TEAM Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 1 Letter from the Minister his is an especially festive time for Jamaicans as we well-trained Physical Education teacher who is able to spot and celebrate Emancipation and Independence. During develop talent, encourage an active lifestyle, and go on to coach this time, our athletes will also compete at the Olympic our elite athletes to global success. Games in Tokyo, Japan, and will surely give us many I’m especially proud that we have a team of exceptional, more reasons to feel proud to be Jamaican. hard-working, disciplined, well-trained and high-performing TOur athletes bring with them the hope of our nation and also young people who will represent Jamaica at the Olympics. I have the love and support of Jamaicans everywhere. We will bang pot had the honour to interact with many of them and I can say that covers, we will shout, we will dance, we will scream their names they are all excellent ambassadors for our country. and we will say prayers each time our Jamaican athletes appear to It has been gratifying to watch each member of this team — give of their best on the world’s biggest sports stage. made up of some of our greatest athletes and the 47 Olympic As Minister, I am the chief advocate, chief cheerleader, chief debutants — blossom and carry on the Jamaican tradition of supporter and chief motivator for our athletes in every discipline. outstanding sports achievement. I am pleased that my Ministry has been able to assist all It is equally pleasing to see trailblazers announce themselves members of Team Jamaica to achieve their dream of competing in and expand Jamaica’s sporting repertoire. For the first time, Jamai- the Olympics. The major focus of our Government’s sports devel- ca is represented in Judo. For the second time in the Olympics we opment thrust is enabling our athletes to achieve global success are represented in Diving and Artistic Gymnastics. And for the first through investment in national, community and school sport, time in 25 years, a boxer will represent Jamaica at the Olympics. coaching, facilities and welfare. Together with the competitors, they comprise a I’m happy that we were able to provide direct financial support formidable Team Jamaica. in excess of J$40M to our athletes as they prepared for the Tokyo On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, I send 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games through the Athletes Assis- best wishes to all the athletes and their support teams, including tance Programme administered by the Institute of Sports. coaches, managers, administrators, family and friends. I’m happy that we were able to provide funding, through the I encourage all our athletes to enjoy this Olympic experience. Sports Development Foundation, to our national sports federa- Always do your best. Remember that we love you, we are proud of tions to help run their development programmes and to prepare you and we’ll be cheering for you. national teams for various competitions, including the Olympics. Big up and thank you for inspiring us every day. I’m happy that we are continuously improving infrastructure at the national, community and school levels to give our athletes the best facilities in which to train and compete. And thanks to many years of investment in capacity building, Babsy particularly through the GC Foster College of Physical Education The Honourable Olivia Grange, CD, MP and Sport, schools across the country can now engage at least one Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport

2 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 ports matter. From scores of people at the com- 04 munity playfield watching neighbours compete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to thousands of people at the National Stadi- The second fastest woman of all time still has um cheering on the nation’s elite competitors, more goals to accomplish. Jamaicans are passionate about their sports and Sthe people who wear the national colours in international competitions, such as the Olympic Games. Our athletes, in every discipline, become a source of 05 inspiration — but there is something special about those Elaine Thompson-Herah who make up Team Jamaica at the Olympic Games. A persistent injury has hampered the Rio In keeping with the policy of the Minister of Culture, Olympic sprint double champion but it Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia cannot sideline her. Grange, for us to tell our own stories, we have produced this special publication in tribute to Jamaica’s team to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each member of the 08 team is featured in the photo gallery (on page 12) and right throughout we tell the stories of this year’s competitors Yona Knight-Wisdom including three of the outstanding women — Shelly-Ann Dreams of building a diving culture in Jamaica. Fraser-Pryce (page 04), Elaine Thompson-Herah (page 05), and Shericka Jackson (page 06) — who are among the most anticipated performers at these Games. 11 This issue also shines a light on this team’s trailblazers including the para taekwondo competitor, Shauna-Kay Shauna-Kay Hines Hines (page 11) who thought she couldn’t be able to fight A Para-athlete doesn’t want pity. when she was introduced to the sport, but is now so good She wants to complete. that she has qualified as the first Jamaican to compete in taekwondo as the sport makes its debut at the Paralympic Games. 14 We also tell the story of how sports changed the life of Memories of the ̛64 Ricardo Brown (page 09) who is the first Jamaican boxer to compete in the Olympics in a quarter of a century. And we Tokyo Olympics revisit the last time that the Japanese city of Tokyo hosted Members of the ’64 team relay stories of the Olympics (page 14) through the eyes of Vilma Charlton their time in Japan. and who were members of Jamaica’s team to those 1964 Games. Every four years the Olympics provides an opportunity to acknowledge the best athletes in the world. We aim to 15 do just that. Jamaica at the summer Olympics

EDITOR Oliver Watt DEPUTY EDITOR Connie Aitcheson DIGITAL ART & DESIGN Orane Chandon CONTRIBUTORS Howard Walker, Granville Newell, Andre Grange, Sheree Clarke

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 3 History Awaits

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

n June 5, 2021 as the sun greatest sprinter of all time, . rose over Kingston, Shelly- But by running 10.63 without really trying, Ann Fraser-Pryce, the World Fraser-Pryce has sent a strong message Champion in the 100m, to her competitors and to the world that ran 10.63 at the JOA/JAAA she’s in great shape to answer as history OOlympic Destiny track meet to become beckons. the fastest woman alive. And get this, she We have loved her from she punched wasn’t even trying. “Honestly no… I never through the air at the finish line in Beijing, expected I would run 10.6 and think it’s a to her colourful hair style in Rio. We have good thing because there was no pressure. watched her as a college student, to her I just wanted to get one run in before the becoming a goodwill ambassador for national championships and that’s what I UNICEF and we have watched her grow was really looking forward to.” from “Pocket Rocket” to “Mommy Rocket.” Along the way, she Fraser-Pryce goes to Tokyo 2020 to do has made Jamaicans what no other woman has done— proud. Representing win three Olympic gold medals in the her country with the strength, dignity, and 100m. wisdom it takes to be an elite athlete. She Fraser-Pryce, 34, had already made has used her Pocket Rocket Foundation history at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, to provide financial assistance to needy when she became the first Jamaican wom- students and lately tablets. an to win the 100m at an Olympics. At the And the country has recognised her London Olympics in 2012, she became just hard work. When she returned from the third woman to win consecutive 100m Beijing, she was conferred with the Order titles, and at the Rio Olympics in 2016, she of Distinction. In 2018, a statue of her, took the bronze medal, becoming the only commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, woman to win three Olympic medals in the Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and event. designed by the sculptor Barry Watson, Fraser-Pryce goes to Tokyo 2020 to do was unveiled by the Prime Minister, the what no other woman has done. In fact, Most Honourable Andrew Holness, at only one person has accomplished her Statue Park in the Independence Park current mission of winning three Olympic complex. gold medals in the 100m — and that is the

4 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 Achilles Heel Be Gone Elaine Thompson-Herah

laine Thompson-Herah, the les. “It’s really an she says. “It’s been a defending Olympic champion for injury that’s hard battle, a war with this the 100 and 200 metres is also to manage and “It would be a wonderful injury. Honestly, it’s chasing history. At the 2016 Rio based on what feeling to make history, challenging, but I think Olympic Games, she became the the doctors ob- my name is written down I’m a tough cookie, a Efirst Jamaican and just the seventh woman serve of my injury for all the younger genera- tough girl, so it comes to win the sprint double. it doesn’t require tion coming up to see...” with the package.” Thompson-Herah knows everyone is any surgery,” she One of the fastest targeting her titles but doesn’t worry about said. “It’s pretty woman this year, when it. “As a double Olympic champion I would much overworked and just needs rest and she ran 10.71 in Hungary in July, seems not add any pressure to myself, just make exercises, like strength work, and a lot of to be peaking at just the right time to myself and my country proud,” she said treatments.” defend her titles. “If I should retain my title, while in Italy before heading to Tokyo. “If The challenge of overcoming that honestly I don’t know what words I would you add pressure to yourself you may not injury and of training during a global give. It would be a wonderful feeling to perform the way you want to and that pandemic only made Thompson-Herah make history, my name is written down for would defeat all the months of training stronger. “For me to get up every day, to all the younger generation coming up to hard.” go to practice was difficult because I had see Elaine Thompson-Herah in that history Training for Thompson- Herah, 29, has days when I just wanted to lay in bed, but book.” been complicated by an injury to her achil- because it’s my job I have to go out there,”

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 5 In it to Win it Shericka Jackson

hericka Jackson was the talk of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships in June. The former Vere Technical student was known mostly for Sher achievements in the 400m. Afterall, she won the bronze medal in the event at the Rio Olympics and was on the 4x400m team which took the silver medal. But as her intentions to seriously com- pete in the 100m and 200m became clear, utterances of her speed and strength were repeated. Coming into the Senior Cham- pionships Jackson, 27, competed in May, at the JOA/JAAA Olympic Destiny Series where she clocked 11.02 seconds and 22.93 seconds in the 200m. Then at the Championships she ran a personal best in her 100m semi-final heat of 10.77 seconds and ran another personal best in the 200m final of 21.82 seconds. If there is one person who can block Elaine Thompson-Herah from defending her Olympic titles and prevent Shelly-Ann Fraser- Pryce from making history, Jackson is that person.

Leap of Faith

6 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 Aquatic Ambassador

he name Alia Atkinson is synon- pics. The closest she came ymous with Jamaican swim- was at the 2012 London ming. She has won 10 World Games where she finished Championship fourth in the 100m breast- medals - 4 gold, 4 silver and 2 stroke in 1:06.93. Tbronze. In 2014, Atkinson tied the world It was the second time in record for the 100m Jamaican history at the Atkinson is the first that a female swimmer Short Course World black woman to win a finished in the top four of Championship to world title in swimming. an event at the Olympic become the first Games. Janelle Atkinson black woman to win (no relation), achieved individual events in March and improving a world title in swimming. At the time she that feat in the 400m freestyle at the 2000 her record to 13 victories from 14 starts this remarked, “It wasn’t just me getting the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. year. medal, it was more breaking down a barri- Expectations are high of Atkinson who She finished the year 2020 ranked er that I didn’t even know existed or I didn’t is now in her fifth consecutive Olympic second in the world in the 100 breaststroke try to think existed because I was already Games and determined to end her Olym- and third in the world in the 50 breast- trying to silence my own thoughts.” pic career on the medal podium. stroke and will once again make her mark She has also been named Female Cen- In a number of interviews this year, at the Olympic Games. tral American and Caribbean Swimmer of Atkinson has kept her thoughts about her the Year six times. medal prospects close to her chest, but she Atkinson, 32, has basically achieved all will enter the Olympics supposedly in fine in the pool, except a medal at the Olym- form having warmed up by winning three

ajay Gayle knows what it’s like to Ranked number one in the world, he win a global title. In 2019, he was certainly is one of the favourites heading into the world champion in the long the Olympics but doesn’t let expectations jump and also set a national re- pressure him. “I’m never the one to falter. I’m cord when he jumped 8.69 metres never the one to get nervous over stuff like “I’m never the one to Tat the Doha World Championships. that,” he says. “Because at the end of the day falter. I’m never the one Gayle, 24, broke the Jamaican national this is a learning process and you can’t force record of 8.62 metres which stood for 22 years to get nervous over stuff the progress and you can’t force greatness in and was set by . It was an general. I’ll just take my time, just like I did in like that.” achievement to boost the pride of Jamaicans the World Championships, see what’s going everywhere, but especially the residents of on and then take the gold.” August Town, St Andrew, where he’s from.

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 7 On The Edge Yona Knight-Wisdom

hen Yona Knight-Wis- I’m comfortable with the environment,” he himself. He was born in Leeds, but choose to dom competed at Rio says, but knows that the Olympics gave the represent Jamaica as his father is Jamaican. 2016, he was the first pool a facelift. “Now it’s all decorated with The encouragement he has received male diver from Jamai- the Olympic logos.” from Jamaicans helps to sustain him men- ca and the Caribbean Although Knight-Wisdom is the first tally. “I’m grateful for all the love and support Wto participate in an Olympics. It was a dream Olympic male diver to represent Jamaica, from Jamaica from 2012 when I first got on come true. He finished in he feels he can the team,” he says. 14th place at those Games. “The more I represent offer technical He also received financial support from Now the 26 year old Jamaica internationally, support and help the Institute of Sport through the Athletes heads to his second Olym- the more I feel a respon- build the sport in Assistance Programme. “The money that pics. “I’m more focused on sibility to be involved to the island. “The we’ve gotten through the Assistance Pro- the actual competition and more I represent gramme has been great,” he says. “It allowed myself,” he says. ”I know I’m build a diving culture.” Jamaica interna- me to get more physiotherapy, eat better better than I was five years tionally, the more I food and to look after myself a little more ago as a diver and I’m hoping I can show feel a responsibility to be involved to build a comfortable without having to worry about myself and, even more, that I can show diving culture and to give people a chance to various things. It’s been a weight off the everyone else.” learn how to dive. shoulder which has been helpful.” Knight-Wisdom will be diving in the “I think there’s a lot of talent in Jamaica. Knight-Wisdom is grateful to get to a same pool for these Olympics that he I’ve seen videos of the kids jumping off second Olympics and wants to make the recently dived at the FINA Diving World Cup bridges with so much control and at Rick’s best of it. “I’m confident in my ability,” he held in Tokyo in May. His 12th place finish Cafe. Some of the stuff they do I wouldn’t says. “If I dive my best then I can definitely be on the 3m Springboard, from that World do.” in the mix for some of the higher places.” Cup, allowed him to qualify for the Tokyo Representing Jamaica has also been an Olympics. “I guess it’s an advantage because opportunity for him to learn more about

8 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 The Contender Ricardo Brown

icardo ‘Big 12’ Brown has im- he started training. Brown joined the mindset to stay relaxed and focused. Once agined himself competing at boxing academy at GC Foster College of you get overboard you can get knocked the Olympic Games for many Physical Education and Sport where Tsetsi out. You have to be thinking. You can’t get years. “It was always a dream Davis of the Wray & Nephew Middle- carried away when you’re fighting.” from a child,” says the boxer who weight Contender Series also trained. Brown wants to go pro after the Olym- Rgrew up watching the Olympic Games and Brown always travelled with the GC pics to take care of his family, especially fantasising about being an Olympian. Foster boxing team and even competed his six-year old autistic son. Right now, He got his shot after a chance, in Caribbean club bouts. However, to take he plans to have fun at the Olympics but life-changing meeting. his game to another level he migrated to knows why he’s there and isn’t intimated by Every day he’d Canada in 2019 to train any fighter. run from Span- “Once I get in the ring with Coach Dewith “To tell you the truth, once I get in the ish Town to Ferry Frazer, who himself was ring and start fighting, I have no fear. I just and then back and start fighting, I have a welterweight fighter fight my way until it ends.” to White Marl to no fear. I just fight my for Jamaica at the 1984 Sherwin-Williams, way until it ends.” summer Olympics in Los where he worked Angeles. as a chef in the canteen. One evening as Brown laughs about the weight criteria he ran home, his life changed. “As soon as I for the super heavyweight division. “We reached my lane, this guy was driving pass. just go on the scale and come off. We don’t He told the taxi driver ‘that yout look like have to worry about weight.” him can box because him big body and "This is the real deal,” he says. “We’re him look strong.” Although the taxi driver the guys who, one punch can change the didn’t know Brown, he agreed to take the game.” man to meet him. Although boxing is perceived as a The man was a boxer and encouraged violent sport, Brown feels it’s more about Brown to come to the gym. The next day, mental toughness. “You have to have that

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 9 Try and Dream Try again Fulfilled Ronda Whyte Danusia Francis

s Ronda Whyte approached anusia Francis will represent the finish line at the JAAA Jamaica in Artistic Gymnastics National Senior and Junior at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Championships in June, she Back in 2019, Francis became had a look of determination only the second Jamaican Aon her face. Resolute that she would be Dgymnast to qualify for an Olympic Games. on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic team. She Now the Games are upon us and finished second in the 400m hurdles in a Francis, 27, is more excited than ever to time of 54.94 seconds. don the green, black In 2016, an injury caused her to finish and gold colours “It’s been eighth at those Championships and miss of Jamaica at the a dream of getting a spot on the Rio team. That highest level. “I am mine my wouldn’t happen again. All her years of just happy to be running coincided in this one moment and here and continuing whole life.” the Maggotty to push Jamaican High alumna ‘I’m going to do gymnastics forward,” she said. wasn’t going to this with dedica- The British-born Francis had set her let it slip away. goal and was determined to reach it and “There tion, hard work that she did – qualify for the Olympic was a time I and determina- Games. She never gave up realised that tion. I’m going to on her dream. “It’s been a people looked show the world dream of mine my whole down on me that it’s not im- life,” she said. because I’m possible to be But disappointment not this girl an Olympian.” looms as Francis tore her that come Anterior Cruciate Ligament from the tra- (ACL) which will severely ditional high school,” she said. “But I look hamper her performances at myself and say, ‘I’m going to do this with in Tokyo. To limit further in- dedication, hard work and determination. jury to her knee, Francis has I’m going to show the world that it’s not pulled out of three events impossible to be an Olympian.” and will be competing only The 30 year old from St. Elizabeth with in the Uneven Bars. a degree in Physical Education and Sports heads to Tokyo to fulfil her childhood dream of being an Olympian. She would like to “inspire other young people and tell them it doesn’t matter where you’re com- ing from. All you have to do is stay focused and believe in yourself and believe in your dream.”

10 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 Indomitable Spirit Shauna-Kay Hines

ara Taekwondo makes its debut at the Paralympics in I have a disability and Tokyo and Jamaica has a star in Shauna-Kay Hines. I have accepted myself When Hines was introduced to Para Taekwondo from an early age.” in 2017, she balked. “I’m not a fighter,” she remembers Hines, 32, a stu- saying. “I may be very vocal and confident, but I’m not an dent at the Univer- Paggressive person. I don’t even like nobody shout at me too hard, sity of West Indies is how am I going to fight?” she laughs. pursuing a degree in But two weeks after being introduced to Taekwondo she was Sports Management. competing at the US Open Para But while Taekwondo Championships in “Parasports is beautiful. studying she’s the -58kg Class K-44 in Las Vegas. It’s not no pity party...” racking up medals in Para Taekwondo. She qualified for the She wasn’t confident about how Paralympics at the Costa Rica Open in 2020. she should fight but changed her Should she win a medal at the Tokyo Games, “It would thinking when she saw the Jamaican flag. “I knew I was the reason mean so much to me and my country at large,” she says. “To say, why the flag was there. The flag is there because you’re represent- hey, Parasports is beautiful. It’s not no pity party, ‘oh, we sorry for ing your nation.” She had three fights, got to the finals and won a dem.’ No, these are persons with disabilities who are changing the silver medal. game of how persons look at disability.” Hines was born without her right forearm but doesn’t let that bother her. “I was raised as a normal person,” she says. “I know that Trailblazer Ebony Drysdale-Daley

bony Drysdale-Daley created his- Championships in tory when she became Jamaica’s Birmingham. Last first ever competitor to qualify for year, she placed fifth at Judo in an Olympic Games. the Panamerican Senior Drysdale-Daley, 26, previously Championships and is ranked Erepresented Great Britain but switched to 59th in the world out of 251 competitors. Jamaica in 2019. Both sets of her grandpar- Her entry into the Olympics has ents and her father are Jamaicans, and she broadened the reach of athletes repre- still has family on the island. senting Jamaica and has shown the world She will be competing in the rough yet again, how dynamic is this land of and tough women’s 70-Kg category. In wood and water. 2019, the judoka won the gold medal in the category at the Commonwealth Judo

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 11 Athlete’s Gallery

Nathon Allen Lloydricka Tissanna TRACK & FIELD Cameron Hickling 400m, 4x400m TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD Shot Put

Britany Anderson Jaheel Hyde TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 100m Hurdles Discus Throw 400m Hurdles

Yona Alia Atkinson Keanan Dols SWIMMING Knight-Wisdom SWIMMING 200m Butterfly, DIVING 100m 200m individual 3m Springboard Breastroke Medley

Sean Bailey Ebony Shericka TRACK & FIELD Drysdale-Daley Jackson 400m JUDO TRACK & FIELD - 70kg 100m, 200m

Rasheed Dwyer Tiffany James Karayme Bartley TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 200m 4x400m 4x400m Mixed Relay

Nigel Ellis Yohan Blake TRACK & FIELD Tovea Jenkins TRACK & FIELD 4x100m TRACK & FIELD 100m, 200m 4x400m

Junelle Bromfield Julian Forte Shadae TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD Lawrence 4x400m 200 TRACK & FIELD Discus Throw

Shelly-Ann Leonardo Javier Brown Fraser-Pryce Ledgister (r) TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 4x400m Mixed Relay 100m, 200m 400m Hurdles

Danusia Francis ARTISTIC Phillip Ricardo Brown GYMNASTICS All-Around, Lemonious BOXING Vault,Uneven Bars, TRACK & FIELD Super Heavyweight Balance Beam, Floor Exercise 110m Hurdles

Keeno Burrell Demish Gaye Ronald Levy TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 400m 4x400 Mixed Relay 100m Hurdles

Tajay Gayle Rusheen Remona Burchell TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD McDonald Long Jump TRACK & FIELD 4x100m 4x400m

Davonte Burnett Natoya Goule Roneisha TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD McGregor 800m 4x400 Mixed Relay TRACK & FIELD 400m

12 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 Candice Shawn Rowe Ronda Whyte McLeod TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 400m Hurdles 400m Hurdles 400m

Carey McLeod TRACK & FIELD Janieve Russell Briana Williams Long Jump & TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD Triple Jump 400m Hurdles 4x100m

Stephenie Ann Danielle Shiann Salmon Williams McPherson TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 400M Hurdles 400m 100m Hurdles (r)

Jevaughn Kimberly Oblique Seville Minzie Williams TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 100m 4x100m Triple Jump

Stacey Ann Natasha Traves Smikle Williams Morrison TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD Discus Throw 400m, 4x400m 200m (r), 4x100m

Kemar Mowatt Megan Tapper Chad Wright TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 100m Hurdles 400m Hurdles Discus Throw

Christopher Charokee Young Leah Nugent Taylor TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD 4x400m 400m Hurdles 400m Mixed Relay

Kemba Nelson Damion TRACK & FIELD Thomas Paralympic 4x400m TRACK & FIELD Mixed Relay 110m Hurdles Athletes

Hansle Danniel Sylvia Grant Parchment Thomas-Dodd ATHLETICS TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD Class F 57 110m Hurdles Shot Put

Elaine Shauna-Kay Chanice Porter Thompson-Herah Hines TRACK & FIELD TRACK & FIELD TAEKWONDO Long Jump 100m, 200m Class K44-58 kg

Yanique Theador Subba Aisha Thompson Praught-Leer ATHLETICS TRACK & FIELD Judo TRACK & FIELD 100m Hurdles 1500m

Tyquendo Alberto Shanieka Campbell Ricketts Tracey TRACK & FIELD ATHLETICS TRACK & FIELD 100m T20 400m Triple Jump

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 13 Memories of the ’64 Tokyo Olympics Photographs courtesy of Vilma Charlton

he 1964 Tokyo Olympics were the first Games where Jamaica raised its flag as an independ- ent country. As the 21 athletes representing Jamaica entered Tthe stadium for the Opening Ceremony, a group of school children lined the streets chanting, “Jamaica, Jamaica, McKenley, McKenley.” Vilma Charlton, one of four women on that squad said that moment was “touch- ing. Those young people knew the history Jamaican delegation to the 18th Olympiad entering the of all the countries and responded to each Stadium team accordingly.”

The three-time Olympian calls the 1964 L-R: Adlin Mair-Clarke, Carmen Smith-Brown, Tokyo Games her “favourite Olympics - Vilma Charlton & Una Morris including the ones I didn’t run in.” “The [Japanese] culture is rich and we fourth in the 200m finals. She retired from Years after we finished running they said embraced it,” she says. “We went to differ- track & field at 23 and moved to California, they were protecting us. They were always ent sites. We were invited into homes. We USA where she became a radiologist. Mor- around without our knowledge.” learned how they eat [with chopsticks], to ris says at the time “expectation for me was Despite the covid-19 restrictions, take off your shoes. And for dinner, every- great, but I was not even cognisant of that. I Charlton is assured that these Olympic body squat around the same table.” was just a scared 17 year old who really did Games will be good. “Anyone going to the On the ’64 Olympic team, were many not have any real international exposure.” Olympics will enjoy it, even though it’s a of the most respected Jamaican sports- Charlton, President of the Olympians pandemic year,” she says. men and women, including Pablo McNeil, Association of Jamaica and the 4th Vice “They [the Japanese people] are very , Mal Spence, , President of the Jamaica Athletics Admin- hospitable. And this is partly why Jamaica Adlin Mair-Clarke, Tony Bridge, Barton istrative Association, says the friendships and Japan have this bond, because they’re Kirkconnell, John Elliott, Neville Myton and the athletes made from those Games have very hospitable and we’re hospitable too.” Dennis Johnson — who are all deceased. been preserved and deepened over the The other members of the team included years. “I think we were in camp in Canada Charlton, Lynn Headley, Patrick Robertson, and we noticed that everywhere we went Ronald Holmes, Earl Taylor, Rupert Hoilett, [the men on the team] were always behind Carmen Smith, Wellesley Clayton, Steven us. Once we went into a plaza and we Henriques, Laurie Khan and Una Morris. saw them standing at the top of the stairs Morris, was 17 years old and the young- looking down. So we kept saying, ‘why, est member of the team. She finished everywhere we go they following us so?’

14 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 Jamaica at the Summer Olympics

amaica has a rich history in the Bolt. Jamaica’s Olympic heroes are Track build its reputation in the Games and has Olympic Games. Many of Jamaica’s and Field athletes, owing to the fact that been represented in Artistic Gymnastics, Olympic competitors have become all but one of the country’s medals at the Badminton, Boxing, Diving, Equestrian, sporting heroes including Herb Olympics were achieved in Track and Field. Sailing, Shooting, Table Tennis, Taekwon- McKenley, , Donald Jamaica’s only medal outside of Track and do, Triathlon, Weightlifting and this year, JQuarrie, , Veronica Camp- Field was won by the cyclist, , for the first time, in Judo. bell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Asafa who took the bronze medal at the 1980 Powell, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Usain Moscow Games. Jamaica continues to

1948 1952 1956 1964 London 1 2 Helsinki 2 3 Melbourne Tokyo

Total Medals: 3 Total Medals: 5 Total Medals: 0 Total Medals: 0 Total Athletes: 13 Total Athletes: 8 Total Athletes: 6 Total Athletes: 21

1984 1980 1976 1972 1968 Los Angeles 1 2 Moscow 3 Montreal 1 1 Munich 1 City 1 Total Medals: 3 Total Medals: 3 Total Medals: 2 Total Medals: 1 Total Medals: 1 Total Athletes: 45 Total Athletes: 18 Total Athletes: 20 Total Athletes: 33 Total Athletes: 25

1988 19921 996 2000 2004 Seoul 2 Barcelona 3 1 Atlanta 1 Sydney 6 3 Athens 2

Total Medals: 2 Total Medals: 4 Total Medals: 6 3 2 Total Medals: 9 Total Medals: 5 1 2 Total Athletes: 35 Total Athletes: 5 Total Athletes: 46 Total Athletes: 48 Total Athletes: 47

22 2016 2012 2008 Rio 6 London 4 Beijing 5

35 21 Total Medals: 11 3 2 Total Medals: 12 5 3 Total Medals: 11 4 2 Total Athletes: 56 Total Athletes: 45 Total Athletes: 50 Total Medals: 78

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 15 Enabling our athletes to achieve global success

s the pandemic caused many of our sectors to close, including sports, we sought to provide relief to our most vulnerable. The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport provided direct financial support in excess Aof J$40M to members of Team Jamaica as they prepared for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through the Institute of Sports, we have paid out a little over J$16M each month to 87 athletes under the Athletes Assistance Programme. We saw the toll of these challenging times on Jamaica's ath- letes and sought to provide them with support to get them in the best frame of mind as they prepare for upcoming competitions. We worked closely with Optimisation Hub, which operates out of Australia, and with local mental health specialists to develop a mental health programme for athletes, coaches, and their support teams. We staged a successful online seminar Elevate the Game: Building the Muscle of the Mind. The seminar produced the following outcomes: • athletes, coaches and their support teams were given the skills to cope; • and, importantly, there will be a new programme related to mental health for coaches and athletes at the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport. The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will subsidise this programme in the sum of J$2.2M. The Ministry is also giving support to the sports sector through Independence Park Limited, which manages sports facilities at the National Stadium. IPL has been subsidising the cost of using these facilities—by national, community and school level is essential in enabling our as much as 50 per cent. IPL has supported the staging of several sports people to achieve global success. development meets organised by the JAAA in the sum of J$13.5M. We recently resurfaced the running track inside the National We supported the National Senior and Junior Championships in Stadium at a cost of J$60M. the sum of J$12M in direct funding, in addition to the subsidy for We continue to pursue the redevelopment of the National use of the facilities at the National Stadium. Stadium and the Trelawny Stadium. Our development proposal We also assisted with the staging of Boys and Girls Champs which is currently going through the Public Investment Manage- this year. ment system will see both facilities being transformed over a pe- The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport’s riod of five years into modern stadia with state of the art facilities investment in the provision of first rate infrastructure at the that will be able to sustain their operations.

16 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 The Trelawny Stadium will be at the centre of sports tourism aster Management and Emergency Management to achieve the and entertainment. safe re-opening of the sport sector. The well-designed protocols We continue to invest in facilities at the grass roots. During have served to keep our athletes, coaches and officials safe. the last financial year, through the Sports Development Founda- The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport tion, we spent J$117M to put in and upgrade sports facilities in 20 has also facilitated the vaccination of several of our athletes and schools and communities. coaches as they prepared for local and international competitions, However, our major challenge and greatest success was work- including the Olympic Games. ing with the various federations as well as the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Office of Dis-

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 17 JULY ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS 25 SUNDAY Tokyo SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W UNEVEN BARS Subdivision 3 Rotation 2 1:10 am

Olympic JULY SWIMMING 25 SUNDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME Schedule W 100m BREASTSTROKE Heat 3 5:40 am JULY SWIMMING 26 MONDAY uring the 2020 Olympic SEX EVENT ROUND TIME Games in Tokyo, Japan M 200M BUTTERFLY Heat 1 5:37 am from July 23-August 8, 2021, Jamaica will be represented in JULY JUDO Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics, 27 TUESDAY DBoxing, Diving, Judo and Swimming. SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W -70 Kg Elimination Round of 32 9:00 pm

JULY SWIMMING 28 WEDNESDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME M 200m IM Heat 1 5:54 am

JULY BOXING 28 WEDNESDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME M MENʼS SUPER HEAVY WEIGHT (+91KG) Preliminaries 10:18 pm

JULY TRACK & FIELD 29 THURSDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME M DISCUS THROW Qualifications 7:45 pm

W 800m Heats 8:25 pm

M 400m Hurdles Heats 9:25 pm

W 100m Heats 10:15 pm

JULY TRACK & FIELD 30 FRIDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W TRIPLE JUMP Qualifications 5:05 am

W SHOT PUT Qualifications 5:25 am

M&W 4x400m RELAY Heats 6:00 am

W 400m HURDLES Heats 7:00 pm

W DISCUS THROW Qualifications 7:30 pm

W 100m HURDLES Heats 8:45 pm

18 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 JULY TRACK & FIELD AUGUST DIVING 31 SATURDAY 3 TUESDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME SEX EVENT ROUND TIME M LONG JUMP Qualifications 5:10 am M 3m SPRINGBOARD Finals 1:00 am

W 100m Semi-Finals 5:15 am AUGUST M 100m Heats 5:45 am TRACK & FIELD 3 TUESDAY M DISCUS THROW Final 6:15 am SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W 800m Semi-Finals 6:50 am M 110m HURDLES Heats 5:10 am

M&W 4x400m RELAY Final 7:35 am M 200m Semi-Finals 6:50 am

W 100m Final 7:50 am W 800m Final 7:25 am

W LONG JUMP Qualifications 7:50 pm W 200m Final 7:50 am

M 400m Heats 8:45 pm M 110m HURDLES Semi-Finals 9:00 pm

W 400m HURDLES Final 9:30 pm AUGUST TRACK & FIELD 1 SUNDAY AUGUST TRACK & FIELD SEX EVENT ROUND TIME 4 WEDNESDAY M 100m Semi-Finals 5:15 am SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W 100m HURDLES Semi-Finals 5:45 am W 1500m Semi-Finals 5:00 am

W TRIPLE JUMP Final 6:15 am W 400m Semi-Finals 5:30 am

M 400m HURDLES Semi-Finals 7:05 am M 200m Final 7:55 am

M 100m Final 7:50 am W 4x100m RELAY Heats 8:00 pm

W 1500m Heats 7:35 am M TRIPLE JUMP Final 9:00 pm

M LONG JUMP Final 8:20 am M 4x100m Heats 9:30 pm

W 200m Heats 8:30 pm M 110m HURDLES Final 9:55 pm

W 100m HURDLES Final 9:50 pm AUGUST TRACK & FIELD 5 THURSDAY AUGUST DIVING 2 MONDAY SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W 4x100m RELAY Heats 5:25 am SEX EVENT ROUND TIME M 3m SPRINGBOARD Preliminary 1:00 am M 400m Final 7:00 am

M 3m SPRINGBOARD Semi-Finals 8:00 pm AUGUST TRACK & FIELD 6 FRIDAY AUGUST TRACK & FIELD SEX EVENT ROUND TIME 2 MONDAY M 4x100m RELAY Heats 6:25 am SEX EVENT ROUND TIME W 200m Semi-Finals 5:25 am W 400m Final 7:35 am

W DISCUS THROW Final 6:00 am W 1500m Final 7:50 am W M 400m Semi-Finals 6:05 am 4x100m Final 8:30 am

W 400m HURDLES Semi-Finals 6:35 am M 4x100m Final 8:50 am

M TRIPLE JUMP Qualifications 7:00 pm AUGUST W 400m Heats 7:45 am TRACK & FIELD 7 SATURDAY W LONG JUMP Final 8:50 am SEX EVENT ROUND TIME

M 200m Heats 9:05 pm W 4x400m RELAY Final 7:30 am

M 400m HURDLES Final 10:20 pm M 4x400m RELAY Final 7:50 am

TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020 19 4-6 Trafalgar Road Kingston 5

www.mcges.gov.jm

@mcgesJamaica

20 TEAM JAMAICA Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games 2020