Grange, JOA congratulate Reggae Girlz

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange and the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) have congratulated the Reggae Girlz for advancing to the round of 16 at the Women’s World Cup, currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand.

Both issued a press release yesterday. Grange hailed the historic moment as the “proudest moment in Jamaica’s football history”, with JOA president Christopher Samuda expressing a desire for the Reggae Girlz to make the Olympic Games in Paris next year a reality.

Yesterday morning, the Reggae Girlz played to a 0-0 draw with Brazil to finish the Women's World Cup group stage on five points and in second place behind Group F winners France, who ended with seven points.

The point earned from yesterday’s match enabled Jamaica to advance to the tournament's knockout stage. The Reggae Girlz will meet Colombia on Tuesday in the round of 16.

“Their hard-fought and determined draw against powerhouse Brazil is most commendable… I could not help shedding a few tears of joy. I am happy that my government has supported the Jamaica Football Federation and the women’s programme on yet another successful World Cup campaign,” Grange said in the release.

The Reggae Girlz, before the Brazil encounter, drew their opening match against France 0-0 before beating Panama 1-0 and are unbeaten in the tournament. According to the release, Grange, in a telephone conversation with the players, reiterated an earlier message she delivered to them.

“I can never tire of telling you how much your presence on the world stage means to Jamaica and the pride we all feel when we see you don the national colours,” the release said Grange told the players.

Meanwhile, according to Samuda, the Reggae Girlz continue to show an ability to achieve feats that inspire Jamaicans.

“The Reggae Girlz are authoring a script in football which is inspiring a nation to aspire where it was thought dreams only resided. The reality is that we can, and they have done it. The Jamaica Olympic Association salutes the Reggae Girlz,” Samuda said in the JOA’s release.

JOA’s secretary general and CEO, Ryan Foster, added: “The horizon is now clearly in sight and within reach of the Reggae Girlz, and the JOA stands with watchful eyes in the hope that history again will be created and a nation’s pride will overflow for this is a moment that we hope will become a life-long story.”

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