The Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago is all set to host the second FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, an exciting event that is still in its infancy and which brings together the brightest hopes in the women’s game.

The inaugural tournament was staged in New Zealand two years ago and proved to be a resounding success, attracting a total attendance of 207,803. At the end of a competition dominated by Asian teams, and in which the representatives of South and Central America failed to win a single match, it was Korea DPR who were crowned maiden champions after beating USA in the final.

A total of seven teams will be making their competition debut at Trinidad and Tobago 2010: Chile, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela and the host nation. And while the holders will be back to defend their title, the runners-up from two years ago failed to qualify from the CONCACAF Zone, a huge surprise given the strength of the women’s game in the USA.

There are sure to be yet more surprises over the next three weeks and plenty of new landmarks as well. New Zealand 2008 yielded no fewer than 113 goals, a total that could well be eclipsed in the Caribbean. And on the individual front there is also the question of who will succeed Germany’s Dzsenifer Marozsan and Japan’s Mana Iwabuchi as the respective winners of the adidas Golden Shoe and the adidas Golden Ball two years ago.

Hosts with the most
The southernmost islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago are looking forward to welcoming the world elite for the second time in nine years. Back in 2001 the country hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup, a competition won by a France side inspired by a string of superb performances from former Liverpool striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle.

Making their debut in a FIFA women’s tournament, the hosts have left nothing to chance, recruiting veteran women’s coach Even Pellerud, the man who made Norway a global superpower in the 1990s before raising Canada’s standing in the early years of the new millennium.

And if their most recent warm-up games are anything to go by, the Soca Princesses would seem to have a fighting chance on home soil. As well as beating Venezuela twice, T&T also downed the Irish, giving their coach genuine grounds for optimism.

“Those wins have given us a lot of confidence,” said Pellerud. “The most important thing is that the team knows it’s on the right track. We are ready for what is a major challenge and we can’t wait for this fantastic event to start.”

Among the legions of fans getting behind Pellerud’s warriors are the men’s national team, who have been voicing their support for the Soca Princesses. “I think they can go a long way and do the nation proud,” said striker Kerry Baptiste.

“The people have to get behind the players though. That’s what counts. The players need to feel that support from the stands and they need to unite with the fans to enjoy this event and give it the backing it deserves.”

The five venues for the tournament are the capital of Port of Spain, Couva, Marabella and Arima/Malabar, all of them on the island of Trinidad, and Scarborough, which is on Tobago. And no matter where they play, the 16 teams on show are sure to receive the warmest of welcomes in what promises to be a memorable few weeks.

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JAMAICA’S senior netballers crashed 42-53 to England in the first game of the two-Test 2010 Sunshine Series at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) last night.

The Jamaicans drew first blood as the returning Romelda Aiken was quick to the draw, a shadow of the former non-assertive player before her days in the highly-competitive ANZ Championships.

Jamaica’s goal-attack Simone Forbes (right) battles England’s Geva Mentor for a loose ball during the first match of their two-Test series at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night. England won the game, (Photo: Jermaine Barnaby)

The teams were fairly evenly-matched at the outset, but unlike previous years when fitness was a clear issue, last night the Sunshine Girls were plagued by unforced errors.

Their struggle to get the ball to its intended target left some spectators watching in bewilderment as passes meant for team members went flying off court.

It helped England take an eight-point lead before the midway point and after taking the first quarter, 13-10, they were up 27-19 at the end of the second.

Centre Paula Thompson looks heir apparent to Nadine Bryan who must be close to the end of her international career, while the once-sprightly English goal-attack Pamela Cookey looked decidedly out of sorts while yet managing to lead the scoring.

Substituted newcomer Jhanelle Fowler helped the Jamaicans reduce a deficit which had gone up to 10 points within minutes of the start of the third quarter, but it was a yo-yo affair as the Sunshine Girls started to let it slide and were down by as many as 12 points before Fowler dragged them back to within 10 points as the English girls led after the third quarter, 41-28.

It was England’s 14th victory against the Jamaicans in 25 matches played in the last 19 years.

Jamaica — Romelda Aiken (GS) (Jhanelle Fowler), Simone Forbes (GA) Ana Kay Griffith, Nadine Bryan (WA), Paula Thompson (C), Georgia Gordon (WD), Althea Byfield (GK) , Kasey Evering (GD).

Substitutes: Malysha Kelly, Sasher Gaye Henry, Kimone Tulloch, Anna Kay Griffith, Jhanelle Fowler.

Coach: Connie Francis,

England — Jo Harten (GS) (Rachel Dunn), Pamela Cookey (GA), Tamsin Greenway (WA), Sara Bayman (C) (Karen Atkinson), Jade Clarke (WD), Sonia Mkoloma (GD) (Stacey Francis), Geva Mentor (GK)

Substitutes: Rachel Dunn, Rosie Allison, Karen Atkinson, Stacey Francis, Eboni Beckford-Chambers

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Jamaican tennis player Dustin Brown created history a short while ago for the nation when he won his first round men’s singles match at the US Open.

Brown became the first Jamaican to do so.

Brown who is ranked 113 in the world beat Ruben Hidalgo of Spain, ranked 91, in three straight sets 6-4, 7-6, 7-5.

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1. GAY Tyson USA 9,92 MR
2. CARTER Nesta JAM 10,07
3. RODGERS Michael USA 10,14
4. FRATER Michael JAM 10,17
5. SAIDY NDURE Jaysuma NOR 10,21
6. ARMSTRONG Aaron TRI 10,24
7. SAMUELS J-Mee USA 10,28
8. EDWARDS Rae Monzavous USA 10,32

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The New Zealand under 17 women’s football team have lost 2-1 to Ireland in a friendly in Miami today, less than a week out from the World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Young Football Ferns were confident of scalping the European runners-up and looked on track when Evie Millynn put New Zealand ahead in the 25th minute, but a Siobhan Killeen equaliser before halftime and a late winner from Rebecca Kearney earned the Irish the spoils.

New Zealand’s first World Cup match is against Venezuela in Trinidad next Tuesday morning (NZT). Their other group C opponents are Spain and Japan.

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Blake, who trains with the World record holder Usain Bolt at their Kingston-based training complex in Jamaica, posted a winning time of 10.06secs to take the race

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion was second in 10.09.

Gatlin is hoping to race the likes of Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay in the near future

Jamaican talented sprinter Remaldo Rose, a former World Junior Championships won the B section of the men’s 100m dash.

Rose, who has been bothered by injuries, clocked 10.46seconds to win the race – just ahead of his fellow countryman Ramone McKenzie, who clocked 10.47secs for second place.

Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago won the women’s race in 11.13, getting home infront of American Mikele Barber, at 11.17 and another American Gloria Asumnu (11.28). Jamaica’s Aleen Bailey was fourth in 11.29.

Great Britain’s Laura Turner was fifth in 11.31.

In the men’s 400m dash, Italy’s Marco Vistalli ran 45.77 to defeat American David Neville, who ran 45.91. Jamaica’s Allodin Fothergill was third in 46.04.

Italy’s Elisa Cusma Piccione clocked 2:00.37 to win a very close women’s 800m race. She got to the finishing line just ahead of Russian Yelena Kofanova (2:00.54) and Fanjanteino Felix of France – who ran 2:00.84

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A St. Lucian soccer star in New York for a tournament was shot to death in Brooklyn early Monday, hours after scoring a goal that sent his team to the finals, police sources said.

Isidore Phillip Tisson, 27, was shot in a car outside a Crown Heights cafe around 4:25 a.m. where he’d stopped after leaving a nightclub where the team celebrated.

When Tisson climbed back into the car, an unknown gunman approached from behind, and opened fire. Sources say the bullet passed through Tisson’s head and struck a 24-year-old woman who was seated next to him in the chest.

She was taken to Brookdale Hospital in stable condition, police said. Two other women who were in the car were unhurt.

Investigators were looking at whether Tisson had gotten into an argument with someone at a popular Caribbean club called Tropiks a few blocks from the scene of the shooting, and was followed when he left, sources said.

Team officials said Tisson had been out celebrating the team’s 1-0 victory Sunday over St. Kitt’s which sent them to the finals of the Digicel Caribbean Cup tournament.

Tisson, was a center-forward and a substitute for St. Lucia’s National team when it attempted to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. He scored the winning goal in Sunday’s game, said the team’s coach Martin Daniel.

“It was only the second time in 16 years that St. Lucia has made it to the finals [of this tournament],” he said.

Relatives said Tisson, who was unmarried and had a 3-year-old daughter, was a driven soccer player well known around his country and had been in New York since May to compete in the tournament.

“I feel that my whole world is falling apart,” his mother, Rosleyn Tisson, said by phone. “He was very serious about what he was doing.”

“It’s a day of mourning in St. Lucia,” said Tisson’s cousin, Dani Hippolyte. “Everybody was rooting for him.”

The match at Thomas Jefferson HS in East New York ended around 5:15 p.m. and the team stayed around to watch Jamaica play Barbados to see who their competition in next week’s final would be. Jamaica won.

The players then went out to celebrate and Tisson ended up at the club.

Daniel said he could not imagine Tisson getting into a fight with anyone.

“He is very tall and big and gentle as a teddy bear,” he said. “Everyone is surprised.”

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100 — 1, Nesta Carter, Jamaica, 9.78 seconds. 2, Ryan Bailey, United States, 9.88. 3, Mario Forsythe, Jamaica, 9.95. 4, Christophe Lemaitre, France, 9.97. 5, Michael Frater, Jamaica, 9.98.
200 — 1, Wallace Spearmon, United States, 19.85. 2, Angelo Taylor, United States, 20.23. 3, Marc Schneeberger, Switzerland, 20.42. 4, Paul Hession, Ireland, 20.72. 5, Matt Davies, Australia, 20.82.
800 — 1, David Rudisha, Kenya, 1:41.01. 2, Boaz Kiplagat Lalang, Kenya, 1:42.95. 3, Nick Symmonds, United States, 1:43.76. 4, Michael Rimmer, Britain, 1:43.89. 5, Marcin Lewandowski, Poland, 1:44.10.
1,500 — 1, Asbel Kiprop, Kenya, 3:31.78. 2, Silas Kiplagat, Kenya, 3:31.97. 3, Nixon Chepseba, Kenya, 3:32.42. 4, Yusuf Saad Kamel, Bahrain, 3:33.06. 5, Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono, Kenya, 3:33.20.
3,000 — 1, Tarku Bekele, Ethiopia, 7:28.70. 2, Bernard Lagat, United States, 7:29.00. 3, Edwin Cheruiyot Soi, Kenya, 7:29.75. 4, John Kipkoech, Kenya, 7:32.72. 5, Chris Solinsky, United States, 7:34.32.
110 Hurdles — 1, David Oliver, United States, 13.01. 2, Dwight Thomas, Jamaica, 13.26. 3, Jason Richardson, United States, 13.37. 4, Joel Brown, United States, 13.39. 5, William Sharman, Britain, 13.50.
High Jump — 1, Yaroslav Rybakov, Russia, 7-6 1/2 . 2, Konstadinos Baniotis, Greece, 7-5. 3, Liam Zamel-Paez, Australia, 7-5. 4, Filippo Campioli, Italy, 7-5. 5, Aleksey Dmitrik, Russia, 7-5.
Long Jump — 1, Sebastian Bayer, Germany, 26-5 1/2 . 2, Li Jinzhe, China, 26-3 3/4 . 3, Fabrizio Donato, Italy, 25-10 3/4 . 4, Kafetien Gomis, France, 25-8 3/4 . 5, Morten Jensen, Denmark, 25-6.
Hammer Throw — 1, Koji Murofushi, Japan, 265-7. 2, Libor Charfreitag, Slovakia, 261-2. 3, Dilshod Nazarov, Tajikistan, 257-0. 4, Sergej Litvinov, Germany, 251-10.
Women
100 — 1, Sherone Simpson, Jamaica, 11.11. 2, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, Bahamas, 11.15. 3, Mikele Barber, United States, 11.21. 4, Gloria Asumnu, United States, 11.27. 5, Aleen Bailey, Jamaica, 11.31.
400 — 1, Tatyana Firova, Russia, 50.25. 2, Natasha Hastings, United States, 50.87. 3, Libania Grenot, Italy, 51.20. 4, Monica Hargrove, United States, 52.34. 5, Jody Henry, Australia, 52.64.
1,500 — 1, Maryam Yusuf Jamal, Bahrain, 3:58.93. 2, Mimi Belete, Bahrain, 4:00.25. 3, Hind Dehiba Chahyd, France, 4:01.07. 4, Shannon Rowbury, United States, 4:01.63. 5, Ingvill Makestad, Norway, 4:02.20.
3,000 — 1, Sylvia Chibiwott Kibet, Kenya, 8:39.07. 2, Mercy Cherono, Kenya, 8:42.09. 3, Pauline Korikwiang, Kenya, 8:43.67. 4, Megan Metcalfe, Canada, 8:44.29. 5, Zakia Mrisho, Tanzania, 8:44.53.
400 Hurdles — 1, Sheena Tosta, United States, 54.71. 2, Zuzana Hejnova, Czech Republic, 54.99. 3, Nickiesha Wilson, Jamaica, 55.07. 4, Lauren Boden, Australia, 55.48. 5, Nicole Leach, United States, 55.84.
Pole Vault — 1, Fabiana Murer, Brazil, 15-6 1/2 . 2, Aleksandra Kiryashova, Russia, 14-10 3/4 . 3, Anastasiya Shvedova, Belarus, 14-2 3/4 . 4, Yuliya Golubchikova, Russia, 14-2 3/4 . 5, Lacy Janson, United States, 14-2 3/4 .
Hammer Throw — 1, Tatyana Lysenko, Russia, 245-5. 2, Yipsi Moreno, Cuba, 242-0. 3, Wenxiu Zhang, China, 241-9. 4, Anita Wlodarczyk, Poland, 241-4.

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OLYMPIC 4×100 metres relay gold medallist Nesta Carter continued his awesome form when he lowered his season-best from 9.86 seconds to 9.85, as he finished second in the men’s 100 metres at the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme Diamond League meeting in Belgium yesterday.

With the absence of training partner Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt from the event, the race, which included three other Jamaicans, was still expected to be a cracker as it included world leader Tyson Gay of the United States, along with American Trell Kimmons, Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Richard Thompson from Trinidad and Tobago.

From a local standpoint, most attention surrounded Carter and the in-form Yohan Blake, who was hoping to defeat Carter for the first time.

The athletes had to face the starter twice as the race was called back. Strangely, none of the athletes were penalised for a false start.

On the second occasion, Carter got a flying start and led for majority of the way before he was overtaken towards the end by a fast-finishing Gay, who got left in the blocks.

The American still clocked a fast 9.79 seconds for the win, just outside his world-leading and season-best of 9.78s, as Blake, who once again got out of the blocks slow, finished third in 9.91s.

Blake’s training partner, Mario Forsythe, finished sixth in 10.12s, while World Junior champion Dexter Lee equalled his winning world junior time of 10.21 seconds to finish eighth

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Ken Frost, a Marin resident and chemistry professor at Dominican University, set an age-group meet record in the 100-meter breaststroke while swimming in the World Masters Championships this month.

Frost, swimming for the Tamalpais Aquatic Masters in the 65-69 age group, was first in the 100 breast in 1:20.98. He also placed first in the 200 breast in 3:02.71. Additionally, he placed second in the 50 breast and 200 individual medley and was fifth in the 200 freestyle

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