World Junior Championships 200m gold medal winner Usain Bolt (right) is a picture of composure during a dinner staged in his honour at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Hotel, in Montego Bay, on Saturday night. Sitting beside him is Delano Franklin, the Chief Adviser to Prime Minister P.J. Patterson. - Photo By Paul Reid
WESTERN BUREAU:
PRESIDENT OF the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA) Mr. Eldemire Smith lauded the work of his association and said that the accomplishments of World Junior Championships (WJC) 200m gold medal winner Usain Bolt will go a far way in encouraging athletes from the region.
Mr. Smith was speaking at the dinner, at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Hotel on Saturday night, which was staged by the William Knibb Memorial High School Past Students Association and the Sports Council to honour Bolt. The function, which was well attended, saw representatives from the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), which was led by president Patrick Anderson; the government; represented by Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister Mr. Delano Franklin; William Knibb, led by Principal Mrs. Margaret Lee; the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), represented by Mr. Edward Hector, who was also a head coach with the WJC team. Members of the WJC team were also present as well as Olympians Sandie Richards and Juliet Cuthbert, who was the guest speaker.
Bolt, who turned 16 in August, won Jamaica's only individual gold medal at the World Junior Championships, which was held at the national stadium in July. He won three additional medals as he ran legs on the two relay teams that also did well.
Bolt, who is an 11th grade student at William Knibb, received a number of prizes including a $150,000 cheque from the government that was presented by Mr. Franklin; a one-year supply of Gatorade from Pepsi; dinner for two at the Sandals Hotel of his choice; a gift voucher worth $20,000 to start a saving account at Jamaica Money Market Brokers; two tickets on Air Jamaica to any North American destination from the Jamaica Observer; footwear and clothing from Western Sports /Puma Jamaica; and gift vouchers from In-Thing Shoes Store and Trelawny Pharmacy.
Mr. Smith told the packed ballroom that Bolt's accomplishment would help "build a platform of confidence" for athletes from the region and thanked the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) for the part they were playing in developing "bright young athletes for the country."
However, Mr. Smith, who is the head coach of the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) track team, said more needs to be done in terms of the early preparations of rural athletes. He said that while a lot was being done, the situation where athletes outside of Kingston were being called to camps near to major events must be improved.
Mr. Osmond Hillock, who represented the village of Sherwood, where the Bolts reside, said that the achievement of the young Bolt had made everyone from the area very proud. Hillock, who burst into a song at the end of his presentation, described Bolt's accomplishment as a "head-swelling event."
While JAAA president Mr. Anderson said he was impressed with Bolt's modesty and warned that he should be aware of those who will be attracted to his success and would want to be his friends because of it, Mr. Hector implored those around the young athlete not to ignore his academics as he continues to improve in track and field.
In his response, Bolt thanked those who had assisted him so far, adding that he had not achieved anything on his own but through the help of God, his parents, coaches and Norman Peart, a member of the event's organising committee, who had helped him in his academic programme.
- P.A.R.
