Sports

Tears rained down at the Wallblake Airport on Sunday 6th September, 2009, as the Anguilla Football Association continued its commitment to the development of young people through the game of football, when two of its players left the island to study in the United Kingdom.

Continuing on the road of improvement, Denvile “Skywalker II” Ruan used his 2008 experience at the World Junior Championship in Poland to prepare for the 2009 World Athletics Championships which were held in Berlin, Germany. During the preparation phase Denvile participated in the Austrian National championships and produced a time of 11:53 seconds. Later he participated in an invitational track meet in Nurtingen, Germany, improving his time to 11:44 seconds.

Anguilla’s premiere athletes Shara Proctor and Denvil Ruan are in the final stage of their preparations for the World Championship Games to be held in Berlin, Germany this coming weekend. Both athletes have competed in two warm up meets in the last two weeks.

On Sunday July 26th, about 11 of the Class A racing boats left the Sandy Ground beach in aid of one winning the Peter Perkins Race.

Breaking down before reaching the stake which was dropped outside Cap Juluca, was the Real Deal, De Stinger and the Miss Anguilla.

A warm and bright Saturday afternoon served as the perfect background to the conclusion of the Orlando Johnson Football Tournament at the Coronation Ball Park. The combatants North Valley and North Side were playing for the title of football supremacy in the Valley. It was evident both teams were nervous as passes went array and ball movement was poor. However, Carlisle “Mr. D” Lake the former national midfield player calmed down his North Side team with poise, good control and excellent ball sense?

Despite inclement weather conditions, which resulted in the cancellation of the National Bank of Anguilla-sponsored Peter Perkins Memorial Boat Race, its annual village games were held at Road Bay, Sandy Ground, on Sunday, July 19.

After two months of play the Annual Summer Business Basketball League, sponsored by the National Bank of Anguilla (NBA) and Digicel, ended at the Coronation Ball Field on Tuesday evening, this week. The closing ceremony, chaired by NBA’s Secretary, Linda Fleming, included the presentation of trophies by NBA staff members Deslyn Smith and Jinelle Benn and an All Star game involving players from all ten teams.

With the light showers refreshing and adding much beauty to its greenery, the Ronald Webster Park is the ideal location for the Fifteenth Annual Football Summer Camp now in progress with close to 300 Primary School children of varying ages participating.

Shara Proctor won the gold medal in the long jump competition in Cuba at the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) games on Sunday, July 5th. The CAC meet is a biennial track and field competition that brings together the senior athletes from the Central America and Caribbean region.

The John T Memorial 10th Anniversary Cycle Race, sponsored overall by LIME, the regional telecommunications company, was a big success in Anguilla on Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and 5.

Anguilla’s impressive Under-19 cricketers have this week been playing in the Leeward Island’s Tournament in Antigua, with their eyes set on a selection process at the weekend that will take a number of them to a further competitive match.

Digicel Anguilla is sponsoring the First Annual Digicel Junior Cycling Championship Race which will be held July 11th and 12th.

Digicel is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the Blowing Point Cycling Foundation to host this exciting event.

A team of netball players from Anguilla left the island on Wednesday this week for Nevis to participate in the OECS Under-23 Tournament continuing there until July 6. They are among other teams from St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent and St. Lucia.

The 2009 Anguilla Female Football League (AFFL) was touted a success by its organizers and sponsors at a grand Closing Ceremony on Saturday June 20 at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School Campus B Auditorium.

The round-the-island boat race provided the usual excitement when it took place on June 15, having been postponed from Anguilla Day due to weather conditions. A record of fifteen boats took part in the race that left from Sandy Ground just after 10.00 a.m.

Five teams from the Valley are now competing in the Second Annual Orlando Johnson Memorial Football Tournament which commenced at the Coronation Ball Field on Sunday, June 7.

Last weekend, teams from Anguilla, St. Maarten and St. Kitts, participated in a friendly netball competition. Though late, it was described as having been one of the social activities in celebrating the 42nd Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution and Anguilla Day.

The second annual Primary Schools Netball Festival sponsored by ANGLEC, in collaboration with the Department of Sports and the Anguilla Amateur Netball Association, was a resounding success.

On Friday, 29th May, 2009, 31 of Anguilla's most promising athletes set off for St. Kitts to compete in the 2009 Leeward Islands Youth Track and Field Championships at the Silver Jubilee Stadium in Bird Rock. The 6 competing countries were the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, United States Virgin Islands, Nevis, Anguilla and host country St. Kitts.

Shara Proctor put in a strong performance in the East Regional Outdoor Championships held in North Carolina last weekend and qualified for the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Outdoor Championships in Arkansas. This will be her third consecutive trip to the National Championships.