The country’s football programme has received a well-needed boast ahead of the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. International soft drink brand, Coca-Cola, came on board with a sponsorship package to the tune of US$1.6 million (approximately J$149m) over a six-year period. The sponsorship deal includes cash, products, performance incentives, promotional support and global activations, as Jamaica now shares a common bond with great football nations such as Argentina and Germany, which are also sponsored by the global brand. “It is a great pleasure to announce an exciting and dynamic partnership between Coke and the Jamaica Football Federation,” managing director of Wisynco Group Limited, William Mahfood, announced during yesterday’s press launch at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters. long-term investment Shermin Peters, senior market development manager of Coca-Cola Company, pointed out that the company’s sponsorship of the country’s national team is a continuity of their commitment across the region. “This is more than just Coca-Cola being the official sparkling soft beverage of football in Jamaica,” Peters expressed. “This is about a long-term investment in Jamaica and it’s people, and it’s an extension of the Coca-Cola company’s commitment to promoting active lifestyles among youths and families.” The […]
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You are an experienced talent in the business, working on numerous commercials. How did you get to star in this commercial? The creators of the commercial were looking to cast “a Midwestern American, 35-40, who speaks in a thick Jamaican accent.” My commercial agents knew that I could do an above-average patois, and they managed to get me in the room. After an initial audition and a secondary audition, the creative team decided that I was their “Dave Johnson.” The rest is history. It should be noted that without the amazing creative team at Deutsch LA and the genius Director Tom Kuntz, this commercial wouldn’t have seen the light of day. I’m very grateful to be involved in this ad. As a Jamaican, you were able to deliver a credible take of the accent for someone who is foreign to the culture. How difficult was it learning the accent? Thick patois is difficult for me to mimic – and even harder to hear. My brother-in-law comes from Jamaica, and to this day I can’t understand 80% of what he’s saying when he’s on the phone to his friends. I have been a lifelong reggae fan, and as a voice actor I have tried to […]
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As has become the norm, ultra-exclusive watchmaker Richard Mille again goes over-the-top with his 2013 pieces. The words “innovate” and “push the boundaries” mean far more to this man than any other watchmaker I know. Starting here with the wild RM 59-01 ‘Yohan Blake’ edition. You all know Yohan Blake, right? He is the young Jamaican sprinter, known as “The Beast”. He currently runs second behind fellow countryman and super star Usain Bolt, but rarely anyone else. Blake signed with Mille at the time of the 2013 Olympics and soon found himself at the center of a sponsorship controversy as he was quietly wearing a not-so-quiet (bright yellow and green) Richard Mille on his wrist during Olympic competition. But in the end all ended well for young Yohan, and now he has a new piece to his name, the RM 59-01 tourbillon. A limited edition of 50 pieces, of which one will sell for a cool $620,000. This watch does not fail to catch the eye, and of course it will run like the wind. Lots of high-res, and det’s, on the jump. As with all Richard Mille athlete-ambassador pieces, this watch is custom-designed for the sport in mind — […]
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The world’s greatest sports star will run at the Bislett Stadium for the third year in a row. Usain Bolt will return to Oslo, Norway and the ExxonMobil Bislett Games on Thursday 13 June 2013 where he will be competing in the 200metres. The meeting in Oslo is the sixth of the 14 meets in the world athletics series, the Samsung Diamond League. “I am looking forward to come back to Oslo and the ExxonMobil Bislett Games this summer. I have many good memories from this great city and from the Bislett Stadium. I was really happy with the time of 9.79 in the 100metres last year – it was a new stadium record. I will run the 200m this year and look forward to competing in front of passionate and knowledgeable athletics fans,” said Usain Bolt. Bolt ran the 200metres at Bislett in 2011 in 19.87 seconds, which is only a few hundreds of a second behind the current stadium record of 19.82, set back in 1996 by Namibian Frankie Fredericks. Preparations for the World Championship “This aim for 2013 is the IAAF World T&F Championships in Moscow in August. My goal is to win three gold medals and repeat […]
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As the Government makes the final steps towards fulfilling a promise made to Jamaican swimming star Alia Atkinson, the 24-year-old has moved to defend the decision made to fund her $20-million 2016 Olympics training programme. Following a fourth-place, national record-smashing performance in the 100m breaststroke at last year’s Olympic Games in London, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller assured that the Government would help to fund Atkinson’s training expenses all the way through to the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, with the sport being dominated on many fronts by much younger swimmers, some have questioned the prudence of Simpson Miller’s pledge, calling instead for greater focus and support towards the island’s youth talent through the implementation of proper programmes and structure. Prime minister surprised Atkinson, who had brief discussions with Simpson Miller and minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for sport, Natalie Neita-Headley after the recent RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards, told The Gleaner that Simpson Miller expressed surprise that things weren’t already in place for the funding. “She (Simpson Miller) was surprised that she hadn’t heard anything from her staff, so she said she […]
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For Nico Marley, his last name brings two very different set of expectations. On one hand, he is the grandson of Bob Marley, reggae’s greatest legend. On the other he is the son of Rohan Marley, a former star linebacker at the University of Miami during one of the Hurricanes’ past glory periods. For the youngest of the three Marleys, there is little doubt about where he gets his guidance. He is his father’s son, with even more leadership qualities. “He’s really impressive. When I see him, I see myself as a better player. He plays like I played in college. He’s everywhere,” Rohan Marley told the Miami Herald. “I remember when he was a little boy in Jamaica and I was still training, playing football in the [Canadian Football League] I took him to the beach with me when he was 2. I ran full speed down the beach holding his hand. He ran with me all the way. That’s when I knew he was a tough boy.” It turns out that Nico Marley has developed into something more than a tough boy. At an undersized 5-foot-7 and 182 pounds, Marley eventually committed to play linebacker at Tulane after failing to receive […]
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As widely anticipated, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce were named the RJR Sports Foundation’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the awards ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Friday night. Bolt, who became the first man to successfully defend both sprint titles at the London Olympic Games, took the male award ahead of club-mate Yohan Blake, who was also the runner up to Bolt in both the 100 and 200 metres in London. It’s the fourth time Bolt was winning the prestigious award. Fraser Pryce who also defended the 100 metre title in London walked away with the top female award, ahead of swimmer Alia Atkinson, who placed fourth in the 100 metre breaststroke final. Atkinson also collected the People’s Choice award for her performance in the swim off to qualify for the final in London. The Chairman’s Award went to Paralympics competitor Alphanso Cunningham who also landed gold in the men’s F52/53 Javelin in London. The Sagicor Icon award was won by world renowned track and field coach Glen Mills. Cricket legend Michael Holding was guest speaker at the awards ceremony. Swimmer Alia Atkinson on Friday evening won the RJR Sports Foundation People’s Choice Performance of […]
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Alia Atkinson won the silver medal Thursday in the Women’s 50m breaststroke in Istanbul, Turkey at the FINA World Swimming Short Course Championships, giving Jamaica their first-ever medal at the event. The 24-year-old Atkinson finished with a time of 29.67 seconds securing her silver medal and place on the podium. She has the rights to say that she is one of the five fastest women of all-time in the sprint breaststroke. Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania secured the gold for the third consecutive time and set a championship record with a time of 29.44 seconds. Her time was the second fastest time in history. Australian Sarah Katsoulis claimed the bronze with 29.24 seconds. The 15-year-old Meilutyte world record time is behind American Jessica Hardy, who recorded her world time of 28.80 on November 15, 2009. The United States does not recognize her time because she clocked it a technical suit, which was banned domestically in the United States. Atkinson set another national record while competing in the semi-finals of the 100m individual medley. She won the event in 58.94 seconds, which is the second fastest time in the world this year behind Katinka Hosszu of Hungry. Hosszu swam 58.83 at the […]
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The Jamaican Nicholas Walters became the new featherweight champion of the World Boxing Association, after knocking out the Colombian Daulis Prescott in the seventh round in fight held in Kingston at the KO drugs. Walters and Prescott engaged in a very closed fight since the first round, however, the local began to punish down to make him feel his punches. Prescott got the first count in the fourth round, and then in the sixth, both from punishment in the middle zone. In the following round, the Colombian did not resist more punishment and at 35 seconds of the seventh round Rafael Ramos stopped the fight Malpartida sweat and retained her Crown The Peruvian champion Kina Malpartida retained her belt before the difficult Dominican Marilyn Hernández. Malpartida got the count in round three and looked lost in the ring, surprised by Hernandez’ attacks, and had a hard time getting rid of her. However, the Peruvian won her sixth defense by unanimous decision. Sánchez Interim Champion Alys “La China” Sanchez grabbed the WBA super bantamweight interim title, when defeated the Mexican Maria “Explosive” Villalobos by unanimous decision in ten rounds, in the first fight of the KO Drugs in Kingston. The three […]
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