65 Top Athletes for Pan American Games

Sixty-five of Jamaica’s top athletes will be competing in this year’s staging of the XVII Pan American Games, which will be held in Toronto, Canada, from July 10 to July 26.

The athletes will participate in track and field, badminton, cycling (BMX), golf, shooting, swimming, and taekwondo.

Some of the top names in track and field include: Schillonie Calvert, Sherone Simpson, Simone Facey, Kerron Stewart, Shanieka Thomas, Rasheed Dwyer, Tyquendo Tracey, Ricardo Chambers, Leford Green, Damar Forbes, Dexter Lee; in badminton, Gareth Henry and Katherine Williams; Maliek Byndloss for cycling; Ian Facey in golf; Dwayne Ford in shooting; Alia Atkinson and Trudian Patrick in swimming; and Kenneth Edwards and Cyriesse Hall in taekwondo.

Speaking at the press launch for the announcement of Jamaica’s team to the games, Minister with responsibility for Sport, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, encouraged the athletes to give of their best and represent the country well.

“I know we have become a bit greedy and we have not been able to satisfy with anything less than the best; however, I want to remind our athletes, that your best effort is always good enough,” she said.

The press launch was held at the Jamaica Olympic Association premises in Kingston, on July 2.

Mrs. Neita Headley said the Pan American Games are exactly what is needed in the country’s efforts to broaden the sporting disciplines in which Jamaicans excel.

“As the fastest woman in water, Alia Atkinson has put swimming in the spotlight for our young Jamaicans. Let us build on this momentum to expand our participation in sporting disciplines like cycling, golf, field hockey, shooting, taekwondo, triathlon and basketball where the talent abounds here in Jamaica, and the effort and passion can take us anywhere and everywhere,” she said.

She informed that in 16 appearances at the Games, team Jamaica has earned over 100 medals and is expected to shine in this year’s staging.

Apart from the athletes, 28 officials also make up the Jamaican delegation to the games. Members of the management team include:  Chef de Mission, Compton Rodney; Deputy Chef de Mission, Lincoln Eatmon; and team official, Grace Marie Collymore. The medical team is headed by Dr. Praimanand Singh.

Members of the team are slated to leave the island as early as next week. A total of 6,155 athletes from 42 countries of the Americas will participate in the Games.