Former 100m world record holder, Asafa Powell, was bestowed with the prestigious 2024 Bleu & Bougie Superstar Award at a glittering ceremony held at Devon House in Kingston on Sunday. The esteemed award recognizes Powell's remarkable contributions to track and field, both locally and internationally, marking a crowning achievement in his illustrious career.
Bleu & Bougie and White Soiree En Blanc are popular events staged by Jamaicans in New York City.
Originally scheduled to receive the award on Saturday, Powell graciously accepted the honor on Sunday during the White Soiree En Blanc event, the second day of the Elite Weekend festivities.
Powell, hailed as one of Jamaica’s most decorated athletes, boasts an impressive track record of multiple Olympic and World Championships medals. His remarkable career culminated in his retirement from track and field in 2022, leaving behind a legacy of unparalleled speed and athleticism. Powell has run the 100m dash under 10 seconds, a world record 97 times.
Powell expressed his gratitude for being honoured by a Jamaican organization, especially within the New York Diaspora. "I feel blessed receiving this honour because it shows that I’ve done something legendary to be proud of," he remarked, reflecting on the significance of the recognition.
When asked about his career success, Powell spoke fondly of representing Jamaica on the global stage. "Wearing our national colours at the Olympic or World Championships gave me great joy and had the greatest impact," he reminisced, highlighting the standout moments of his illustrious career.
With the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships (Champs) about to begin in Jamaica on Tuesday, Powell revealed limited memories of his days competing at the prestigious 113-year-old high-school championships.
"My memories competing at Champs are not so many. The year I went, I was the only athlete from my school, and making the finals was a big achievement." Despite his limited experience, Powell expressed admiration for the event's enduring success, praising the new generation for carrying on its legacy.
Powell's last attendance at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships (Champs) was in 2022, as he shared that he visited Ghana in 2023. Expressing gratitude to Jamaicans in New York, Powell conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering support he received from the diaspora throughout his career, acknowledging their enduring love and encouragement.
The Bleu & Bougie Superstar Award adds another accolade to Asafa Powell's illustrious career, reaffirming his status as a legendary figure in Jamaican track and field history.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
Smith produces season’s best to win long jump at Texas Invitational
Texas junior Ackelia Smith produced an NCAA leading performance to take top spot on day one of the Texas Invitational at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday.
The 22-year-old reigning NCAA champion produced a season’s best 7.10m, her first jump over 7m this season, to win ahead of Trinidadian Puma athlete Tyra Gittens (6.72m) and UTSA’s Ida Breigan (6.65m).
This is a welcome return to form for Smith who suffered a torn hamstring at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.
Smith was Jamaica’s national champion in the long jump in 2022 and was a finalist in both the long and triple jump at that year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Paulino extends 400m winning streak to seven in Shanghai
Dom Rep’s Marileidy Paulino followed up her triumph at the season’s Diamond League opener in Xiamen last week with another victory at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday.
The reigning World champion produced 50.89 to win ahead of American Talitha Diggs who ran 51.77 and Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams who ran 52.00 in third.
Paulino’s winning streak in the 400m has now stretched to seven races.
It was déjà vu in the women’s 100m hurdles as reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn just pipped World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton on the line, just as it played out in Xiamen last week.
Camacho-Quinn ran 12.63 compered to Charlton’s 12.64. Two-time World champion Danielle Williams was third in 12.74.
The men’s 110m hurdles saw American Daniel Roberts get his second win in a row to kick off the Diamond League season. His winning time was 13.12, comfortably ahead of Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.23) and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment’s season’s best 13.26.
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