Elaine Thompson-Herah and Hansle Parchment were named the 2021 RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation National Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year.
Thompson-Herah had an outstanding year and was also named World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year based on, among other things, her Olympic gold medal triple in Tokyo and her impressive 10.54-second run in Eugene, Oregon.
Sportsman, Parchment took victory after his unexpected gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the Olympics.
The runners-up for the two major titles were Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Sportswoman) and Ronald Levy (Sportsman).
Other significant awards presented were the Chairman’s Award to veteran journalist Lance Whittaker; the People’s Choice Performance of the Year Award to Fraser McConnell; the V.M. Group Y.O.U.T.H. Award to sprinter Tina Clayton; and the Gleaner Newspaper Iconic Award to Michael Holding.
Also presented on the night were the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (I.S.S.A.) Awards to Javier Brown of Jamaica College and Tina Clayton of Edwin Allen High.
The recipients of Athletes of the Year by sport (Category Awards) and Certificates of Merit were:
Alia Atkinson and Yona Knight Wisdom (aquatics); Elaine Thompson-Herah and Hansle Parchment (athletics); Shanwayne Stephens and Carrie Russel (bobsleigh); Daniel Haughton and Sherea Clarke (bodybuilding); Ricardo Brown (boxing); Nkruma Bonner and Stafanie Taylor (cricket); Daniel Palmer and Lori Sharpe (cycling); Andre Blake and Khadija Shaw (football); Justin Burrowes and Jodi Munn-Barrow (golf); Danusia Francis (gymnastics); Kemar Mitchell and Aaliyah James (hockey); Fraser McConnell and Sara Misir (motorsports); Jhaliele Fowler (netball); Theador Subba and Shauna-Kay Hines (para-sports); Ben James-Bishop (rugby league); Mason Caton-Brown and Tarja Richards (rugby union); Christopher Binnie (squash); Simon Tomlinson and Solesha Young (table tennis); Blaise Bicknell and Katherine Dibbs (tennis); Phillip McCatty and Elisabeth Mondon (triathlon); Joshua Christie and Rae Hanna Brown (chess).
The Certificates of Merit awardees were Dr. Donovan Bennett, Dr. Warren Blake, Rudyard Ellis, Neville Sinclair, and Orville Thompson.
The Special Awards for team and individuals went to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games women’s 4x100m relay team comprising Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Briana Williams, Natasha Morrison, and Remona Burchell, and the women’s 4x400m relay team comprising Jeneive Russell, Candice McLeod, Shericka Jackson, Roneisha McGregor, Stacey Ann Williams, and Junelle Bromfield.
Shericka Jackson received an award for her bronze medal in the women’s 100m; Megan Tapper for her bronze medal in the women’s 100m hurdles; Ronald Levy for his bronze medal in the men’s 110m hurdles; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce for her silver medal in the women’s 100m; Elaine Thompson-Herah for her gold medal in the women’s 100m; Elaine Thompson-Herah for her gold medal in the women’s 200m.
Athletes at the World Athletics U20 Championships were also honored. They include Tina Clayton for her gold medal in the girls’ 100m, Ackera Nugent for her gold medal in the girls’ 100m hurdles, and the girls’ 4x100m relay team comprising Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton, Serene Cole, and Kerrica Hill.
The event, hosted by the RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation, was a virtual affair due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
