Veteran coaches Glen Mills, Fitz Coleman, Michael Carr and Wayne Long will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards for long and distinguished service during a ceremony set for Thursday, October 6, which is celebrated as National Coaches Day.
The four will be among several coaches to be honoured at the ceremony that will be held at the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston. Awards will be presented in four categories - Silver (20-25 years), Gold (26-30 years), Platinum (30-40 years) and Lifetime Award (Over 40 years).
A total of 192 nominations, which represented 38 individuals, were recently received by the association.
October 6 is recognized as National Coaches Day across many of federations in North America and the Caribbean. On the day, coaches across all sports are recognized and issues and challenges facing coaches are brought into focus.
On September 27, 2022, the Governor General, Sir Patrick Linton Allen, declared by proclamation that Oct 6 be recognized and celebrated as National Coaches Day in Jamaica and encourage all citizens to “join in year-round efforts to recognize the involvement and impact of coaches on the development of our people and the national psyche, provide encouragement and support for their continued sacrifice and dedication to the development of their charges and encourage a general attitudinal change towards the profession.
The Jamaica Track and Field Coaches Association is an internationally recognized body which serves Jamaica’s track and field coaches, covering Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Club and Elite athletes.
The association is an affiliate of the JAAA and is endorsed by World Athletics. It is also the representative body for all Track and Field coaches in Jamaica.
World Under-20 runner-up Nkrumie runs 10.19 to qualify for 100m final at Jamaica’s Carifta Trials
National junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie ran an easy 10.19 to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Boy’s Under-20 100m on Friday’s day one of the 2023 Carifta Trials at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Kingston College’s Nkrumie, who ran 10.02 to win silver at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships behind Botswanan World junior record holder Letsile Tebogo, easily won the fourth heat ahead of Camperdown’s Jason Lewis who ran 10.57 to also qualify for the final.
Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin advanced second fastest with a personal best 10.31 to win heat two ahead of defending champion DeAndre Daley of Herbert Morrison who also advanced with 10.56.
Daley’s day was almost disastrous as he was left in the blocks at the start of the heat but, thankfully, recovered to seal his spot in the final.
Manchester High’s Javoon Blair qualified third fastest with a 10.43 effort to win heat one ahead of Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett (10.49).
Also advancing to Saturday’s final were Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.55) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56).
The qualifiers for the Under-17 final were led by STETHS’ Tramaine Todd, Calabar’s Khamani Gordon and Jamaica College’s Dontae Watson.
Todd looked extremely impressive, producing 10.59 to win his heat while Gordon and Watson produced times of 10.68 and 10.72 to win their respective heats and advance.
Joining them in the final will be Jamaica College’s Nathaniel Martin (10.69), St. Jago High’s Detarje Morgan (10.72), Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.82), Calabar’s Jamal Stephenson (10.89) and Kingston College’s Kyle Bodden (10.95).
World Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen led all qualifiers to the final of the girls Under-20 equivalent.
Cole ran a comfortable 11.22 to easily win her heat ahead of St. Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson who also qualified with 11.91.
Petersfield’s Alexis James also looked in good form, running 11.24 to win her heat ahead of MVP’s Tia Clayton (11.53), Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59) and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61). Clayton, Forbes and Williams all advanced to the final alongside James.
Hydel’s Alana Reid, World Under-20 bronze medallist, won her heat in 11.55 to advance while Wolmers’ Mickayla Gardener (11.65) finished second and made it through.
Natrece East of Wolmers ran 11.70 to lead all qualifiers to the Under-17 final. She will be joined in the final by the Hydel pair Shemonique Hazle (11.80) and Camoy Binger (12.00), Wolmers’ Tiana Marshall (11.77), Immaculate Conception’s Shevi-Anne Shim (11.94), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.02), Excelsior’s Janiela Williams (11.95) and St Mary High’s Shagay Sheppy (12.02).
Blake, Clayton win 60m titles at Gibson Relays
Akeem Blake and Tina Clayton won the respective 60m titles at the Gibson/McCook Relays at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
Clayton, a two-time World Junior 100m champion and in her first professional season, ran a personal best 7.02 to win the Women’s section ahead of Sashalee Forbes (7.03) and Kerrica Hill (7.10).
Remona Burchell won a windy B final in 7.04 ahead of Tia Clayton (7.05) and Jodean Williams (7.16).
Blake, a semi-finalist in the 100m at the 2022 World Championships, ran a personal best 6.42 to win the Men’s section ahead of Oblique Seville (6.42) and Zharnel Hughes (6.45). 2011 World 100m Champion Yohan Blake was fourth in 6.45.
Briana Williams to make season debut over 60m at Camperdown Classic February 11
Briana Williams will race over 60m at the Camperdown Classic at the National Stadium on Saturday in what will be her first official competition since she joined Titans International in September 2022.
Williams, who turns 21, next month boasts a personal best of 7.04 while finishing fifth in the 60m final at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia in March, 2022.
It was a significant improvement on the 7.18 she ran at the Armory in New York in February 2020. Her outdoor 60m best of 7.15 was set at the National Stadium in Kingston in January that year.
The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist had trained with Coach Ato Boldon for a decade before making the move to Titans International last year citing a need for a change.
“I’m excited about this new chapter and happy to be training in Jamaica,” Williams said following the move to the club where she now trains under the guidance of coaches Gregory Little and Olympian Michael Frater.
After the Camperdown Classic, Williams is set to compete next at the Gibson Relays set to the final Saturday, February 25.
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