Sport

Sports Minister lauds athletes

By ANTHONY FOSTER, Freelance Writer

Minister of Sports Portia Simpson Miller (left) presents a gift to 4x100m opening leg runner Lerone Clarke, on the team's arrival from the World Championship in athletics at the VIP Lounge at the Norman Manley International Airport, yesterday. - ricardo makyn

TWO ATHLETES AND a number of officials who represented Jamaica at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, returned to the island yesterday.

Lerone Clarke, who led off the men's sprint relay team and female mile relay reserve Moya Thompson, along with manager Ludlow Watts, assistant manager Gregory Hamilton, coaches Raymond 'KC' Graham, Bertland Cameron, Maurice Wilson and Michael Clarke, doctors Glenton Smith and Winston Blake, and press liaison Juliet Cuthbert, were the ones who came in yesterday.

Remained behind

Most of the athletes have remained behind to compete at meets in Europe, which get under way as early as Friday.

The contingent was met at the Norman Manley International Airport by Sports Minister Portia Simpson Miller, along with INSPORTS Director Ian Andrews and his deputy, Bruce McFarlane.

In a short conference held in the airport's VIP lounge, Simpson Miller told athletes and officials: "There can be no minister in the world that is proud like I am. All Jamaicans should be proud of our athletes and our performances."

Simpson Miller also passed on a message from Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to the contingent.

"He (P.J. Patterson) said how proud he is as Prime Minister of the athletes performances."

Jamaica won its highest medal count ever at the World Championships - eight.

Trecia Smith was the lone gold medal winner, following her victory in the women's triple jump.

Michael Frater, Veronica Campbell and Delloreen Ennis-London won individual silver in the men's 100m, women's 100m and sprint hurdles respectively, while Brigitte Foster-Hylton took bronze in the women's sprint hurdles.

Meanwhile, the women's mile relay and sprint relay teams captured silver medals while the men's 4x400m team took bronze.