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Jamaica's
favourite sports are soccer and cricket.
Introduced by the British in the 19th
century, cricket quickly rose in popularity.
Many captains of the West Indies cricket
team have come from Jamaica. In the mid-1990s,
however, Jamaica's national soccer team,
the Reggae Boyz, became the first team
from an English-speaking Caribbean nation
to qualify for the World Cup finals. This
achievement has made the sport's popularity
rival cricket's. Another popular sport
is horseracing, which employs a lot of
Jamaicans.
Enthusiastic athletes, Jamaicans have
also made significant achievements in
boxing, cycling, weightlifting, track
and field, and football (soccer). The
women's netball and field hockey teams
have consistently ranked among the world's
top teams. Jamaica even managed to send
a bobsled team to the 1988 Calgary Winter
Olympics; the team has performed increasingly
well in the Olympics since then. In particular,
Jamaican athletes have excelled at track
and field. Sprinters Arthur Wint and Herb
McKinley won three medals at the 1948
Olympics, the first year Jamaica entered
the games. Since then, Jamaica's Olympic
success in track has been added to by
many other athletes, including Merlene
Ottey and Don Quarrie.
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Relaxation
in Jamaica comes in many forms, from a day at
the beach or a walk through the foothills of
the Blue Mountains. Children enjoy watching
television, playing electronic games and basketball.
Adults like listening to sports broadcasts,
music and watching television, and younger Jamaicans
especially love dancing. A favourite game among
men is dominoes, played with passion in rum
bars and cafés. Jamaicans often visit
public libraries and museums. Reading is a popular
pastime, especially books by Jamaican and West
Indian authors.
Sports
Best Facilities
Tennis
Half
Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club
(Montego Bay; tel. 876/953-2211): This is Jamaica's
best tennis-13 state-of-the-art courts, 7 of
which are lit for night games.
Wyndham
Rose Hall Golf & Beach Resort (Montego
Bay; tel. 876/953-2650): This resort has six
hard-surface courts, all lit at night. Hotel
guests play free.
Tryall
Club Jamaica (Montego Bay; tel. 876/956-5660):
Tryall has nine superb hard-surface courts,
three of which are lit for night play.
Grand
Sport Villa Golf Resort & Spa (Ocho
Rios; tel. 876/974-1027): This resort offers
three clay and three hard-surface courts, all
lit at night. Twice-a-day clinics are offered
for beginners as well as advanced players.
Water
Sport
North
Coast Marine Sports (Montego Bay; tel.
876/953-2211): Offering the best scuba diving
in Montego Bay, this staff of instructors knows
some great spots to dive among coral reefs.
Negril
Scuba Centre (Negril; tel. 800/818-2963
in the U.S., or 876/957-9641): This is the best-equipped
dive facility in Negril, with a very professional
staff.
Jamaqua
Dive Center (Runaway Bay; tel. 876/973-4845):
Its slogan is "We Be Divin'," and
this outfitter takes you to some of the best
dive sites along the northern coast. Equipment
can be rented on-site, and offerings range from
one-tank dives to six-boat packages.
Golf
Courses
White Witch of Rose Hall Golf Course
(Montego Bay; (tel. 876/953-2204): This is the
newest Jamaican golf course and one of the most
spectacular, set on 80 hectares (200 acres)
of lush greenery.
Wyndham
Rose Hall Golf & Beach Resort (Montego
Bay; tel. 876/953-2650): This has been called
one of the top courses in the world. It's a
challenging seaside and mountain course. The
14th hole passes a waterfall.
Tryall
Club Jamaica (Montego Bay; tel. 876/956-5660):
Jamaica's finest course, this is the site of
the annual Johnnie Walker World Championship.
Wind direction can change suddenly, making the
course even harder.
Half
Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club
(Montego Bay; 876/953-2211): A top island course,
Half Moon features well-manicured and interestingly
shaped greens, but it's not as challenging as
the one at Tryall.
Sandals
Golf & Country Club (Ocho Rios;
tel. 876/975-0119): This course is known for
panoramic vistas, rolling terrain, and lush
vegetation. Sandals guests play for free.
Links
& Sources
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