Jamaican Olympian Aleen Bailey and her husband Joseph Taylor are celebrating an exciting new chapter in their lives as they prepare to welcome their first child. The couple marked the occasion with a heartwarming baby shower on Sunday, attended by close family and friends, including collegiate coach and close friend Soyini Thompson, and former Jamaican thrower Zara Northover, who presided over the couple’s wedding in November 2023.

Bailey, a decorated athlete, has had an illustrious career on the track. A seven-time Carifta Games gold medalist, Bailey rose to global prominence when she won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team. Her relay success continued, with another gold medal at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany. Throughout her career, Bailey represented Jamaica with distinction, earning numerous accolades in the national colours, making her one of the country's most celebrated sprinters.

(Soyini Thompson Facebook)

Aleen and her husband Joseph are all smiles with their dear friend Zara Northover on Sunday.

The baby shower was a joyful gathering filled with love and anticipation for the couple’s impending parenthood. Surrounded by their support system, Bailey and Taylor celebrated the next step in their journey together, a journey that began when they tied the knot under the warm Jamaican sun in a beautiful ceremony at the St Andrew Scots Kirk United Church in Kingston.

Their wedding, officiated by Reverend Nigel Nusey and longtime friend Northover, was a heartfelt celebration of love, faith, and the powerful bond shared by two outstanding athletes. Northover, Bailey’s former roommate during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, expressed her gratitude for being a part of the couple’s journey, reflecting on the significance of God’s blessing in their marriage.

The couple’s reception at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston was a further testament to the love they share, surrounded by family, friends, and members of the athletic community that has played such an important role in their lives.

Now, as they prepare to welcome their first child, Bailey and Taylor are entering a new chapter, continuing their journey of love and family. The support from their friends and loved ones was palpable at the baby shower, a day filled with happiness, excitement, and anticipation for the new arrival.

 Under the warm Jamaican sun, Olympian Aleen Bailey and her now-husband Joseph Taylor tied the knot in a heartwarming ceremony at the St Andrew Scotts Kirk United Church on Duke Street in Kingston, surrounded by family, friends, and the love of the athletic community that brought them together.

They celebrated the union at a reception held at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston.

The wedding, presided over by Aleen's longtime friend Zara Northover and Reverend Nigel Nusey was a celebration of love, faith, and the powerful journey that brought two outstanding athletes together. Northover, who had been Aleen's roommate at the 2008 Beijing Games, expressed her gratitude for being entrusted to officiate the union, emphasizing the significance of God's blessing in their marital journey.

"The power of a God-ordained couple spreads a light and energy that is not just seen but felt," Northover proclaimed during the ceremony.

She drew parallels between the worlds of track and field and American football, highlighting the synchronization of effort, grace, strategy, and execution that defined both sports. Aleen's journey from the Beijing Games to the altar with Joseph mirrored the discipline, sacrifice, and perfect timing that characterize a sprinter's best race.

Northover shared a touching revelation about the divine intervention in Aleen and Joseph's love story. She revealed that Joseph was the answer to the prayers of Aleen's late Auntie Carmen (Clarke), who had fervently prayed for Aleen to find a God-fearing, intelligent, caring, tall, dark chocolate, strong protective man. Joseph, according to Northover, embodied all these qualities.

That prayer was answered when the two met in September 2022. He proposed on New Year’s Eve.

Close friends and colleagues in attendance also shared their joy and heartfelt messages. Andrea Bliss, a fellow athlete, expressed, "Aleen has been a big sister to me and so many other athletes since junior days. To see her so happy makes me happy."

Aleen's mother, Maud Bailey, welcomed Joseph into the family with pride. "I'm overwhelmed and proud of Aleen. I welcome Joseph as my son. May the Lord bless and keep them," she said.

Fellow Olympian and friend Yohan Blake thanked Aleen for her sustained support through good times and bad, saying, "It was an honour to celebrate you. Congratulations and I hope you have a fairytale life."

Bridesmaid, Elva Goulbourne, also an Olympian, conveyed her love and pride for Aleen, thanking her for always having her back through thick and thin. “To my sister. I have loved you from high school and I still love you now,” said the long jumper, who attended Dinthill Technical while Aleen was at Vere Technical.

“I am very proud of you. To the woman you have become and always having my back through thick and thin. Thank you for letting me a part of your celebration. May God continue to bless both of you richly.”

In his message to Aleen, Joseph expressed his gratitude, saying, "I am so humbly grateful that she is part of my forever. It’s a blessing to take her hand in marriage here in her home country of Jamaica in front of all of our family and friends. I love you with all my heart."

As the day concluded, the newlyweds, Aleen and Taylor, embarked on their journey together, symbolizing a union grounded in love, faith, and the shared experiences of two exceptional athletes who found their perfect match on and off the field.

Longtime friend Freddie James summed it all up when he remarked, “I’ve known Aleen since she was a child and this is the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”