The morning sun distilled its Thursday rays on the Stade du Rhone where Shane Hudson and David Bascoe, semi-finalists in the T46/47 400m, contemplated their future.

The experience was not foreign for Hudson. Two years ago, in Guadalajara Mexico at the Para Pan American Games, he went through a similar thought process in the semi-finals and and then the finals where he won the coveted silver medal having yielded the gold, by celebrating too early, to a Venezuelan athlete on the line. For Bascoe, the experience was entirely new but not daunting.

Hudson went in semi-final one and it was business as usual. He pressured the first 150m, relaxed for the next 100m, executed the ensuing 100m and then for the final 50m he measuredly “shut it down” crossing the line in 49.74.

Continue Reading

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

It was late on Wednesday that Jamaica won its first medal at the IPC’s Athletics World Championships now underway in Lyon France and Sylvia Cunningham delivered it in the women’s F57/58 discus competition.

Under the watchful eye of Coach Neville Sinclair, Sylvia, the Americas record holder, went into the ring well prepared and focused. She threw 19.85m for the silver with the gold going to Safia Djelal from Algeria with 30,53 and the bronze to CeCe Mazyck with 19.83m.

“One down, another to go and I’m going with the flow” said a confident Sylvia who moves onto her pet event, the discus competition on Saturday.

The Jamaican camp celebrated the silverware with shouts and a wheelchair dance between coach Neville Sinclair and Sylvia are looking forward to laying hold on gold when Alphanso “The Ambassador” Cunningham steps into the arena with the javelin in his right hand on Friday.

Today, Shane Hudson and David Bascoe will raise the hopes of Jamaica in the T46/47 men’s 400m when they take to the track in the semi-finals at the now revered Rhone Stadium in Lyon.

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

The heat in Lyon while not unbearable to a team accustomed to tropical temperatures, nevertheless made Tuesday a welcomed rest day for Team Jamaica.

It was an opportunity to cool out, reflect, take stock and regroup with greater purpose. Breakfast was yet again social with a menu of impressions of Lyon – a new environment for all which becomes historical with the passage of each day.

The cuisine here has been met with expressions “”Bwoy, mi love mi Jamaican food” but more in a nostalgic sense rather in a derogatory manner for the plates, after each repast, are often pristine clean as when they first came out of the kitchen to the buffet line to which second and third visits are not uncommon.

Teasing, an integral part of the tradition of Jamaican camaraderie, is evident and laughter, more often created by His Excellency Alphanso “The Ambassador” Cunningham, has more to do with team unity than self-praise. Continue Reading

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

Despite vigorous protests made by Jamaica and India regarding the classification of two athletes from Algeria and Tunisia who were awarded the gold and silver medals respectively in the men’s F51/52/53 discus, Alphanso Cunningham was denied a medal and officially declared in fourth position.

Jamaica and India had lodged protests asserting that the Algerian athlete should have been classified in a stronger higher class – Class 52 – as he demonstrated sufficient strength and movement of the fingers of both hands and balance of the trunk so as to exclude him from Class 51. Alliedly, the Tunisian athlete demonstrated similar strength and movement and, in addition, was somewhat ambulant which necessarily and also disqualifies him from class 51 and places him in Class 52.

Classes F51, F52 and F53 in the men’s discus competition were merged and the system which has been established by the IPC is based on points awarded which are referenced to the world records in each class. The closer an athlete throws to, or exceeds, the world record of the class in which he or she is, the athlete will be awarded more points. The distance established for the world record in F51, being a weaker class, is less than in the higher classes.

Continue Reading

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

Alphanso “The Ambassador” Cunningham will start his campaign today in the F51/52/53 Men’s discus at 9:45am in Lyon, 2:45am local time.

He carries on his capable shoulder the hopes of a nation which he continues to inspire with his golden performances. Training has been going well according to head coach, Neville Sinclair, who said: “Alphanso is prepared. He is conditioned and Jamaica will be pleased.”

The discus event will be the first of two events for Cunningham who will be competing in his signal event the F51/52/53 Men’s Javelin later this week. In London last year, he reigned supremely and won the gold in this event.

“I will do my best for my country” ‘the Ambassador’ quietly said playing down, in characteristic style, the enormity of his credentials in sport.

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

The first day of competition in track and field at the IPC’s Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, was somewhat disappointing for Jamaica.

Tanto “The Emperor” Campbell went into the thrower’s ring at 5:25 pm French time for the first round and with quiet confidence knowing that he had a job to do in the Discus F54-56 class.

All medals won over the years were just that: history. The time is now in Lyon and the world was looking at the present with only nostalgic memories of the past.

He hurled a personal best of 41.71m and went into the final round in third position but was unable to better his PB and maintain his bronze medal position in the final round. With the merger of classes over the last three years, Tanto, though performing at his best at the last Paralympics in London and now in Lyon, has missed out on coveted medals which would have been in his cabinet had it not been for the recent mergers of classes of persons with lesser disability to which different competition rules apply.

Continue Reading

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments

A long and somewhat tiring journey across the Atlantic and then southerly over the English channel to the revered wine city of Lyon in France, could not eclipse the smiles on the faces of team Jamaica when they arrived at the international airport and were greeted by a hospitality group.

A journey ended on British Airways but another beginning in Lyon in search of gold medals and regional and world records.

This is the focus of the members of Jamaica’s Paralympic team who will have as their home the Ibis Lyon Gare La Part Dieu for the next twelve days or so where team meetings will be held, bread broken, solidarity expressed and dreams pursued to the stadium of Parilly in Lyon where national glory, in the coming days, will be achieved.

Chef de Mission and Manager, Suzanne Harris-Henry, says that the team has settled in well and is looking forward to good performances.

• By JPA Editor
• In France 2013
• 0 comments