Three Jamaicans named Caribbean 'icons'

Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer

FOOTBALLER LINDY Delapenha, boxer Mike McCallum and Olympic 200-metre champion Veronica Campbell-Brown were the Jamaican award winners at Friday night's Caribbean Awards Sports Icons held at the Jamaica Pegasus.

Delapenha, the first Jamaican to play professionally in England, topped a list of football nominees which included fellow Jamaicans Theodore Whitmore and Robbie Earle, Dwight Yorke of Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda's Clyde Best.

In the boxing ring, McCallum, who became a world champion in 1984 by defeating Sean Mannion to win the WBA junior middle-weight title, knocked out Cuban Teofilo Stevenson, Leslie Stewart and Claude Noel of Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamian Elisha Obed and Andrew Lewis of Guyana for the title.

Campbell-Brown, the 2004 and 2008 Olympic 200m champion, who also has a World Championships 100m gold, was not on hand to accept her award.

Aleen Bailey, Campbell-Brown's teammate and training partner, received the award on her behalf.

Campbell-Brown was the youngest nominee of the ceremony which catered to Caribbean achievements in sport over the past 60 years.

The question was put to Al Hamilton, chief organiser of the event, why current athletes were included, but he said it was not his call.

"That was what the judges came up with. Don't forget, these nominees came from journalists across the region, so I had no say in that," Hamilton said. "It is open for debate. Maybe, it is something we have to look at if we talk about icons, then that probably means people who have retired."

Bahamians Chandra Sturrup and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, who both competed at this summer's Olympic Games, were also nominated in athletics.

Other awardees on the night were Sir Garfield Sobers, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Alberto Juantoreno of Cuba in track and field, Trinidad and Tobago's former netballer Jennifer Frank and administrator Jack Warner, also of T&T.

Meanwhile, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser were given special awards called 'Spotlight in Beijing'.

Bolt won the 100m (9.69) and 200m (19.30) and helped Jamaica to the 4x100m title (37.10), all world record times, while Fraser won the women's 100m in 10.78.