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: Aryna Sabalenka produced an utterly dominant display to become the first woman in 11 years to retain the title and send out a warning to her rivals with her second Grand Slam title on Saturday.

The Belarusian blew away Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in 76-minutes with a show of power that overwhelmed the Chinese 12th-seed, emulating compatriot Victoria Azarenka's 2012-13 feat by winning the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup back-to-back.

Sabalenka came into the match without having dropped a set at the year's first major and stayed perfect to join Ash Barty, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport in the elite club of players to have done so this century.

"I'm speechless right now," Sabalenka said at her press conference as she sipped a glass of wine. "I don't know how to describe my emotions. But definitely I'm super, super happy and proud of everything I was able to achieve so far.".

Sunday's Men's final will see 3rd-seeded Russian, Andrei Medvedev and #4 Jannik Sinner out of Italy, battling for their first Aussie Open title.

(Reuters)

: Jamaican Volleyball referees, Rochelle Artwell and Lloyd Archer, have successfully completed the NORCECA Beach Referees Continental Course, which took place at the NORCECA-FIVB Regional Volleyball Development Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Artwell is a Lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teacher’s College, while Archer is the Coach of Manning’s High School.

The continental course, which ran from January 19 to 24, was conducted under the auspices of the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), along with the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation at the Olympic
Housing and beach volleyball courts in Guayama.

This activity is a precursor for the preparation of referees who may be selected to officiate in the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games to take place in the Dominican Republic.

Friday's Foreign Exchange rates, at the end of trading.

Source: Bank Of Jamaica

           

: One of the hottest prospects to win a grand slam tennis tournament, Italy's Jannik Sinner , is now just a match away from realising his dream, after beating 10-times champion Novak Djokovic , moments ago at the Australian Open .

The 22-year-old overpowered the world #1 and defending champion from Serbia 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, to reach his first major final.

Sinner's dominant performance was built around winning 83% of his first serve points and 63% of 2nd serves, including 9 Aces, against a struggling Djokovic who made 54 unforced errors in the encounter which lasted 3-hours and 22-minutes. He now awaits the winner of the second semifinal between 3rd-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev and #6 Alexander Zverev from Germany.

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: For the second week in a row, the nation's leading tennis player, , will be meeting Brandon Holt , who is the son of former champion, Tracy Austin . This time in Friday's quarterfinals of Southern California Open Tournament #2, in Indian Wells.

In their previous clash in Tournament #1 of the series, Holt ranked 244th on the outlasted Bicknell (396) in 3-sets 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

The Jamaican #1 earned his place in the last eight earlier today, with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Yshai Oliel of Israel, while Holt turned-back fellow American, Bruno Kuzuhara 6-3, 6-1.

Thursday's Foreign Exchange rates, at the end of trading.

Source: Bank Of Jamaica

           

📸: More highlights from yesterday's official launch of the World Group-2 Playoff between and .

: The 45th Milo Western Relays was launched at the Holy Trinity Church Hall in Westgate, Montego Bay on Tuesday with announcements of new events, prize monies and a packed day of activities for the attendees.

Meet co-founder and organizer Ray Harvey announced that the throws - discus and shot put will be introduced into the event for all classes for girls and boys at the high school level for the first time. He also said that an invitational 60M for clubs and institutions only will be on the schedule again based on a request from the coaches at the senior level. This he said will help with their overseas competition.

Harvey also said that there will be prize money again this year for high schools only, in the 4x100M Class 1, 4X400M Class 1 and the 4X800M Open. Athletes who are placed from one to four will pocket $40,000, $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. He also said that Edwin Allen topped the schools last year when they bagged $140,000 for their performance at the event.

The other events on the day which will begin at 10:00 am are relays - all classes for prep, primary, high schools and clubs and institution, hurdles - all classes, field events to include long jump, triple jump and high jump, sprint races 100M, 400M and 800M, 3000M and the 1500M which is the first event on the schedule.

The other major announcement by Harvey was the name of the patron, and the outstanding junior male and female awardees. They are Chester McCarthy - athletic director at GC Foster College, Deandre Daley of Herbert Morrison Technical High School and Alexis James formerly of Petersfield High School respectively. The presentation of their awards will be done at the event on Saturday February 10 at GC Foster College during the opening ceremony. The event is being sponsored to the tuned of $4,000,000.

: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett met with the owners of the Pinero Group, which owns the prominent Spanish Hotel chain, Bahia Principe, in Madrid, Spain to discuss the status of their multifaceted resort development in St. Ann. The Group owns the Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica, Jamaica’s largest hotel, with 1,350 rooms.

The meeting follows a formal presentation of their development plans to the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness and other officials last year, at the Office of the Prime Minister. The project will be one of the largest resort and real estate projects ever executed in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Minister was joined by Encarna Pinero, CEO of the Pinero Group and senior tourism officials, John Lynch, Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor and Strategist and Fiona Fennell, Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jamaica Tourist Board. The project represents a massive expansion of their existing Bahia Principe product in St. Ann to include new Hotels, Villas, a PGA certified 18-hole golf course, a state-of-the-art fisherman’s village, farms, modern employee residences, educational facilities among other facilities and amenities.

Bartlett is leading a small delegation of Tourism officials at FITUR 2024, in Madrid, Spain, a major tourism fair with 8,000 exhibitors, 130 countries represented and over 300,000 attendees. It represents one of the largest gatherings of tourism professionals globally and is the leading fair for Latin America's receptive and issuing markets.

: The 2024 ISSA National U19 Volleyball Championships served-off on Monday with 17 matches being played in three zones across the island.

See results below:

Kingston & St. Andrew Zone:

Girls
Many times National U19 Champions Wolmer’s Girls defeated Campion Collage 3-0 (25-23, 25-21,
25-23).

Papine High defeated Excelsior 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-6)

Hillel Academy defeated Camperdown High 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-16)

Vauxhall High defeated Tarrant High 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-14)

Boys
Defending Champion Wolmer’s Boys eeked-out a five set victory over Campion College 3-2 (25-23,
19-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-8)

Papine High defeated Excelsior High 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-6)

Hillel Academy defeated Camperdown High 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-23)

Jamaica College defeated St. Georges College 3-0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-7)

 Vauxhall High defeated Calabar High 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-8)

Central Zone:

Girls
Defending Champion Knox College easily dispatched of Old Harbour High 3:0 (25-8, 25-6, 25-7)

Denbigh High defeated Iona High 3-0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-17)

St. Jago defeated Oracabessa 3-0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-21)

Boys
Knox College defeated Old Harbour High 3-0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-9)

Denbigh High defeated Iona High 3-0 (25-12,25-16, 25-17)

St. Jago High came from behind to defeat Oracabessa High 3-2 (22-25, 24-25, 25-13, 25-21, 15-8)

In the Western Zone:

Boys
Frome Technical High defeated Maldon High 3-0 (25-14, 25-3, 25-21)

Girls
Maldon High defeated Frome Technical High 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-10)

Manning’s High was awarded points in their match as Godfrey Stewart failed to show.

Wednesday's Foreign Exchange rates, at the end of trading.

Source: Bank Of Jamaica

           

: The official launch of 's hosting of the World Group-2 Playoff against Barbados, set for February 3-4, at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre.

: Reggae Music Icons, Bob and Rita Marley, on their Wedding Day, February 10, 1966.

: World #415 Yshai Oliel of Israel will be 's next opponent in Tournament #2 of the Southern California Open in Indian Wells.

The 396th-ranked Jamaican booked the round-of-16 clash with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of American Aidan Mayo in just under 90-minutes.

Oliel on the other hand had to do some work to defeat
Benjamin Lock of Zimbabwe 3-6, 7-6, 6-0 in nearly two-and-a-half hours.

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Tuesday's Foreign Exchange rates, at the end of trading.

Source: Bank Of Jamaica

           

: Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson has been suspended without pay for 25 games for violating the National Basketball Association's (NBA) anti-drug program, the league said on Tuesday.

Thompson, who is averaging 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 36 games this season, tested positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, according to a league statement.

The 32-year-old Toronto native will begin his suspension starting on Wednesday when Cleveland visit the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thompson was selected by Cleveland with the fourth pick of the 2011 NBA Draft and won an NBA title with the team in 2016.

After stints with Boston, Sacramento, Chicago, Indiana and the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson returned to Cleveland last September.

(Reuters)

: Jamaica's #1, , is still in the hunt for his first scalp of the new year, after falling last week in the opening round of the Southern California Open Tournament #1 in Indian Wells.

Bicknell, who is now at a careerr-high 396 went down 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to world #244 Brandon Holt of the US, will tossle with the #7 seeded American, Aidan Mayo, in Tournament #2 at the same venue on Tuesday.

Interestingly, Bajan Darian King (513), was beaten 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 by #662 Andre Ilagan of the US in the first round of qualifying.

Both Bicknell and King are expected to clash in in less than two weeks, at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre. The winner of that playoff tie will remain in the World Group-2, while the loser will be relegated to Group-3.

📸: Queen Ifrica's look stole Rebel Salute. 💥

Ladies, is this gonna be your next hairstyle? 🤔



📸:

Monday's Foreign Exchange rates, at the end of trading.

Source: Bank Of Jamaica

           

: One of the most exciting players to have ever graced a tennis court, Jamaica's own Dustin Brown , has decided to step away from professional tennis at end of the 2024 season.

The 39-year-old posted his decision on his social media accounts yesterday, stating in part, "I Still Have A Few Issues 🤕 (Since My Lower Back Injury At Boss Open Stuttgart 2023) That I Am Trying To Deal With…

I Started My Career In 2002 & After 22 Seasons I Wanted To Let U Guys Know, That 2024 Will Be Me Last One 🥹… Its Been A Crazy Ride, But A Very Fulfilling & Fun One 🙌🏾🖤…

I Will Continue To Work & Hopefully 🙏🏾 Be Able To See U Guys @ Some Events During The Year.".

Brown, who rose to prominence in 2010 on the , where he reached the 2nd round of the and lost to , would change his nationality to German two months later to the shock of many Jamaicans at home and abroad, but albeit a pained decision, he just could not see eye-to-eye with . The following month he landed inside the top-100 for the first time at 93.

The highlight of his career came 5-years later, when he played the match of his life to bump out of the 2nd round of in four sets. This was year after he had recorded his first win over the Spaniard in Halle, Germany.

In October 2016 he would attain a career-high singles ranking of 64, but he was always a better doubles player, where he's won 2 titles and reached inside the top-50 in the world at 43. So far he has amassed a combined prize money of $3,091,779.

Dustin became a husband in June 2022, three months after laying his father Leroy to rest in Montego Bay. It's understood that he had always planned to honour his father's wish for him to once again play under the Jamaica flag, and he made the announcement a month after his Dad's funeral.

Will we next see some 'little dreddies' running around?, maybe a coaching stint or even broadcast television? only time will tell as we await the next chapter for this extremely talented human being.

📸🙏🏽

📸: Shericka Jackson may need to build a new trophy cabinet at this rate of collecting accolades.

She was named RJR/ Gleaner Sportswoman of the Year last, and was also a fan favourite.

: and Alyssa James .james were acknowledged as the top tennis players for Jamaica in 2023, by the RJR/ Gleaner Sports Foundation.

Bicknell's outstanding year was highlighted by helping his country to Group-2 of the , winning his first career title, collecting a bronze medal at the CAC Games and breaking into the top-400 (currently 396) on the .

James was just as impressive by lowering her world junior ranking from around the 1000s to a career high of 317 (currently 321), on the heels on winning four doubles titles back-to-back and two singles trophies in a row to close-out her season last year.

📸: The nation's leading Badminton players were up for commendation at last night's RJR/ Gleaner Sportsman & Woman Awards, held at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

Samuel Ricketts and Tahlia Richardson bagged their respective divisions for winning multiple National Championship titles along with a bronze medal finishes in the team competition and the ladies doubles, courtesy of Katherine Wynter and Richardson at the CAC games.

S

📸: Ajani Burton and Imauny Linton showing-off their trophies as the 2023 male and female standouts for Hockey , at yesterday's RJR/ Gleaner Sports Awards.

📸: Chess players, Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Raehanna Brown and FIDE Master (FM) Jaden Shaw, were the Mind Games Category winners, at the last night's RJR/ Gleaner Sports Awards, for their achievements in 2023.

: Shericka Jackson and Antonio Watson are the female and male winners of the RJR/ Gleaner Sports Award for their outstanding performances in 2023.

Jackson's impressive year included capturing gold in the women’s 200 metres final at the 2023 Budapest World Championships in 21.41 seconds – the second-fastest time ever run, along with silver medals in the 100m and the 4x100m at the championships, while Watson gave the nation its first 400m World title in 40 years since Bert Cameron won gold in the 1983 Helsinki World Championships.

Danielle Williams , who won the Women's 100 metres Hurdles at the worlds and Hansle Parchment who sealed the Diamond League trophy and copped silver in Budapest, were the respective runners-up.

The function was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

: Oshae Haye and Zandre Roye had a challenging first round at the 9th Latin America Amateur Championship which is being played at the Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama. Both golfers were down in the sixties and seventies place respectively out of one hundred and eight golfers from the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

Roye started out well and was in 17th place early in his front nine but got into some trouble as he approached the end of the round. He posted seven over par 77 for the first round. He summed up his day, "day one completed. (I) shot a 77 today with a bogey and a triple bogey on the last two holes. Not the ideal finish, very bad finish but all in all I really hit the ball today. Hit a lot of greens, made a lot of puts. In a positive trend going into tomorrow, I think we can better that score tomorrow definitely."

He was eight shots off the lead on 77. Oral Morales and Santiago De la Fuente both of Mexico, and Jose Arzu of Guatemala were joint leaders on one under par 69 each.

The other Jamaican golfer in the championship, Oshae, scored nine over par 79 for his first round. He also was looking forward to a better second round and to make the cut. He was ten shots off the lead at the end of the first round.