Kingston College Principal Dave Myrie hoisting the Mortimer Geddes Trophy.
Kingston College produced a dominant display to secure their 34th hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships held at the National Stadium in Kingston from March 28-April 1.
KC amassed an impressive 366 points, comfortably ahead of rivals Jamaica College (299 points) and Calabar High (207 points) in second and third.
On Monday, the school, celebrating their 98th year of existence, held a ceremony commemorate the historic achievement at their North Street home.
“Never bet against KC,” said Principal Dave Myrie at Monday’s celebration.
“When it comes to these championships, KC’s going to dig deep and we are going to fight. Our motto says ‘The Brave May Fall but Never Yield’ so we’re not going to yield to anybody. When we get out there on the field of play, we are going out there to win. If a better man beats us and wins, we’ll say well done but we are going to continue cheering and supporting our team, win, lose or draw,” he added.
“Elated,” was Head Coach Leaford Grant’s response when asked to describe his emotions after guiding the team to the title.
“Personally, I am elated. We are happy and couldn’t ask for anything else. It has been a challenging year for us but we managed to persevere and now we are champions again,” Grant said.
“We never set out to plan how many points we’re going to score. What we try to do every year is put together a team that we know can score over 300 points. At champs, you have mishaps and different mistakes but that’s something you have to plan around. This year, we made very few mistakes.” he added.
With all that said, the school also had their challenges in the months leading up to champs, as explained by Grant and Myrie.
“Some of the challenges were, like any other school, financial. We had some challenges with youngsters not coming to training as we expected but I think that goes on at every single school, not only KC. At the end of the day, we withstood those challenges,” said Grant.
“Some of our athletes have had challenges, whether it be injuries or stuff like that,” Myrie said.
“We had to be gingerly treating them as we go through. They couldn’t train as hard as they wanted but we had to nurse them through. We got vilified because we opted out of a few races at the Gibson Relays and we just shook our heads. You opt out to ensure that you can actually do what you need to do at Champs because, at the end of the day, Champs is where the points count,” Myrie added.
Distance runner Ainsley Campbell was one of the main contributors to KC’s 34th Boys champs crown, winning the Class 1 1500m as well as the 2000m steeplechase open.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that we got the job done and we didn’t waste an entire year of training,” Campbell said.
“I wasn’t expecting to participate in the 1500m until Carifta Trials but I can say it was a well-earned title. For the steeplechase, I was the favourite so I went out there and did what I had to do,” he added.
Myrie says plans are already in place for KC to continue their dominance in high school track & field for years to come.
“There is definitely a plan in place but, the same way we are planning, other schools are planning as well. I am not going to go out there and say to anybody that we have to win or are going to win, I’m saying we are going to put a team in place that can challenge,” he said.
“If by chance there is a better team out there that beats us then more power to them and I’d congratulate them and say well done but we’re focusing on KC. We don’t focus on too many things outside. We have already started the planning for the next three years down the road to make sure that, at the least, we’re putting out a competent team every year,” Myrie added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Iconic track and field coach Glen Mills Honoured at People Profile Awards 2023
Coach Glen Mills, the renowned track and field guru, was the center of attention at the Annual People Profile Awards on Sunday, September 24.
Held at the Faith Centre in Sunrise, Florida, the black-tie red-carpet affair, sponsored by the Housing Foundation of America, not only celebrated exceptional individuals and organizations within the community but also paid tribute to luminaries in the music industry and sports.
Coach Glen Mills received special recognition for his contributions to the world of track and field, along with Consul General R. Oliver Mair, who was honored with the President's Award.
Mills, whose career as a track and field coach, has spanned five decades, developed some of Jamaica’s greatest sprinters including 100/200m world record holder Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history who is also an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and 11-time world champion.
Mills also developed Yohan Blake, the youngest man to win a 100m world title in 2011 and Warren Weir, the 2012 Olympic 200m bronze medalist.
Mills also coached Raymond Stewart to the Olympic 100m final at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles while he was fresh out of Camperdown High School where Mills helped cement a legacy for the school that would eventually be dubbed ‘The Sprint Factory’ having produced such luminaries like Leroy Reid and Remaldo Rose.
Mills is currently the coach of Oblique Seville, who was fourth in the 100m finals in 2022 and 2023.
Founded by Lecturer/Businessman Dr. Allan Cunningham in 2015, the People Profile Awards aim to recognize individuals whose stories inspire, motivate, or educate others while supporting charitable causes.
Under the theme "Together We Are Stronger," the People Profile Organization collaborated with the University of Fort Lauderdale, aligning their vision to prioritize people, education, and community. This partnership is set to create a lasting impact on the community.
The People Profile Awards 2023 featured an evening filled with entertainment, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
The awards ceremony encompassed 16 categories, including "Humanitarian," "Media," "Sportsman of the Year," and "Courage" Awards.
Norman Hemming assumed the role of host for this grand celebration of excellence.
After bruising season Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finding healing in fashion in Italy
After a grueling season battling injury while facing the fastest women on the planet, Jamaican track icon star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took some time to enjoy some of the finer things in life at the Bottega Veneta fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 in Milan, Italy on Saturday.
The two-time Olympic 100m champion, known for her colourful wigs and trendsetting couture, was among a galaxy of celebrities gathered for the occasion that included writer, fashion editor, and New York Times best-selling author Derek Blasberg, Erykah Badu as well as Sabato de Samo, Gucci’s new Head of Creative.
The five-time world 100m champion is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August as well as a longstanding knee injury that significantly impacted her preparation last season. But what better way is there to heal the body and soul than immersing one’s self in the world of high fashion.
How entertainer DMajor's long-standing relationship with Usain Bolt gave life to latest song "Unstoppable"
Jamaican entertainer DMajor has taken the music scene by storm with his latest release, "Unstoppable," produced by none other than Usain Bolt's A Team label. The track hit the airwaves on Friday, September 22, 2023, and has been making waves ever since. However, what makes this collaboration truly special is the long-standing relationship between DMajor and the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt.
In an exclusive interview, DMajor revealed the story behind "Unstoppable" and how his journey with Bolt and the Racers Track Club paved the way for this remarkable musical partnership.
"I've known Usain since around 2006 or 2007," DMajor began, reminiscing about his early days with the sprinting legend. "What most people probably don't know about me is that I'm a lover of track and field. To stay in shape, at one point, I was training with the Racers Track Club around that same time. So, you know, I would have been all about keeping the lungs up and training with the Racers track club as my fitness regimen."
Back then, DMajor and Bolt never discussed music as a common interest. Bolt's love for music was no secret, but it wasn't until 2023 that the stars aligned for a collaboration. DMajor explained, "This year, in 2023, I had an idea to do a song, you know, one of those celebratory songs for championships. Somehow, the inspiration just hit me, and I had put down a melody on my phone."
However, a twist of fate nearly derailed DMajor's musical vision. "Now that phone just crashed, and I lost the melody," he lamented. But fate had other plans. A conversation with a friend reignited DMajor's creative spark. "I was reasoning with a brethren one day, and I was giving him the idea, and he was like, 'yow, all Bolt you could have linked on that, you know.' And I said, 'You know, you’re right.'"
The stars continued to align as DMajor found himself at Big Yaad Studios, celebrating engineer Kamal's birthday, where he ran into Nugent Walker (NJ), Usain Bolt's business manager. DMajor shared his idea with NJ, who embraced it without hesitation. "NJ was just like instantly (sold), like no hesitation. He was like, 'So Major when you want to do it?' Just like that, and myself, NJ, and Kamal decided upon the following Sunday."
The timing couldn't have been more perfect. DMajor continued, "That Sunday was when the 100-meter finals were on at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August. This is like a month and a half after I got the initial idea. We never got a medal, but still, you know, so you say everything is tying in."
As they worked on the track, NJ and DMajor knew they had something special in the making. DMajor explained, "NJ decided that the 22nd would be a good release date, and it was, in fact, released on the 22nd."
DMajor expressed his gratitude to the A-Team, NJ, and Usain Bolt for making this dream a reality. "Big up to the whole team, the whole A team," he said. "NJ said when he sent it to Bolt, he instantly fell in love with the track. So it's just a blessing overall, you know, for everything to say how everything that's come to fruition just from a simple idea and the challenges of losing the audio on the phone. We still came out with a track that we really believe in and represents what I was initially going for."
"Unstoppable" has already taken flight, released on Friday, and is quickly gaining momentum. DMajor summed up the collaboration with a smile, "I guess that happens when you link up with the king of speed, you know, things happen fast. So it's a great thing, man. Unstoppable. Oh gosh, man, stadium status."
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