2011 ... Expect more sporting joys
Published:Sunday | January 2, 2011 | 12:00 AM
André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter
2011 is shaping up to be yet another explosive year for Jamaica's sporting ambassadors, with a host of high-profile events lined up over the next 12 months. Athletics, football, netball and cricket - the traditional sporting preferences for most Jamaicans, will once again hog the headlines this year; no surprises there.
Chief among the events this year is the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Champion-ships in Athletics, scheduled for Daegu, South Korea in late August - early Septem-ber. This is perhaps the most anticipated event on the sporting calendar and will provide, for Jamaica's cadre of track and field luminaries, yet another opportunity for glory.
There is no end in sight for the dominance of sprint deity Usain Bolt, who despite suffering a loss in 2010 - the first time he had done so in almost two years - is still the main attraction for athletics fans across the globe.
Bolt (100m and 200m), barring injury, will lead Jamaica's team to the Daegu meet where he, along with the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser (100m), Brigitte Foster-Hylton (100m hurdles) and Melaine Walker (400m hurdles), will all be looking to defend their respective titles in the Asian country. Having called an early end to his 2010 season because of injury, and with all reports suggesting that he has been nothing short of a beast in training so far, don't be surprised if Mr Bolt manages to eclipse his marvellous best with another string of record-breaking performances.
Asafa Powell and his handlers have been very quiet so far, but things are looking up for the former 100m record holder who will also form a crucial screw in the country's sprint-relay machine.
This year will also be a big one for the nation's juniors with the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France, set to run off a few weeks earlier.
Upgrade
On the local circuit, the recent upgrade of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association's (JAAA) JN International Invitational to an IAAF World Challenge series meet will bring with it a heightened appeal and interest around the ever-improving meet, and will showcase the island on an entirely new plane.
There are also other important calendar staples such as the iconic Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Grace-Kennedy Boys and Girls' Championships, Gibson Relays, Penn Relays and the JAAA/ Supreme Ventures National Junior and Senior Championships.
Captain Horace Burrell and his Reggae Boyz will this year start their campaign for qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, the Under-17 team, who are currently sharpening their skills in Brazil, will be in action much earlier in February, as they take part in the CONCACAF Under-17 Champion-ships; a qualifier for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Off the field, much is to be determined as Burrell and his fellow administrators will look to settle the contractual dispute between the Jamaica Football Federation and the senior players, a matter that some fear will stretch for a few months, at least.
The island's netballers will look to rebound from disappointing spells at last year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, and the World Netball Series in England where they finished fourth and third, respectively, as they hunt a historic gold medal finish at the IFNA World Netball Championships slated for Singapore.
Coach Connie Francis and her staff will be getting some help from Australian Jill McIntosh as the Jamaica Netball Association looks to lift the appeal of the sport among local fans.
It will also be a big year for the island's cricketers who will feature in a number of regional tournaments. Our international cricketers are also expected to figure prominently for the West Indies team, which will battle several old foes such as Pakistan and India in international competition this year, as well as participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup, which bowls off in the sub-Continent next month.
The Jamaica Cricket Association, which has endured a somewhat torrid period over the past few months, will first have to navigate an election, which is scheduled to take place in a matter of weeks.
So, all in all, there is more than enough to wet the appetite of even the most insatiable sporting fan over the next few months; a year that will certainly provide for all a few more chapters of success, trials and sweet redemption in some cases.