STAR Sports’ top 10 stories of 2021

The year 2021 was an unusual one because of the COVID-19 pandemic but the local sporting landscape remained eventful regardless. These are the 10 biggest stories of the year.

10. Antonio Watson celebration

It was supposed to be a moment of glory for Petersfield High School's Antonio Watson after winning the Class One Boys 200m at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, but the youngster grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons after making a "gun finger" gesture to Edwin Allen's Bryan Levell, whom he pipped at the line. (May 2021)

9. Hubert Busby allegations

Jamaica's Reggae Girlz were left searching for a new head coach ahead of their upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying campaign because Hubert Busby Jr was suspended indefinitely while being investigated by football's world governing body. Busby is alleged to have acted in a sexually inappropriate manner with a player he sought to recruit for the Vancouver Whitecaps Women's team in the 2010-2011 season. (October 2021)

8. SIGMA Corporate Run vexes public

The annual Sagicor SIGMA Corporate Run went ahead as planned in 2021 -- in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the 2021 staging being an invitation only race with 100 participants, while others competed virtually, organisers assured the public that safety protocols would be observed and the event would not be the super-spreader many expected. However, the public response to the race was still negative, with many observers saying it was just another example that different rules exist for different classes in Jamaican society. (February 2021)

7. Yohan Blake speaks out against COVID-19 vaccines.

The second fastest man in history, despite having much to prove in what many expected to be his final Olympic Games, said that he would rather miss the Tokyo showpiece than be forced to take a COVID-19 vaccine to participate. (February 2021)

6. Hansle Parchment takes 110m hurdles gold

Perhaps the feel good moment of 2021, Hansle Parchment overcame years of injury setbacks and American favourite Grant Holloway to take gold in the Men's 110m hurdles event at the Tokyo Olympics. However, it may not have happened if not for the help of a volunteer worker who gave Parchment fare to get to the stadium after missing his bus. After his win in the final, Parchment went searching for the Good Samaritan and rewarded her for her kindness. (August 2021)

5. Whitmore fired by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)

Theodore Whitmore went into the Concacaf Gold Cup with public expectation on him to better the 2019 showing of a semi-final placing, and at least match the 2017 showing where the Reggae Boyz finished runners-up. Things did not go to plan, with the Reggae Boyz exiting at the hands of the USA in quarter-finals. It left the JFF disappointed and questioning Whitmore's role with the team. The pressure heightened when Whitmore could only achieve one win -- against last place Honduras, after eight FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and the JFF felt it had no choice but to fire Whitmore. (December 2021)

4. Reggae Boyz demand better per diems

The JFF was once again at odds with the Reggae Boyz over money. This time, they had an impasse about the match fees and bonuses to be earned in FIFA World Cup qualifiers set for later in the year. The disagreement led to many of the players opting out of friendly matches and delaying signing new contracts until their demands were met. (February 2021)

3. Sha'Carri tests positive

One of the more controversial sporting figures of 2021 is sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson. Young, brash, and talkative, the American ensured that the rivalry between Jamaica and the USA in sprinting would be even more heated heading into the Olympics. However, a gaffe on her part saw her test positive for marijuana at the US Trials and sanctioned with a 30-day ban ruling her out of the Olympics. Making matters worse, the feud between both nations intensified with the news being broken here in Jamaica by The Gleaner. (July 2021)

2. Jamaica sweeps the world

No Sha'Carri, no problem. Jamaica's trio of Elaine Thompson Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson ensured that the world would still be fully focused on women's sprinting in Tokyo, with blistering performances throughout. It was capped by their one-two-three finish in the most anticipated Women's 100m final in recent history. (July 2021)

1. Thompson Herah leaves MVP

Elaine Thompson Herah had the best season of her life, as was predicted by her former coach Stephen Francis. Yes, that's right, her former coach. Thompson Herah shocked the world by leaving MVP Track Club after coming within five-hundredths of a second of the women's 100m world record the same under its tutelage. (October 2021)