Jamaican Olympian Pablo Hoilett.
Hoilett represented Jamaica in the 440 yards (400m) at various championships, with the 1964 Olympics being the pinnacle of his career.
"Rupert was known as a hard worker with talent to boot. He was good enough to make the Olympic team even as a Kingston College schoolboy coming out of Boys Championships," said Garth Gayle. "We owe our current successes to athletes like Hoilett who toiled hard for success and lifted the name of Jamaica even when there was not much to gain from the sport. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Condolences to his family and friends," concluded Gayle.
Hoilett came to public attention at the Boys Championships when he won the the 440 yards race in 49.3 seconds, which at the time was the first sub-50-second clocking in the history of the event.
He would later book a place on the Jamaica team to Tokyo Olympics with an improved 49.1 seconds and was given the honour of carrying the nation's flag during the opening ceremonies.
In 2019, Hoilett’s property on Skibo Avenue in Kingston was damaged by fire.
KC wins third straight Championship of America 4x400m title at Penn Relays; JC wins 4x800m
Kingston College made it three Championship of America 4x400m titles in a row with a comfortable win in the event on the third and final day of the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Antonio Forbes, Amal Glasgow, Roshawn Lee and Marcinho Rose combined to run 3:11.86 to win ahead of Excelsior (3:12.94) and Bullis School (3:13.10).
Elsewhere, Jamaica College won their second Championship of America 4x800m relay in three years.
Their team of Nellie Amberton, Samuel Creary, Rasheed Pryce and Kemarrio Bygrave produced a time of 7:42.37 to win ahead of St. John’s College (7:44.66) and Central Bucks West (7:45.99).
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
Smith produces season’s best to win long jump at Texas Invitational
Texas junior Ackelia Smith produced an NCAA leading performance to take top spot on day one of the Texas Invitational at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday.
The 22-year-old reigning NCAA champion produced a season’s best 7.10m, her first jump over 7m this season, to win ahead of Trinidadian Puma athlete Tyra Gittens (6.72m) and UTSA’s Ida Breigan (6.65m).
This is a welcome return to form for Smith who suffered a torn hamstring at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.
Smith was Jamaica’s national champion in the long jump in 2022 and was a finalist in both the long and triple jump at that year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
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