Int’l Sports Personalities and Officials for Mckenley’s Funeral Service

Several international sports officials and personalities, including Trinidad and Tobago Olympian, Hasley Crawford, are expected to attend the official funeral service of Jamaican sports hero and legend, the Hon. Herb McKenley, on Saturday, December 8 at the National Arena.
Mr. Crawford bested Jamaica’s Donald Quarrie to win the 100 metre gold medal at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
Member of the Organizing Committee for the funeral, Dr. Herbert Elliot, said that other Olympians such as Leslie Laing, McKenley’s teammate on the historic 4×400-metre team, which won gold at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, and his wife, Carmen Phipps, another Olympian, are also expected to attend.
He was speaking at the weekly JIS Think Tank held yesterday (Dec. 5) at the agency’s headquarters on Half-Way-Tree Road in Kingston.
Expounding on the extensive list of expected attendees, Dr. Elliot said that high ranking officials from the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the Caribbean athletic family, will be among the mourners.
“Former Olympian Mike Sands, who is now President of the Bahamian Association of Athletic Associations and former IAAF council member, Alpheus Finlayson, are coming from the Bahamas. Merlene Ottey may also come,” he informed.
Former Olympians, who reside in Jamaica, are expected to be present and those include Juliet Cuthbert and Bertland Cameron and current track sensations Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson.
Outlining the programme for the funeral service, Dr. Elliot said there will be tributes from Prime Minister, Bruce Golding; Leader of the Opposition, Portia Simpson Miller; Information, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Olivia Grange, and a member of the McKenley family, while former Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, will deliver the eulogy.
Administrative Director of the Institute of Sports and member of the Organizing Committee for the funeral, Ian Andrews said representatives from the Calabar Old Boys Association, the Rotary Club of Kingston, of which Mr. McKenley was a member, the International Olympic Committee, the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association among others, will participate in the service.
“It will be a tightly run funeral, which will end in two hours. It will also be a fine way to say goodbye,” he added.
In terms of parking, which is being managed by Major Desmon Brown, Managing Director of Independence Park Limited, there will be designated areas, where stickers will be assigned in various categories. The outstanding athlete, sports administrator and coach passed away on November 26 at the age of 85, leaving behind widow, Beverley and four children.