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• Jamaican Olympian Inez Turner Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award and Hall of Fame Induction at Fayetteville State University

  On October 25, 2024, Fayetteville State University celebrated the remarkable career of Jamaican Olympian Inez Turner by bestowing upon her a Lifetime Achievement Award and inducting her into the 2024 Wall and Hall of Fame. Turner, the head coach of Track and Field and Cross Country at Fayetteville State, was recognized for her enduring contributions to athletics, her stellar coaching career, and her legacy as an elite competitor on the international stage. 

  The induction ceremony, held at the John D. Fuller, Sr. Recreational Athletic Complex, was organized by Chairman Stephen Sims and his committee. Turner joined an esteemed group of inductees, including other former athletes, coaches, and the celebrated 2002 CIAA Championship Football Team, as they were formally enshrined into the institution’s Hall of Fame.

   

  A native of Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, Turner’s journey in athletics began at Barton Community College, where she earned an impressive 16 National Junior College All-America honors and set multiple school records. In 1993, she captured the NJCAA Division I Championship in the 800m with a record-breaking 2:04.88, setting the stage for her future as an elite athlete. Representing Jamaica on the global stage, Turner competed in the 800m and 4x400m relay at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She won gold in the 800m at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the 4x400m relay at the 1997 World Championships, adding to her collection of medals from the CARIFTA Games and CAC Junior Championships. 

  Turner’s athletic achievements transitioned seamlessly into a coaching career beginning in 2004, with stints at New York Track Club and North Carolina A&T State University. As head coach at Winston-Salem State University, she led her teams to nine conference titles and was named CIAA Coach of the Year eight times. Her success continued upon joining Fayetteville State University in 2017, where she transformed the program into a powerhouse. Under her guidance, the women's cross country team secured six consecutive CIAA titles, while the indoor track & field team also excelled, capturing multiple championships. In total, Turner has led her teams to 23 CIAA Championship titles, each one cemented with a Coach of the Year honor.

   

  Turner’s influence extends beyond the track, as evidenced by the Inez Turner Foundation, which she founded in 2012 to support disadvantaged students at her alma mater, Vere Technical High School. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas State University, Turner’s dedication to empowering others reflects the purpose of Fayetteville State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame: honoring those who have made outstanding and significant contributions to the program.

   Turner’s recognition serves as a testament to her profound impact on the sport and the lives she has touched throughout her career. Her legacy, both as an athlete and a coach, will inspire generations to come, underscoring the power of commitment, resilience, and a passion for excellence.

   

• Keilando Goburn takes up role assistant coach at University of Maryland Eastern Shore

  St. Jago High School is now searching for a new head coach for their girls track and field team as Keilando Goburn has left the institution.

  Goburn, who coached the St. Jago girls team for 16 years, will take his knowledge overseas and take up the role of assistant coach for track and field and cross country at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

  During Goburn’s 16 years at the helm of St. Jago’s girls team, they were consistently one of the best performing schools at “champs,” always finding themselves in the top five of the points standings when all was said and done.

  Goburn also has had a hand in the development of some of the country’s most promising young athletes including the likes of NCAA Indoor 60m champion Brianna Lyston who started her high school career at St. Jago before making the switch to Hydel High.  

• Amir Thompson, son of Olympians Obadele Thompson and Marion Jones, commits to University of Texas

  Amir Thompson, the 16-year-old son of Barbadian Olympian Obadele Thompson and American sprint legend Marion Jones, has committed to the University of Texas for the upcoming academic year. With impressive personal bests of 10.50 seconds in the 100m and 21.12 seconds in the 200m, Amir is already showing signs of following in the footsteps of his illustrious parents.

   Amir’s father, Obadele Thompson, is a renowned sprinter who won the bronze medal in the 100m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Obadele's Olympic success was preceded by a stellar collegiate career at the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP), where he won four individual NCAA sprint titles and set two NCAA records. He also set world records in the 55m and the World Junior 100m. Obadele's achievements earned him induction into several Halls of Fame, including the UTEP Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2007, and the UTEP Athletics and Drake Relays Halls of Fame in 2011. Beyond athletics, Obadele graduated summa cum laude from UTEP in economics and marketing and later earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Texas School of Law. He currently practices international arbitration and litigation.

   Amir’s mother, Marion Jones, is one of the most famous sprinters of her generation. She won gold at the 1997 World Championships in the 100m and again at the 1999 World Championships in Seville, Spain. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Jones initially won three gold medals and two bronze medals, but these were later stripped after she admitted to lying to federal investigators about her knowledge of performance-enhancing drugs during the BALCO scandal.

   Despite the challenges faced by his parents, Amir is carving out his own path in the world of athletics. His commitment to the University of Texas marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his burgeoning career. The University of Texas has a storied history in track and field, and with the guidance of top coaches and access to world-class facilities, Amir is well-positioned to develop his talents further.

   Amir’s decision to attend the University of Texas is a nod to his father’s legacy, as Obadele also pursued his legal education at the University of Texas School of Law after his successful athletic career. The younger Thompson will now have the opportunity to build on his father’s legacy while forging his own identity in the sport.

   As he prepares to join the Longhorns, Amir Thompson carries the weight of a storied lineage but also the promise of a bright future. The track and field community will be watching closely as he begins his collegiate journey, eager to see how this young talent will develop under the guidance of one of the top athletic programs in the United States.