Colin Hamilton/FreelancePhotographer Sherone Simpson
When she's on the track, don't blink, or you'll miss her - she's that fast!
Jamaican female track and field sensation, Sherone Simpson, was the fastest female in the world for 2006, with unmatched times in both the short sprints. Ms. Simpson opened up the year with the Commonwealth Games 200-metre title in March, where she ran 22.00 in the 200 metres, the fastest time in the sprint in two years. Similarly, she clocked 10.82 in the 100 metres at the Jamaica National Championships 2006, and now ranks as Jamaica's second fastest female 100m sprinter of all time. Only former Jamaica sprint queen, Merlene Ottey, has gone faster with 10.74 seconds. That, too, was the fastest time in the 100-metre sprint in two years.
She also gave a scintillating performance at the IAAF World Athletics Final when she ran 10.89 to win the 100-metre sprint, one day after a below-par performance at 200 metres. Her domination of the sprints in 2006 earned her a plethora of awards and nomination of the IAAF Athlete of the Year award. She was named Jamaica's Sportswoman of the Year.
Apart from her blistering performance in 2006, Sherone has other sprint achievements under her belt, too many to fit in this space. Among her exploits was running the second leg of the 4x100 for the first-ever Jamaican female sprint relay team to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. She accomplished this all while maintaining a commendable grade point average as a business and Management major at the University of Technology - so much for the 'dunce jock' stereotype.
The Manchester High graduate would like life after track and field to involve a career in tourism.
Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Molly Rhone
Molly Rhone is the first and only Jamaican to head an international sporting organisation. In 2003, she was elected president of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) and continues her service as president to date.
Before moving up the ladder to IFNA president, she was the president of Jamaica Netball Association (1993-2003) and served as a vice-president of the IFNA(1999-2003). In 1999, she was awarded the Order of Distinction (Officer class) by the Jamaican Government for her work in netball.
She is also head of the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) and is a director of the Sports Development Foundation, the Jamaica Olympic Association, and the Carreras Sports Foundation. Plus, she is a board member at G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports.
In Canada, where she did her studies in information technology, she captained the Ontario Netball Team and, later, the Canadian national team, receiving certificates for contribution to sport for three successive years from the government of Ontario.
The mother of two and a widow. she continues to excel tremendously both for herself and her country. She has received many awards including:
Golden Award from AirJamaica for special achievement for the country (2003).
Gleaner Honour Award recipient for the success of World Netball Championships (2003).
Special Achievement Award in Sports Administration, Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) 2004
Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Abe Issa Award for Excellence for promoting - Jamaica through her achievements in sports (2004).
Diploma for Achievement of Women in Sports (2005) granted by the International Olympic Committee.
Special Rotary Club of New Kingston Centennial Award for her outstanding contribution to sports (2005).
Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the parish of Manchester (2005).
In Celebration of Woman Excellence Award, Kiwanis Club of New Kingston (2006).
Paulette Riley
Playing with the boys pays off big time.
Paulette Riley, one of Jamaica's top assistant FIFA soccer referees, knows this best. When she was young she wanted toplay soccer but there was never a girls' team, so she played with the boys. She finally found a female team, in 1992, called Border Patrol and began training with them. Two of her mentors, Winston Campbell and Wayne Brown, saw her skill and suggested she try refereeing.
She grew to love enforcing the rules of the game from preparatory, primary, schoolboy to corner league matches. Those who take the game seriously are not hindered by the fact that she is female. But for others, her gender can be a problem. The latter tend to hurl lewd language at her and some have even suggested she return home to take care of her boyfriend and children. She pays little attention to the lewd or patronising comments and oftentimes after the game is over, the same individuals congratulate her on a job well done.
Ms. Riley, 38, is slated to become Jamaica's first female to officiate in a World Cup final when she goes to this year's FIFA Women's World Cup final in China. She officiated in the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Russia in 2006. Because of her excellent performance, she was chosen to officiate in the final match. In 2004 she also officiated at the FIFA Under-19 World Cup finals in Thailand.
Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Brigitte Foster-Hylton
One of the darlings of Jamaican athletics in recent years, Brigitte Foster-Hylton holds the national record for her signature event, the 100 metres hurdles.
Among her more recent medals in international competitions are a bronze at the 2005 World Championships and gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Australia. Most recently, she was voted runner-up as Sportswoman of the Year for 2006.
Mrs. Foster-Hylton credits a strict training regime which involves two exercise sessions per day: cardio in the morning and strength training in the afternoon. With the World Championships coming up in Japan this year, her preparation is even more intense.
Sometimes having a famous face will mean lending that face and fame to various initiatives. Mrs. Foster-Hylton signed a deal with telecommunications company Flow to promote their ideology of getting a sound education.
