Eight months after attaining the title of The World's Fastest Man, Asafa Powell has been accalimed as Jamaica's most outstanding Sportsman of 2005. The accolade was bestowed Thursday 23 February as the RJR Sports Foundation held its National Awards ceremony at Island Cinema.
Powell's most significant achievement in 2005 came on 14 June, when he ran 9.77 seconds, a new World Record, to win the men's 100m at an IAAF Grand Prix in Athens, Greece. Despite having his season cut short by a groin injury in July, the 23-year-old had done enough to cement his legacy.
The Central American & Caribbean Athletic Confederation recognised him at the area's oustanding male athlete of 2005. Caribbean telcommunications firm Cable & Wireless signed him up to a lucrative endorsement deal. And he was further recognised as the year's outstanding track and field athlete.
Meanwhile, Jamaica's Sportswoman of the Year title went to Trecia-Kaye Smith, who took the Triple Jump crown at last August's IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The 30-year-old was the first Jamaican to win a world title in a field event, clearing 15.11m on her second last trial.
This year, Smith is the world's top athlete indoors or outdoors in women's Triple Jump. Her best mak of 14.75m came earlier this month in Samara, Russia. For the Sportswoman of the Year title, Smith out-polled World Championship 100m silver medallist, Veronica Campbell.
Stephen Francis, who coaches Asafa Powell and heads the MVP Club attached to Jamaica's University of Technology, received the prestigious Chairman's Award at the RJR ceremony.
Terry Finisterre for the IAAF
