Olympian, Christine Day is the First Sports Exchange Advisor Under Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme

Olympian, Christine Day, has been selected as the first Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA) from Jamaica for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.

The 400-metre specialist represented the country at several international competitions, including the 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing.

She is among eight Jamaicans who will participate in the 2025 cohort of the JET programme.

The others, who will serve as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) are Asmahani-Aza Cooke, Judy Ann Bailey, Mikayl Walker, Danelle Matthews, Amani Cooke, and Leigh Ann Johnson, who is already in Japan.  The eighth participant was recently selected and will depart the island in August.

At a send-off reception held at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence in St. Andrew on Thursday (July 24), Ms. Day shared her excitement for this new chapter of her life, noting that she is committed to setting a strong foundation for future sports advisors.

“As a two-time Olympian, proudly representing Jamaica, I am confident in my purpose of guiding athletes in Japan through mentorship, providing support, and facilitating communication between athletes and programme administrators,” she said.

“Through the JET programme, I aim to share my athletic expertise, learn about the Japanese culture and the language, develop personal and professional skills and strengthen ties between our nations,” she added.

Ms. Day, who competed at the World Relay Games in Japan in 2019, noted that the Mercure Tottori Daisen Resort and Spa in the country has been a valuable training base for Jamaican track and field athletes and “I appreciate their kindness and their hospitality”.

She expressed gratitude for the JET programme and its alumni for creating opportunities for cultural exploration and personal growth.

“I hope to contribute to this legacy and inspire future generations… I look forward to this journey and really appreciate it and thank you all for choosing me [as] the first representative,” she said.

Ms. Day also used the opportunity to extend best wishes to the Jamaican athletes who will be competing at the World Athletic Championship in Toyko in September.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, who was instrumental in the establishment of the new component of the JET programme, said that “having a sports advisor from Jamaica was one of the most fitting ways to recognise the deepening of the engagement between our two countries”.

“We are sending a sportswoman, which I think also celebrates Jamaica as a society in which women shine, and we celebrate that as well,” she said.

She implored the participants to be good stewards and remain steadfast in their pursuit of excellence.

“Your selection represents more than personal accomplishments; it’s a call to serve as cultural ambassadors and contributors to the vibrant tapestry of Japan-Jamaica relations,” she said, urging them to embrace the opportunity.

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency, Yasuhiro Atsumi, informed that Ms. Day will be coaching sprinting at Tottori Prefecture as an SEA.

“She has competed in Japan and has spent some time pre-camping at Tottori Prefecture of Japan as a member of team Jamaica. Tottori Prefecture and the Westmoreland parish have a sister-city relationship since 2015.

“Since we will have the World Athletics Championships in Toyko this September and team Jamaica will pre-camp in Tottori, it is very timely that we can have our very first SEA from Jamaica to Japan particularly to Tottori this year,” he said.

Ambassador Atsumi lauded Minister Johnson Smith for the role she played in finalising the agreement for the SEA component of the programme from Jamaica during her official visit to Tokyo in February last year.

The Ambassador encouraged the participants to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and to share their rich Jamaican heritage with their new friends and colleagues in Japan.

“By doing so, you will not only assist your Japanese students in teaching English and assist young Japanese athletes in sprinting, but also you will represent your proud country as ambassadors of Jamaica,” he pointed out.

Ambassador Atsumi further urged the JET programme participants, as they embark on their journey, to “keep us posted and share your stories with us, and once you return to Jamaica, you will then be supporters of the Japan-Jamaica partnership, including through your participation in the JET Alumni Association activities.”

Senior Strategist in the Ministry of Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Floret Blackwood, who delivered remarks on behalf of Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange,  said Jamaica is currently the only English-speaking Caribbean country participating in the SEA component of the JET programme.

“We don’t see this as exclusivity; we see this as leadership. We envision awakening our sister Caribbean nations to these incredible opportunities. Together as a region, we can pioneer the use of sports as a gateway for development, peace and economic prosperity,” she stated.

“We continue to demonstrate that sports can be a bridge between cultures that transcends performance and competition. Sports serve as a powerful vehicle for change, for positive outcomes and for building bridges both locally and globally,” she added.