country under siege. A dear friend warned me to be very careful, just before I left Jamaica. She said Mexico was not a safe country.

After a few teething problems, Jamaica's contingent has settled in well after a week at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. That's the view of Chef de Mission Compton Rodney.