Top 5 — NFL Star to Race World’s Fastest Man
Plus Cleveland lands WNBA franchise, Bunny Shaw makes bold statement, and more
Whatsup Squad,
Let’s get into the top stories of the week:
⭐️ FEATURE STORY
NFL Star to Race World’s Fastest Man
After years of challenging each other, the fastest man in the world is finally set to line up against the fastest man on the gridiron.
Noah Lyles—the reigning 100-meter Olympic champion—will race against Tyreek Hill, an All-Pro wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins who was one of the top sprinters in the country during high school.
At the moment, there’s no decision on the race date, distance, or location.
The only timeline is before Lyles competes in the U.S. Championships this July.
Bottom Line - I believe Lyles would comfortably win any race longer than 60m, so I expect them to settle on a 50m or 60m race. Regardless of the outcome, this is a huge step towards making track mainstream in the United States.
Read more here
🇯🇲 Jamaica
Bunny Shaw Sends Powerful Message
Manchester City and Jamaica striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw made a statement on and off the pitch in City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool.
After scoring her first goal, she raised her fist in a Black Power salute—an iconic symbol of resistance and solidarity.
The celebration came in response to racist and misogynistic abuse she received online following City’s 4-3 loss to Arsenal. The abuse affected her so deeply that she chose to sit out the team’s League Cup semi-final against Arsenal to protect her mental health.
In her return, the all-time leading scorer for both her club and country responded in the best way possible—by letting her game do the talking.
She netted a second goal later in the match, further cementing her status as one of the best players in the world.
Bottom Line - With her opening goal against Liverpool, Bunny Shaw reminded the world of her importance to Manchester City. But her celebration in a high-profile, televised match was an even bigger statement for women’s soccer and the ongoing fight against racism.
Read more here
🇯🇲 Jamaica
A New Era for Women’s Soccer in Jamaica
The rebranded Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) will kick off on March 1.
The league will feature 11 teams (up from 7 last year) and the newly established Professional Women’s Football Jamaica Limited (PWFJL) will be responsible for the commercialization and management of the league.
With more expected to come on board in the near future, the league has already attracted sponsors such as Sherwin Williams, Supreme Ventures, TruShake, Gatorade, and KFC.
Additionally, the Government of Jamaica is investing as much as it does in the men’s league, surpassing any individual sponsor’s contribution.
The rebranded JWPL has been welcomed by players, as the league has previously struggled with sponsorship issues, resulting in financial strain on clubs and players.
Bottom Line - With guaranteed monetary support, the JWPL is poised to nurture talent for overseas competition, increase local player participation, and transition more athletes into the national program.
Read more here
🏝️ Caribbean
A New Era for Caribbean Motorsports
February 2025 marks the dawn of a new era in Caribbean motorsport with the launch of the Caribbean Drag Racing Championship (CDRC).
The groundbreaking championship features sixteen thrilling events across Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Jamaica.
Unlike traditional drag racing tournaments, the CDRC is a closed competition in which participants are handpicked by their National Sporting Authority, ensuring that only the most elite racers take part.
The championship officially kicks off this week in Barbados and Guyana, with the highly anticipated Championship Final set for January 2026 in Jamaica.
Bottom Line - The launch of the CDRC has been met with overwhelming support from key stakeholders in Caribbean motorsport and the wider FiA community.
Read more here
🇺🇸 America
WNBA to Expand to Cleveland
The WNBA is preparing to award Cleveland its 16th franchise.
They will resurrect the Cleveland Rockers brand, an original WNBA franchise that folded after the 2003 season.
Playing at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland is expected to join the league for the 2028 season.
The Golden State Valkyries, the league’s 13th franchise launching in May, paid $50M to join the WNBA, while Toronto and Portland —the 14th and 15th franchises —paid $115M and $125M, respectively.
Cleveland’s bid is worth a league record $250M!
Bottom Line - In all, 13 cities have submitted bid for a WNBA expansion team. With multiple bids approaching $250 million, the WNBA has re-thought its original plan of adding just one team and could now award one or two more franchises to bring its league total to 18 clubs.
Read more here
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Until next time ✌🏾