‘Cubby’ as he called enjoyed an outstanding career while in high school at Calabar High. He won multiple titles at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships, a World Youth 400m title in 2015 and a Pan Am Junior 200m title in 2017. He was a silver medalist in the 400m at the 2018 World U20 championships and he won 10 gold medals at the Carifta Games.
However, in 2019, injury blighted his final year in high school and saw him dethroned as the 400m king. In addition, the injury forced him to withdraw from the 200m as Calabar relinquished the Mortimer Geddes Trophy for the first time in eight years.
It later became known that the now 20-year-old Taylor was suffering from serious muscular injuries that required an extensive period of rest and recovery. It was during that period that he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to heal and train under the guidance of world-renowned coach Rana Reider.
Taylor tells Sportsmax.TV that things have been going very well.
“Training overseas is a new experience for me that I greatly appreciate. It pushes me to train to the best of my ability and I have gained a level of confidence that I never thought I would have after leaving high school,” he said.
“It is an awesome feeling to know you are able to get motivation from your team members simply because they have my best interest at heart. Transitioning from training at Calabar to Tumbleweed track club went smoother than I had imagined. There is a more organized training structure, the coach takes the time to understand you as an athlete and the training camp feels more like a family home.”
Coach Reider has had tremendous success as a coach. The 49-year-old American, at one point or another, has guided the careers of two-time 200m World Champion Dafne Schippers, Olympic and World Champion triple jumper Christian Taylor, British Olympian Adam Gemili, as well as Olympic and World Championships medalist Andre De Grasse.
In addition to Taylor, he currently works with Jamaican athletes Olympic and World Champion Omar McLeod, Brittany Anderson, Tyquendo Tracey and Christania Williams.
Taylor believes Reider has demonstrated the characteristics and qualities that will help him develop and improve as an athlete and get him closer to realizing his full potential.
“Training with Rana Reider is one of the best feelings knowing that I am being trained by a coach that has trained Olympics and World Championships medalist,” he said.
“His training so far has been very effective and it has been great! He is a no-nonsense coach but looks out for our best interest. His training methods are unbelievable, but they do give results.”
Taylor said it also helps that he is now healthy once again in an environment that encourages him to improve, what with his fellow Jamaicans around him daily.
“I have fully recovered from my injuries and I am 100 per cent healthy at the moment. If I should compare my health now to that of the past, I would say I am very much healthier than before, keeping a strict routine and maintaining a positive mindset,” he said.
“Having other Jamaican athletes in the training camp makes it easier for me to adjust from the energy received. It makes you excited for training knowing that you will get the vibe, the push and motivation from your teammates during training sessions. “
McIntosh, former senior advisor to American Olympic gold medalist Harrison Dillard and co-author of “Bones: The Life and Times of Harrison Dillard,” made the announcement in a ceremony held at the school’s chapel on Thursday.
He told SportsMax.tv what it means to him to be able to give back to the school.
“It means the world to me because when you come from an institution that nurtured you with teachers who you have great and fond memories of and knowing that a lot of students need help, it means the world to me,” he said. “It’s something that I always learned from my parents; always give back. Thank the Lord that I have that opportunity,” he added.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, McIntosh migrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1970.
His connection with Calabar High School runs deep, having competed in track and field under the mentorship of Jamaican Olympian Herb McKinley. His accomplishments in the sport span over five decades, making him a key figure in the global athletics community.
McIntosh’s achievements in track and field are illustrious. In August 1972, he clinched the gold medal as part of the record-breaking Canadian team in the 4x400m relay and secured the silver medal in the 800m at the Canadian National Junior Championships.
His commitment to the sport continued as he became a member of the Canadian National Junior team coaching staff in 1983, contributing to the development of athletes who represented Canada at the international level.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, McIntosh played a pivotal role in assisting numerous US colleges in recruiting track-and-field athletes, showcasing his dedication to nurturing talent in the field. As a senior advisor and coauthor, he has maintained a friendship with Harrison Dillard for over 35 years prior to Dillard’s passing in November 2019.
The man who the scholarship is being named after, Winston Davis who taught McIntosh at Calabar, was also in attendance on Thursday and McIntosh spoke about the reason why he chose to dedicate the scholarship to him.
“Well, he taught me Spanish, History and was my form teacher so I looked up to him and being that we’ve formed a friendship over the last ten years, it rekindled some fond memories from years ago and for a man who has always given back to the school and to his country, I thought if was fitting to be named after him,” he told SportsMax.tv.
This was a total surprise to Davis as his family and friends kept quiet from him .
McIntosh says he has managed to raise JMD$640,000 so far with more funds coming in.
Hawse, who has been coaching for more than 15 years, made the pronouncement at the launch of Jamaica’s newest track club earlier today.
Legacy was formed by Calabar High School with its leaders being part of the school’s hierarchy. Karl B Johnson, board chairman at Calabar is the club’s chairman while Principal Albert Corcho is a director.
The club boasts the likes of 2011 World Championship silver medalist Jura Levy, Deuce Carter, and Roneisha McGregor as well as a cadre of talented athletes on the rise including Dejour Russell, Crystal Morrison, Michael Bentley, Tyreke Wilson, Anthony Carpenter, Amoi Brown and Michael O’Hara.
“Our organization has been blessed with a group of athletes that – when I did my research – not even the three leading clubs in Jamaica, has got a chance to start with such a great group of athletes,” Hawse said.
“We are indeed blessed at Legacy.”
Hawse said he and the other coaches at the club, Ynick Morrison, Nicholas Neufville and Craig Sewell, are committed to helping each of these athletes achieve their maximum potential.
“As coaches, we continue to improve on our craft and give each and every athlete the attention needed to be at their best and to attain their best in representing their country, family and friends,” he said.
“We are doing our best to help them realize their dreams by paying keen attention to each and every aspect of their physical, emotional and psychological development.”
Legacy also intends to do more; much more, according to its President and CEO Andrea Hardware, who announced that Legacy will also offer athlete representation as well as personal professional development.
“Permit me to say two sentences about our personal development portfolio. Included in the portfolio are interventions to address the formal education of all of our clients through scholarships,” she said.
“The development of their mental fortitude, tools to help them make better choices about their nutrition and lifestyle as sportsmen and women and building their individual brands for sustainability. Our intention is to be very deliberate in helping our clients achieve success and to begin to think beyond their playing days.
“In fact, research has revealed that people like Usain Bolt and Michael Jordan are making more money now than they were while they were playing.”
The club’s website says Legacy Athletics believes that Jamaica has too rich a sporting heritage to squander and aims to be a conduit and to provide a framework for young women and men bestowed with special athletic talent to attain their highest potential.
“In so doing we will be playing our part in minimizing the number of young persons who fall through the cracks of our traditional educational and socio-economic systems,” it said.
The body of the 38-year-old jumps coach, and that of an unidentified woman, was found in an empty lot at West Trade Way in Portmore, St Catherine shortly before 7 am, police said.
The news has plunged the entire Calabar High School community into a state of despair.
"The entire Calabar and Legacy family is deeply saddened by the untimely and tragic passing of our beloved coach, brother and friend," said Calabar team manager Andrea Hardware, who is also President and CEO of Legacy Track Club.
"The passion he had for coaching and the belief in the abilities of his charges knew no bounds. We are grieving! It is raw and only time will heal our hearts. May his soul rest in peace."
According to the Legacy Track Club’s website, Neufville, also known as 'Soapman' is a Calabar High school alumnus who represented the school at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships. He was also a national representative both at junior and senior levels.
A World Athletics certified Level II coach in the sprints and jumps, he also served as a member of the coaching staff at Calabar High where he is currently coaching junior athletes such as long jumper Jordan Turner and triple jumper Luke Brown both of whom have been national junior representatives, the website said.
Over the course of his coaching career, Neufville helped condition some of Jamaica’s top junior sprinters including Christopher Taylor, Oblique Seville, Dejour Russell and Michael O’Hara.
He has also been a member of the national coaching staff for the following games for the 2011 CARIFTA games in the Cayman Islands, the 2018 CAC Senior games in Columbia and 2019 under 20 Pan American Games in Costa Rica.
Bennett replaces Michael Clarke, whose tenure at the Red Hills Road high school, ended with his resignation in March. Clarke led Calabar High to nine of their 28 titles at the ISSA Boys and Girls’ Championships.
Bennett was head coach at Hydel High School, transforming them into a perennial contender challenging Edwin Allen’s dominance of the championships over the last decade. He was also an assistant coach at St Jago High School and Wolmer’s Boys.
Bennett has big shoes to fill at Calabar, the second most successful high school at Boys Champs if he is to equal or surpass Clarke’s legacy.
According to a statement released by Calabar on Wednesday, the new head coach will be responsible for “leading and managing the track and field programme and for coaching the team within the established school guidelines.”
The statement continued: “It is expected that he will build on the well-established foundation laid by his predecessors to hone and execute, along with his team, a competitive programme that is marked by exemplary sportsmanship, athletic excellence and unquestioned integrity while safeguarding the educational welfare of the student-athletes, all within the framework of the school’s mission.”
In recent years, Bennett has been instrumental in the development of some of jamaica's most outstanding junior athletes including NCAA 400m silver medallist Charokee Young, Carifta 2022 200m champion Brianna Lyston, Kerrica Hill and Alana Reid.
Bennett was recently the head coach of Jamaica's team for the 49th edition of the Carifta Games held in Kingston in April.
Jamaica won a record 92 medals at the championships including 45 gold medals.
The quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton had a string of flawless baton exchanges to eventually cross the finish line in a time of 43.37 seconds, a new meet record and high school world record.
They finished more than a full second ahead of Hydel who ran 44.40 for second place while St. Jago finished third in 45.50.
Edwin Allen also took the girls Class 4 4x100 in 48.81 and the 4x200m Open in 1:35.91.
Hydel High girls won the Girls Class 2 4x100m in 44.62 and the 4x400m relay in 3:33.76.
Holmwood Technical was also in record-breaking form in the Girls Sprint Medley with 3:55.77 to better the previous meet record of 4:00.83.
Meanwhile, Jamaica College’s 4x800m team was also in fine form, running a new meet record of 7:24.30 to finish almost 12 seconds ahead of second-place finishers Kingston College who ran 7:36.21. St. Jago was third in 7:45.46.
JC smashed the previous meet record of 7:31.71.
Kingston College won two of the four sprint relays, running 44.36 and 45.99 to win Classes 3 and 4, respectively.
The Class 1 4x100m was won by St. Jago in 40.26 ahead of JC (40.40) and St. Catherine High (40.50) while Calabar stormed to victory in Class 2 in 42.19 ahead of KC (42.26).
St. Jago also won the final event of the meet, the boys’ 4x400m in 3:10.48 ahead of KC (3:11.43) and JC (3:12.49).
JC won the Boys’ Sprint Medley in 3:30.82 ahead of KC (3:31.53) and Calabar (3:38.40).
There were also some standout performances from the seniors on display, namely Tissana Hickling and Lushane Wilson.
Hickling won the Women’s Long Jump in 6.70m and 100m in 11.85 while Wilson leapt to a new personal best 2.21m to win the Men’s High Jump.
Wright, who was sixth in the boys’ Class one event last year, bided his time throughout the event on this occasion, before producing a late burst in the stretch to win in a dazzling personal best 50.71s. He edged the Kingston College pair of Antonio Forbes (50.74s) and Shamari Jennings (50.83s).
Prior to that, Bennett proved too good for rivals in the boys’ Class two event, as he ran away an easy winner in 51.70s, ahead of Calabar’s Robert Miller (52.63s) and Taj-Oneil Gordon (52.35s) of Kingston College.
Meanwhile, in the girls’ Open event, Beckford, running from lane five, went out and a decent pace and basically covered the field on the backstretch before sprinting away from rivals off the curve to win in a brisk 56.70 seconds.
She led a one-two finish for the Frankfield-based Edwin Allen, as her teammate Natasha Fox (57.94s) was second, with Aaliyah Mullings (58.96s) of Hydel in third.
“The inspiration behind it is that I want my team to win and as you can see, I am the captain, so I have to come out here and lead by example,” Beckford said after the win.
Following those events, Edwin Allen surged to 184 points, 43 points ahead of reigning champions Hydel (141 points), while St Jago (81 points), Immaculate Conception (70.33 points) and Holmwood Technical (57 points), complete the top five.
On the boys’ side, Kingston College moved to 169 points, 36 points ahead of Jamaica College (133 points), with Calabar High (84 points), St Jago (74 points) and Excelsior (60 points) rounding out the top five heading into Saturday’s final day.
Terrelonge, a first-year Class Two athlete, clocked a striking 11.30 seconds in a 1.2 metres per second wind reading, as the time surpassed her previous lifetime best of 11.41.
The 16-year-old also erased the meet record of 11.92, with her closest competitor in the timed-final event being Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery (11.45), while Shanoya Douglas (11.70), of Muschette High, was third.
Alliah Baker of Hydel, finished tops in the girls' Class One 100m, as she stopped the clock in 11.59, ahead of Trezeguet Taylor (11.69) of Edwin, and St Elizabeth Technical’s Habiba Harris (11.75).
Ferncourt's Rihanna Scott led the girls' Class Four 100m action with a new meet record of 12.19. Teixiera Johnson (12.29) of Hydel, and Edwin Allen’s Tashana Godfrey (12.42), were the runners-up.
On the boys’ side, Raheem Pinnock of St Jago took top honours, as his time of 10.59, was fastest across the 16 heats. Jamaica College’s Dontae Powell (10.68), and Edwin Allen’s Antonio Powell (10.73), were second and third respectively.
Muschette’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (10.78), topped the boys’ Class Two 100m, followed by Michael-Andre Edwards (11.09) of Jamaica College, and Tyreece Foreman (11.12) of St George’s College.
Meanwhile, Ched Brown of Calabar won the boys’ Class Three event in 11.21, ahead of Jamaica College's Jordan Grant (11.54) and Ajannie Kelly (11.54) of St Elizabeth Technical.
Elsewhere on the track, Jamaica College’s Rushane Symister clocked a respectable 48.82 to win the boys' 400m open, ahead of Antonio Powell (49.01) of Edwin Allen, and while Kingston College’s Jaquan Coke (49.14).
Edwin Allen's Tonyan Beckford topped the girls' equivalent in 53.93. Her teammate Kellyann Carr (55.37) and Shanoya Douglas (55.53) of Muschette, were second and third, respectively.
Jamaica College's Dorian Charles (53.27) and Hydel’s Aaliyah Mullings (1:00.68) won the boys’ Class One and girls’ 400m hurdles Open events. Charles won ahead of teammate Sean Gardener (53.64) and Calabar’s Requel Reid (54.00), while Mullings also won ahead of teammate Nastassia Fletcher (1:03.36) and Vere Technical's Shevaughn (1:03.54).
Calabar's Robert Miller won the boys’ Class Two 400m hurdles in 54.38. He was followed by Shavoy Thompson (57.84) of Muschette, and Daniel Henry (57.92) of Wolmer's Boys.
Calabar High anchored by Shaquane Gordon clocked the fastest time of 40.53s in the boys’ Class one qualifiers, with Excelsior (40.70s), Kingston College (40.70s), St Jago (41.02s), Jamaica College (40.98s), Herbert Morrison (41.03), Wolmer’s Boys (41.06s) and St George’s College (41.07s), also progressing.
In the girls’ Class one qualifiers, Wolmer’s Girls laid down the marker with a 45.40s-clocking, followed by Edwin Allen (45.73s), Hydel (45.57s) and Holmwood Technical (46.05s). St Catherine (46.31s), Manchester High (47.50s), St Jago (47.43s) and St Mary High (47.64s), complete the finalists.
The boys’ Class two qualifiers were led by Excelsior High, who clocked a fast 41.13s, while Calabar (41.38s), Kingston College (41.85s) and Jamaica College (42.44s), also booked their spot in the final. St Catherine (42.35s), St George’s College (42.55s), Manchester High (43.03s) and Petersfield (43.13s), are the other finalists.
Edwin Allen were fastest through from Class two, as the quartet of Kellyann Carr, Shanique Cassanova, Marria Crossfield and Renecia Edwards won their heat in 46.20s. They will be joined in the final by Hydel (46.59s), Immaculate Conception (47.03s), Excelsior (47.16s), Holmwood Technical (47.23s), Manchester High (47.45s) St Catherine High (47.49s) and Vere Technical (47.58s).
Jamaica College headline qualifiers through to the boys’ Class three event. They won their heat in 43.71s, and they will be joined by Kingston College (43.87s), Calabar (44.11s), St Elizabeth Technical (44.97s), Wolmer’s Boys (44.23s), St George’s College (44.23s), Edwin Allen (44.87s) and Herbert Morrison (46.00s), in the final.
In the girls’ Class three event, St Jago High quartet of Rihanna Anderson, Adora Campbell, Shannia Campbell and Trecia-Ann Grant, clocked the fastest qualifying time of 46.35 seconds. Edwin Allen High (46.71s), Hydel High (46.96s), Immaculate Conception (46.62s), Holmwood Technical (47.19s), Convent of Mercy Alpha (47.49s), Wolmer’s Girls’ (47.49s) and St Mary High (47.36), round out the top eight.
Meanwhile, Hydel High’s quartet of Teixiera Johnson, Gianna Blake, Amelia Hacker and Shaneil Henry were fastest through to the girls’ Class four final. They clocked 48.10 seconds, and they will be joined by Edwin Allen High (48:40s), Holmwood Technical (48.58s), St Jago High (49.31s), St Andrew High (49.65s), Convent of Mercy Alpha (49.10s), Wolmer’s Girls (49.44s) and St Catherine High (49.69s) in the final.
The 4X100m relay finals are scheduled for Saturday evening.
Hydel won the girls’ Class one title 44.71 ahead of Edwin Allen (45.18s) and Wolmer’s Girls (45.83s)
Jamaica College took the boys’ Class one honours in 40.01s. Calabar (40.10s) were left back in second, with St Jago (40.39s) in third.
The Class two girls’ title went to Edwin Allen in 45.44s, as Theianna-Lee Terrelonge ran a blistering third leg to propel her team past Hydel (45.46s), with Wolmer’s Girls (46.79s) closing fast for third.
There was no stopping Excelsior in the boys’ Class two relays, as they got first run on rivals and later pulled away to win in 40.35s, leaving Kingston College (40.96s) and Calabar (41.75s) to settle for the minor placing.
St Jago upstaged their more fancied rivals to win the girls’ Class three event in 45.74s, as Immaculate Conception closed fast for second in 46.29s, with Hydel (46.41s) in third.
The Class three boys title went to Red Hills Road, as Calabar (43.45s) got the baton around best to win. Wolmer’s Boys were second in 43.69s, with St Elizabeth Technical third in 43.85s. Kingston College initially placed second, but they were later disqualified for obstruction.
Hydel also won the girls’ Class four even in impressive fashion, as they stopped the clock in 47.78s. Covent of Mercy Alpha was second in 48.35s and Edwin Allen (48.46s), third.
By virtue of the relay performances, Hydel moved up to 289 points, 17.5 points behind Edwin Allen, (306.5 points) with the sprint medley relay open, the 3,000m open and the 4X400m relay open to come.
On the boys’ side, Kingston College are on 304 points, 52 points ahead of Jamaica College (252 points), with the sprint medley open and the 4X400m relay open to come.
The team of Amal Glasgow, Marcinho Rose, Raheem Richards and Emmanuel Rwotomiya combined to run 3:15.62 to take the title ahead of New Jersey’s Seton Hall Prep (3:16.06) and Calabar (3:16.54).
KC also found themselves on the podium in the 4x800 where they finished second in 7:47.68, narrowly being beaten by New Jersey’s Chatham (7:47.66) while St. Elizabeth Technical were third in 7:49.45.
The bodies of the 38-year-old jumps coach and a 19-year-old woman identified as Rahima Edwards were found in an open lot in Portmore, St Catherine shortly before 7 am.
News of Coach Neufville’s death evoked strong reaction from the track and field fraternity including the sport’s governing body, who issued a statement earlier today.
“The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) extends heartfelt condolences to the family, his alma mater Calabar and friends of Coach Nicholas Neufville,” the JAAA said.
“Coach Neufville was a promising young coach who specialized in the horizontal jumps and a member of the Legacy Athletics Ltd. May his soul rest in peace.”
Expectedly, the startling news hit athletes at Legacy Track Club hard and sources said the coaches spent the better part of the morning trying to console them.
World Championship medalist Jura Levy has been with the club since last year and had enjoyed working with Coach Neufville.
“You were a motivator, a friend, a coach, a father, a brother and a son. There wasn’t a day at training that you didn’t motivate me and help me to finish my workout even when I thought I couldn’t,” she said on Instagram.
“@akasoapman, you were supposed to be there this morning and I missed you. This just don’t feel real.”
Olympian Jason Morgan, a past student at Calabar in reaction to the news posted: “My brother and my best friends since 9 years old. Nooooo way!!”
Lorraine Watson, the mother of former Calabar High track stars Ramone and Romario McKenzie, was in a state of disbelief when she posted in Instagram.
“Soapman, this is really hard to wake up to RIP. RIP my friend; you will be missed by all…”
According to the Legacy Track Club’s website, Neufville is a Calabar High school alumnus who represented the school at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships. He was also a national representative both at junior and senior levels.
A World Athletics certified Level II coach in the sprints and jumps, he also served as a member of the coaching staff at Calabar High where he is currently coaching junior athletes such as long jumper Jordan Turner and triple jumper Luke Brown both of whom have been national junior representatives, the website said.
Over the course of his coaching career, Neufville helped condition some of Jamaica’s top junior sprinters including Christopher Taylor, Oblique Seville, Dejour Russell and Michael O’Hara.
He has also been a member of the national coaching staff for the following games for the 2011 CARIFTA games in the Cayman Islands, the 2018 CAC Senior games in Columbia and 2019 under 20 Pan American Games in Costa Rica.
This, as all the main protagonists booked their spot in the finals after topping their semi-finals on Friday’s third day of action.
Title favourites Edwin Allen High will be the team to beat on the girls’ side, as they clocked an easy 3:44.08 to advance.
Wolmer’s Girls (3:47.06); Holmwood Technical (3:45.01); Excelsior High (3:48.22); Hydel High (3:45.03); Vere Technical (3:48.73); Alphansus Davis (3:51.76) and St Catherine High (3:53.45) are the other finalists, who will be seeking to upstage their fancied rivals.
Meanwhile, boys’ favourites Kingston College also led the qualifiers on their side. They were comfortable in 3:15.95, with Jamaica College (3:16.81), Calabar High (3:18.60) and Excelsior High (3:18.72), expected to be their main competition for the coveted gold medal.
However, William Knibb Memorial (3:16.73), Edwin Allen High (3:16.89), Clarendon College (3:18.69) and Herbert Morrison Technical (3:19.39), will be hoping to spoil their party.
