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• Jamaica Olympic Association names formidable management team for Paris 2024 Olympics

  The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has unveiled its management team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, emphasizing a blend of managerial expertise, athletic insight, and a commitment to athlete welfare. After a rigorous selection process, the JOA is confident that this team will effectively lead Jamaica's athletes in Paris.

  Applications for positions opened in 2021 with the final selections made in 2022.

  Leading the team as Chef de Mission is the esteemed Ian Kelly, OD. Known for his extensive background in sports, particularly football management, Kelly brings a wealth of experience and a well-decorated resume to the role. His leadership will be pivotal in ensuring the smooth operation and success of the Jamaican delegation in Paris.

  Supporting Kelly is celebrated Olympian and global track icon Donald Quarrie, CD. Quarrie, who has managed and mentored numerous teams over the years, will oversee the track and field contingent. His first-hand experience as an athlete and mentor will provide invaluable guidance to the competitors.

  The team also includes accomplished businesswoman Donna Kaye-Sharpe, whose administrative prowess spans across various sports, including cycling and triathlon. Kaye-Sharpe's deep understanding of sports administration will be crucial in managing logistics and operations during the games.

  Kaydeen Webley, a Marketing Campaign and Brand Experience Strategist, joins the team, bringing her expertise in information and events management, as well as athlete welfare and development. Webley's skills will be instrumental in enhancing the overall experience for athletes and ensuring their needs are met efficiently.

  Evon Faulkner, a network specialist at the Central Bank and an experienced figure in regional games management, adds further strength to the team. Faulkner's role as tournament director for multiple international darts championships demonstrates his capability in handling large-scale sports events, making him a valuable asset for the Paris Olympics.

  Rounding out the team is Dr. Leroy Harrison, Consultant Neurologist at Kingston Public Hospital and former president of the Jamaica Neurology Society. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Harrison will provide essential medical support, ensuring the health and well-being of the athletes.

  The JOA's commitment to broadening the pool of managers for national assignments is evident in this diverse and highly qualified team. By incorporating professionals from various fields, the JOA aims to offer a holistic support system for Jamaica's athletes.

  The management team's multifaceted credentials, ranging from business and sports management to medical expertise, position them well to navigate the challenges of the Olympic Games and support Jamaica's athletes in their quest for excellence on the world stage.

  With this formidable team in place, the JOA is poised to make a significant impact at the Paris 2024 Olympics, continuing its tradition of excellence and dedication to the Olympic movement.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• On This Day in 2013: Sarah Stevenson ends taekwondo career

  Two-time taekwondo world champion Sarah Stevenson announced her retirement on this day in 2013.

  The announcement brought to an end a glittering career that also brought her four gold medals at the European Championships.

  She also claimed Britain’s first ever Olympic medal in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but was at the centre of controversy after appealing against a contentious ruling during her quarter-final loss to China’s Chen Zhong.

  The appeal was successful meaning Stevenson was awarded a spot in the semi-finals and she went on to take bronze.

  Stevenson’s first taekwondo world title came in 2001, and she earned her second a decade later in emotional circumstances as both her parents were critically ill.

  Her parents died later that year and her career could have been derailed after suffering a serious knee injury, but she recovered in time to compete in her fourth Olympics at London 2012.

  She failed to progress beyond the first round and, having not fought since then, reached the decision to retire and take up a role as a high-performance coach with GB Taekwondo.

  Stevenson, then aged 30, said: “It has been a hard decision and it has been a long process but I think in just stepping away from the sport and having a break, waiting to seeing if I’m going to miss it or not – I realised I didn’t miss it.

  “I didn’t feel in my heart that I wanted to compete again.

  “I don’t really do anything half-hearted and I think it would be a mistake for me to continue if my heart isn’t in it.

  “But I have no regrets and it feels good to say that. I am 100 per cent happy with my decision.”

• Samuda, Soutar remember Lawrence as champion for athletes and sports development

  Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda and chairman of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) George Soutar said the void left by Hubert Lawrence will be hard to fill, as they paid tribute to the respected track and field analysis, whose untimely passing has cast a pall of gloom over the sporting fraternity.

  Lawrence, 64, who was also well-known for his authorship, and historical documentation, passed away at home on Friday.

  Samuda remembered Lawrence as an authority on Jamaican and global track and field, who played a crucial role in television coverage of various athletic events, including the Olympics, World Championships, and local meets.

  The veteran analyst had been an integral part of the track and field commentary for more than three decades, his passion for the sport evident in his dedicated contributions to both television and written media.

  “Hubert Lawrence was not simply an encyclopedia of statistics and historical data of others, but more importantly, he was himself a landmark that gave a nation in his commentary a self-portrait in track and field. A man in the mirror vision of where an athletic fraternity stood in his development and the journey must take in order to progress and mature,” Samuda shared.

  “He gave statistics context in his written and spoken word, so that players could understand the culture of the sport more, their role and responsibility, and be guided by the principles of Olympicism, which is pen-inked in personalizing successive Olympic Games. The Olympic family mourns his mortality, but is assured and assures his family that his soul now rests eternally,” he added.

  Beyond his on-screen presence, Lawrence was a prolific author, having written and co-authored significant books on track and field. Some notable works include "Champs 100" in 2010, "The Power and the Glory: Jamaica in World Athletics, From World War II to the Diamond League Era" in 2012, and "50 Days of Fire" in 2022.

  Lawrence, who Soutar described as a true champion for athletes and sports development in Jamaica, inspiring generations with his passion and knowledge, leaves behind a profound impact on the track and field community in Jamaica and beyond.

  “He was well known for his balanced and insightful commentaries and interviews, not only to local sports but also in the region and internationally.

  “Jamaica has lost a dedicated, and one of our most knowledgeable sports analysts and commentators. On behalf of the Sports Development Foundation, our condolences go out to his family and the sports fraternity,” Soutar said.