Ja poised for massive year in sport

FROM THE SPORTS DESK

BY HARTLEY ANDERSON

Sunday, January 02, 2011

From a purely Jamaican perspective, this year is poised to be brimful of excitement in sport. Indeed, this high-achieving nation can look forward to a sumptuous serving of international athletics, cricket, football and netball that should enhance the global position of our stars while functioning as a yardstick to national progress.

The ICC World Cup, the IAAF World Championships, the FIFA Under-17 World Championships, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the World Netball Championships are all set to unfold before hungry eyes — hopefully, with Jamaica in the thick of things — in what could be another momentous year in our already storied history.

Throw in the CONCACAF Under-17 Qualifiers to be staged right here in our backyard and the usual slew of track and field meets at the various levels, and undeniably, one has a delectable prospect for the second year of the second decade of the millennium.

And so, while a reflection on the sporting activities of 2010 would no doubt be appropriate — with pride of place going to Spain for lifting the FIFA World Cup in South Africa -- this expose is predominantly about the enthralling prospect of our athletic stars shining on a South Korean platform, as well as our other sporting teams seeking glory at major events this year.

A logical starting point is thus the U-17 Qualifiers set for the North Coast in February, with the Young Reggae Boyz presumably doing all they can to give themselves an excellent chance of advancing to the 'big dance' in Mexico this summer.

The probability of Jamaica advancing has, of course, been magnified with Mexico automatically qualifying as hosts, thus offering an additional four spots to the regional confederation. Put another way, the Jamaicans could not have asked for a better stage to make their bid for a second appearance at these championships following their maiden expedition in 1999 in New Zealand .

At this point, the decision by the local football authorities to send the youngsters on a six-week training stint in Brazil is a brilliant move that must be lauded. Indeed, it augurs well for the overall development of the players as it engenders bonding among team members through a series of tough practice matches against creditable age-group teams in that country.

As such, one anxiously awaits a more experienced, cohesive and battle-hardened national outfit taking the field at home against group rivals Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala next month; moving on to the quarter-final stages, and taking it from there in a much-anticipated 12-nation event.

Should Jamaica qualify for the Finals in Mexico , it would mark the fourth such occasion that the country would be making the cut for a global football event, following the seniors in France in 1998, the U-17s in 1999 and the U-20s in 2001 in Argentina .

Already a massive achievement for a nation bereft of any serious professional football machinery, this newest feat should hypothetically stimulate a succession plan by the JFF to keep this unit together, especially since the Federation entirely missed the boat on three previous occasions.

With regard to track and field, it is expected that the medals will continue to body forth at the World Champs in the Orient. Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter apart, Jermaine Gonzales, Yohan Blake and the improving duo of Lerone Clarke and Steve Mullings should make a mark for themselves among the men.

Veronica Campbell Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart should be joined by the fit-again Sherone Simpson; the resurgent Anneisha McLaughlin and Simone Facey, and Sherri-Ann Brooks in the sprints where the Jamaicans are expected to make the biggest impact.

The news that hurdler Brigitte Foster-Hylton is back in training after an injury-plagued year augurs well for the defending champion from Berlin. Another veteran, Delloreen Ennis, has in the meantime changed coaches and from all indications, is on a serious quest for that elusive medal at a global meet.

Further, Olympic and world champion Melaine Walker -- who was virtually invisible last season -- should return to bolster Jamaica's medal prospects with her positive, never-say-die attitude, while the improving half-miler Kenia Sinclair and Diamond League 400-metre hurdles winner Kaliese Spencer are shaping up to be real medal contenders in their respective events.

In netball, the senior Sunshine Girls will be going to Singapore smarting from their medal-less performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi , India . However, with the recent re-acquisitions of former coach Maureen Hall and the Australian veteran Jill McIntosh, the girls stand as good a chance as they ever will to finish at least third — behind New Zealand and Australia , but certainly ahead of third-ranked England .

On the other hand, the West Indies will be hard-pressed to make a serious dent at the World Cup, let alone add to the two titles secured at the first two tournaments in the 1970s. Indeed, the regional team would have done quite well if they advance past the preliminary round and into the Super Eights stages where any number can play in competitions like these.

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Ja poised for massive year in sport