Born in Jamaica at just 19 years old 3×3 basketball player Makayla Williams is already showing the world what determination looks like. She joined her Special Olympic programme two years ago, driven by her love for basketball and the joy of competing alongside her teammates.
After last year’s devastating Hurricane Melissa, everything slowed down, including training, practices and the support systems around the team. “Some of our coaches and our basketball club were really affected by it,” Makyla said. “It’s been hard and it’s been pretty slow for us. We’re just now starting to get back on track.” Her resilience echoes the stories of many athletes around the world who overcome adversity by simply stepping onto the field.
This trip to Puerto Rico for the Cup is Makayla’s first time on the island, and it has already left an impression on her. “My experience so far has been really great. I really enjoyed the country and the energy here,” she said with a smile. The atmosphere of San Juan, full of energy and passion, has become the perfect backdrop for the Jamaican to represent her nation on the world stage for the first time.
As for her expectations, she keeps it simple and based on team spirit: “I expect my team to improve. That’s all. I just want us to get better when we play against other teams.”
Her story reflects the heart of every athlete and basketball player, transcending challenges to get the opportunity to play and compete. Today in Puerto Rico she not only represents Jamaica; she represents resilience itself.
Yesterday Jamaica lost their group stage matches to Egypt, Angola & Puerto Rico but today they won their last division 4 match Saudi Arabia 8-1.
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