Daughter of Arthur Wint and author of "Arthur Loves to Run," Colleen Wint-Bond (middle) displays the cover of the book alongside her daughter, Djavila Ho (left) and illustrator for the book, Patrick Meikle (right).
Arthur Wint is one of the most legendary figures in Jamaican history.
At the 1948 London Olympics, Wint, born on May 25, 1920, became the first Jamaican to ever win an Olympic gold medal when he finished on top in the 400m, ahead of pre-race favourite and then-world record holder, countryman Herb McKinley. That was after a silver medal-winning performance in the 800m.
Wint, who died in 1992 at the age of 72, also won a pair of medals at the Helsinki Olympics four years after his exploits in London.
He would’ve been 103 years old on Thursday and, fittingly, that was the day chosen for the official launch of the children’s book “Arthur Loves to Run,” written by one of Wint’s three daughters, Colleen Wint-Bond.
The launch was held at the headquarters of the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association.
“I want to share the Olympic message of excellence and perseverance. I also want to encourage children to be friendly with other people, even if they are your competitors and to be kind and respect each other,” Wint-Bond told SportsMax.TV when asked about the message she wants people to receive when reading the book.
“When you’re competing, there are so many things that can go wrong and because one thing goes wrong doesn’t mean that you have to stop. Not everybody is made out to be a footballer or singer or whatever, but to feel the passion of what they want to do and to persevere with that. I also want to encourage the adults to support the children and to encourage them. It might not last a lifetime but the encouragement is important because that’s where some of their self-worth is rooted,” she added.
Wint-Bond also hopes the book will educate young minds on the history of her father’s passion for sport.
“Wherever he was in his life, until he couldn’t do it anymore, he loved to run. When he was training to be a pilot and he went to Canada, he ran and won races there while learning to ice skate. He enjoyed sport and, so, continue doing what your passion is and keep at it,” she said.
Illustration for the book was done by Patrick Meikle, an experience he described as “educational.”
“The process was a very slow but collaborative one between myself and Colleen. We did funnel a lot of our process with real life references and, as she mentioned, a lot of videos, images and history,” he said.
“I think my goal in supporting this effort was to best represent the appeal I found in her father because in this process I got to learn about the man and the child, Arthur Wint, not just the superstar that we know him to be,” Meikle added.
In addition to his exploits on the track, Wint was a successful doctor and pilot.
Wint-Bond says his experiences in those professions will form the backdrop for a pair of books in the future, completing a trilogy.
“Arthur Loves to Run” can be purchased on Amazon and is available in Jamaica at Kozy Korner Books N More.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Jamaica and France sign landmark MOU for bilateral sports cooperation
As the world eagerly anticipates the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Jamaica and France have marked the occasion with a significant step towards enhancing their bilateral relations in the field of sport. On July 24, the Honourable Olivia Grange, Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and His Excellency Olivier Guyonvarch, the Ambassador of France in Jamaica, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Bilateral Cooperation in Sport.
Minister Grange highlighted the symbolic timing of the agreement, stating, “It is certainly significant that it is happening at the time of the 2024 Olympics in the French capital, Paris. It embodies the importance of sport in establishing cooperation and friendship between the two countries."
The agreement outlines several areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing both nations' sports capabilities. One key aspect of the MOU is the sharing of experiences and the development of joint initiatives in sports. This includes promoting common standards for organizing major sporting events and developing high sports performance through the exchange of best practices, coaching training, and research.
Additionally, the agreement focuses on boosting the sports economy and sports tourism in both countries by sharing valuable information and insights. A significant emphasis is also placed on promoting sports ethics, with both nations committing to collaborate in the fight against doping.
Minister Grange commended the diligent efforts of Ambassador Guyonvarch and the teams from both the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in finalizing the MOU. She also referenced the ongoing friendship between Jamaica and France, demonstrated by events like the "2024 Road to Paris Olympics," which featured a symbolic relay baton passed globally and included French students from schools across Jamaica.
The MOU also aims to facilitate exchanges in seminars, conferences, and symposia involving experts in various sports disciplines such as fencing, rugby, handball, athletics, canoe-kayak/sprint, sailing, and skateboarding, among others.
Ambassador Guyonvarch expressed his enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “On the eve of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the signing of this MOU on sports cooperation is a milestone in our bilateral relations, being the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement between our two countries in a strategic field of excellence. The implementation of this agreement, initiated by the Centre for Research on Sports Performance of Guadeloupe and the Faculty of Sports of UWI, will allow us to develop sports science, new practices, and more intense human exchanges between our two countries.”
The follow-up on the cooperation outlined in the MOU will be ensured by a Bilateral Steering Committee, which will meet annually in either of the two countries, ensuring that the goals and initiatives set forth are actively pursued and achieved.
This agreement not only strengthens the bond between Jamaica and France but also paves the way for enhanced sports performance, education, and ethical standards in both nations, promising a bright future for sports collaboration and excellence.
Gardiner, Charlton named flag bearers for The Bahamas ahead of Paris opening ceremony
Reigning 400m Olympic champion Steven Gardiner and World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Devynne Charlton will be flag bearers for The Bahamas at the much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games opening ceremonies on Friday.
Gardiner and Charlton are among the 20 athletes that will represent The Bahamas at the global multi-sport showpiece, which is currently under way and is scheduled to end on August 11.
Track and field and swimming are the two disciplines that the Bahamian contingent will contest at the Games.
Quartermiler Shaunae Miller-Uibo, high jumper Donald Thomas, who is making his fifth Olympic appearance, NCAA and national record holder in the javelin Rhema Otabor, decathlete Ken Mullings, and Charisma Taylor, who contests the triple jump and the 100m hurdles, are also on the team.
Rhaniska Gibbs and Lamar Taylor will represent the Bahamas in the pool.
Meanwhile, quartermiler Lacarthea Cooper finished third in the women’s 400m at the BAAA’s Nationals in 53.38 seconds behind second place finisher Quincy Penn in 53.35 seconds, but did not make the team.
However, Shania Adderley finished fifth in 54.50 seconds and was named to the Olympic team for her contributions as a member of the 4x400m mixed relay team at the World Relays.
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