Caribbean Sports Roundup

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Mar. 29, 2018: New President of Cricket West Indies, (CWI), Ricky Skerritt, completed a first major task this week – an apology to former Windies cricketer and head coach, Phil Simmons.

Skerritt, 62, once a manager of the West Indies Cricket team and the former tourism and international transportation minister of St. Kitts, met with Simmons at Sandals Grande, Antigua Tuesday and apologized on behalf of CWI to Simmons,

“We would like to apologies to you for referring to your appointment as a ‘mistake,” Skerritt told Simmons. “Cricket West Indies did not make a mistake when we selected you as our Head Coach.”

The apology came after a court hearing in the Antigua Industrial Court on Tuesday, where CWI settled with Simmons for an undisclosed amount.

“My family and I are relieved that we have been able to finally close this matter, and I am pleased that it has been done so amicably,” Simmons said. “Following the election on the weekend, I am more confident than I have ever been that the future of West Indies cricket is in good hands.  I am a very proud West Indian and I hope that in the future I get the opportunity to try and help move our cricket forward again. I would like to offer my congratulations to President Skerritt and Vice-President Shallow.”

Usain Bolt For Soccer Aid Charity Match

Jamaican-born Olympian, Usain Bolt, is set to lace up his soccer spikes again for the 2019 Soccer Aid match at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium on June 16, 2019.

The star-studded charity event will also feature Joe Wicks, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Piers Morgan in a match to raise money for UNICEF.

Jamaican Stars For 2019 IAAF Diamond League

Jamaican-born world and Olympic champion, Omar McLeod, and Olympian Elaine Thompson, are among the top draws for the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday, May 18th, the second stop on the 2019 IAAF Diamond League circuit.

McLeod made Shanghai history last year when he completed the meeting’s first ever sprint hurdles hat-trick.

Thompson will be one of the big draws of the women’s track events with the double Olympic champion racing against Marie José Ta Lou over 100m. Thompson scorched to a 10.78 win here two years ago but Ta Lou was beaten just once over 100m in 2018 and claimed the African and Continental Cup titles.

Countdown On To Penn Relays

This year the Penn Relays will celebrate its 125th anniversary even as Team Jamaica Bickle, the Caribbean Diaspora organization assisting Caribbean athletes at the relays, turns 25.

Tickets are already on sale for Penn, which returns to Franklin Field on April 25 -27.

Meanwhile, TJB, which stated in 1994 as a hospitality service to cater to the basic needs of athletes from Jamaica participating at the Penn relays, is gearing up to again host hundreds of Caribbean athletes at Penn this year including from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

Athletes receive three hot meals daily, ground transportation, chiropractic and some medical services as well as mentorship. To support this non-profit sports initiative log on to https://www.teamjamaicabickle.org/donate/

Guyana Jaguars In 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Former Jamaican international soccer player Michael Johnson says he stopped counting his failed managerial applications in the UK and decided to take a coaching post in Guyana.

But now the Nottingham-born Johnson is the toast of Guyana and making headlines in the UK.

This after he helped The Golden Jaguars to the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time in their history.

The Jaguars beat Belize 2-1 on Saturday night to claim their third win of the campaign and move up to sixth place in the standings.

Next up – the draw for the Gold Cup on April 10th in LA, when Guyana will go into one of four groupings featuring top seeds Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and the US for the tournament that starts on June 15th.