The José Martí Technical High School netball team are champions of the Insport Summer Challenge Cup, edging Gaynstead High 28-27 in a thrilling one-goal final at the Leila Robinson Netball Courts at the National Stadium on Tuesday, August 4 , 2026, and pocketing the $400,000 first prize.
Gaynstead collected $250,000 for finishing second, while Norman Manley surprised Denbigh High 34-32 in the third-place play-off to earn $150,000. The three-week competition featured two unbeaten teams in the final, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated netball showdowns of the summer.
Video Highlights
🎥 Video highlights coming soon
Game highlights and team celebration will be added to this post once available.
Revenge on the Court
José Martí, coached by Philip Pinnock, entered the final full of confidence after a strong tournament run — a preliminary-round draw with Denbigh followed by a convincing 26-goal semi-final victory over Norman Manley. They also came into the contest with something extra on the line: revenge, after losing to Gaynstead in overtime in the 2025 ISSA Urban Area Senior Netball final.
The Dalton Hinds-coached Gaynstead outfit, meanwhile, had entered as favourites after impressive performances throughout the tournament. Their only real test had come in the semi-finals, where they defeated Denbigh by two goals.
A Four-Quarter Battle
Gaynstead made the brighter start, racing to a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Undaunted, José Martí found their rhythm in the second, outscoring their opponents 9-6 to trail by just one goal at the interval — Gaynstead holding a slim 13-12 lead at half-time.
After the break, the St. Catherine-based side raised the intensity and took their first lead of the match at the end of the third quarter, 21-20, setting up an exciting final period.
Led by goal shooter Kalee Martin, who scored 22 goals from 29 attempts, and goal attack Jada Campbell, who added six from nine attempts, José Martí held their composure in the closing stages to secure the narrow one-goal victory — much to the disappointment of the vocal Gaynstead supporters.
For Gaynstead, goal shooter Shenel Watson netted 13 goals from 16 attempts, while goal attack Taccero Uland added 14 from 19 attempts.
Third-Place Play-Off Upset
In the third-place play-off, Denbigh — who had suffered a narrow semi-final defeat to Gaynstead — were expected to get the better of Norman Manley, the side José Martí had beaten by 26 goals in the semi-finals.
However, Norman Manley produced a spirited performance to upset their Clarendon opponents and claim a hard-fought 34-32 victory.
Final Scoring Summary
| Position | School | Score | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Champions | José Martí | 28 | $400,000 |
| 🥈 Runners-up | Gaynstead High | 27 | $250,000 |
| 🥉 Third Place | Norman Manley | 34 (over Denbigh 32) | $150,000 |
What This Means for José Martí
Tuesday’s title continues an outstanding chapter for the José Martí netball program — and for a wider community of alumni, coaches, and past students who have invested in the school’s sports development. The $400,000 prize rewards not only the players and coaching staff but also the culture of discipline and excellence being built at the St. Catherine institution.
As JMAANY prepares for the 50th Anniversary of the school in January 2027, victories like this one add real meaning to the alumni association’s ongoing court restoration campaign — the $50,000 Golden Jubilee gift to restore the school’s own netball and basketball courts, so that future champions can train and compete on grounds worthy of their talent.
Support the Court Restoration →
Originally reported by the Jamaica Gleaner, August 6, 2026. Republished here with source attribution to preserve the record of this achievement for the José Martí community.
Source: Jamaica Gleaner — “José Martí claim Challenge Cup” · By Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer