Clarke's performance and, by extension, rise to prominence at the World Championships was extraordinary given that he had only recently transitioned from junior competition, a testament to not only his grit, but also his immense potential.
The 19-year-old first gave a glimpse of his form when he won the event at Jamaica's National Championships in 47.85s, a time which tied with Sean Burrell for the world junior record set in 2021. With that win, Clarke also became only the second Jamaican to run under 48 seconds for the event, and the time placed him fourth-fastest in the world for the year, at that time.
However, Clarke later claimed the World Under-20 record for himself when he lowered the time to 47.34s on an even bigger stage in Budapest, when he placed fourth in the final behind Norway's World record holder Karsten Warholm and company.
Having digested the piquancy of competition against some of the world's best athletes, Clarke is now left hungry for more, and like any ambitious athlete, his next target is a podium finish at the Paris Olympic Games.
"The feeling to finish fourth at a World Championships at 19 years old is always crazy. Of course, when something like that happens you have to let it sink in, but at the same time, I am also thinking about striving for more, so the mindset going forward now is to get on the podium in Paris," Clarke declared.
With his best only good enough for fourth in Budapest, Clarke knows very well that significant improvement is required in order to make the step up. In fact, he would readily tell you that success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, sacrifice and most of all, love for what you are doing.
“Physically, I'm stronger than last season for sure, so that's a good thing, but I still think I need to grow strength wise. At the World Championships, I learnt how to be consistent at running fast through the rounds because you have to run fast times to get to the finals and to challenge for a medal. My takeaway from that championship is that I have to be consistent at running fast, so I have to be strong, which means I have to keep training hard and keep pushing,” Clarke shared.
“Mentally, I'm prepared to face the challenges because I've been there. I know what it takes to get there. I know what it takes to be in that final and I know what it is like to miss out on a medal, so the mindset is definitely stronger than last season and I am more determined to be successful,” he added.
Unflinching in his desire, Clarke, a Swept Track Club representative, is resolute in his press toward the goal to not only make it big for the country, but also to use his journey to inspire others and, of course, make his parents Etheleta Williams and Michael Clarke even more proud.
“Yes, definitely. My goal going forward is to win the national trials, get to the Olympic Games, give it my best shot and hopefully challenge for a medal. You won't be happy in a final without a medal, but I am not really stressing it right now, I just want to take things in stride and keep pushing to be the best that I can be,” the Camperdown alumnus ended.
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 35-year-old Fraser-Pryce was conferred with the Order of Jamaica, Commander Class for Outstanding Performance in the field of athletics at the international level. The woman known internationally as the Pocket Rocket for her incredible speed that has been on display for more than a decade, won her fifth World 100m title in Eugene, Oregon in July becoming the first running athlete to accomplish the feat.
It was also her second world 100m title since she gave birth to her son Zyon in 2017. During the just-concluded season, Fraser-Pryce another global benchmark when she became the first woman in the history of the sport, to run faster than 10.7 seconds seven times during the any one season.
She has now run under 10.7s nine times which is more than any other woman has ever run.
She is also the holder of three Olympic gold medals and 10 World Championship gold medals in her illustrious career.
Jackson, 28, was conferred with the Order of Distinction, Commander Class for exceptional achievements in the sport of Track and Field Athletics at the national, World Championships and Olympic levels.
The former Vere Technical star won her first global title in Eugene, Oregon in July when she ran 21.45 to claim the 200m gold medal. The time makes her the second fastest woman in history and is a national record breaking the previous mark of 21.53 set by Elaine Thompson-Herah at the Tokyo Olympics.
Jackson has also won bronze medals in the 400m at the World Championships and Olympics and is the highest-ranked active combination sprinter in history with personal bests of 10.71 in the 100m, 21.45 in the 400m and 49.49 in the 400m.
Only two women in history have been better.
Also, receiving national honours were Dr Warren Blake, former president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), who was conferred with the Order of Distinction, (CD), for contribution to Medicine and as a team doctor in national sports; Claude Bryan, a sports agent, the Order of Distinction for contribution to the sport of Track and Field and Michael Clarke, a veteran coach, who was conferred with the Order of Distinction for contribution to sports in the area of Track and Field.
