Mair

Western Bureau:

ST JAMES lost one of its sporting heroes yesterday morning when former national female football star, Bernadette Mair, popularly known as 'Lorraine', was shot and killed by gunmen in downtown Montego Bay.

"This is absolutely shocking," said Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell. "This is definitely a dark day in the life of the local sporting fraternity."

According to reports, shortly before 11 a.m., the diminutive Mair, who is believed to be in her early 30s, was standing on the Scotiabank piazza in downtown Montego Bay, when she was approached by a gunman, who opened fire.

Open mourning

Mair, who had been selling newspapers at that location for several years, died on the spot.

Tears flowed freely in Montego Bay as news of the shooting spread and more and more residents came to realise it was Mair, whom many persons appreciated for both her skills on the football field and her dedication as a newspaper vendor.

Mair, who was Montego Bay's first female football star, represented teams such as Allan Eagles, Untouch-able Strikers and the Trelawny Women's Team, which she represented in the just-concluded Sherwin Williams Women's National Premier League Competition.

"She was an outstanding player in her time, who always represented us with great distinction," noted Burrell.

Mair, whose ability to kick the ball with both feet was greatly admired by both her peers and her male counterparts, was seen as an inspiration to female footballers in the west.

The Montego Bay police, who are investigating her murder, were yet to establish a motive for the killing. She is the 209th person to be murdered in St James this year.

adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com