56th Staging of the RJR Sports Foundation7 min read

As expected, the Nine-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt and Jamaica’s newest track darling, Elaine Thompson were crowned the 2016 RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year on Friday, January 13.

The two were named at the 56th staging of the gala ceremony held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Bolt copped his seventh such award after completing the famous triple triple of 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100m relay golds at the Rio 2016 Games. He clocked season’s bests of 9.81 and 19.78 to win the 100m and 200m in Rio and then anchored the Jamaican team to a world-leading 37.27 in the 4x100m.

Bolt joined boxer Michael McCallum as the most successful athlete in the history of the awards. McCallum was successful in 1978, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 1989 and 1990.

Omar McLeod was named Runner-up to Bolt after having a ‘golden’ 2016. He showed his intentions right at the start of the year with an amazing World Indoor Championships campaign. McLeod, who became the first Jamaican to win gold in the 60m hurdles at the championships, hit the finish line in a national record 7.41 seconds.

He would underline his immense all-round ability with a 9.99 seconds in the 100m to add fuel to strong belief that he will be the man to lower Aries Merritt’s 12.80 world record when that speed is fully applied in the 110m hurdles. He took his form to the circuit, dominating the Diamond League. His wins included a 12.98 seconds run at the Shanghai Diamond League stop.

In Rio de Janeiro McLeod became the first Jamaican to pocket Olympic gold in the men’s 110m hurdles clocking 13.05 seconds.

Elaine Thompson copped her first Sportswoman of the Year award after ending her season as the most dominant female sprinter in the world.

She became the first Caribbean woman to win the sprint double at the Olympic Games since 1988.

The 24-year-old Thompson also earned a silver medal as part of Jamaica’s Olympic 4x100m relay team, bronze in the 60m at the IAAF World Indoor Championships and the IAAF Diamond League trophy for the 100m as she ended the season undefeated in 12 finals in that particular event.

She also registered the three fastest times in 2016 in the 100m (10.70, 10.71 and 10.72) and the two fastest times in the 200m (21.78 and 21.85).

Alia Atkinson, who was the winner two years ago, took the runner-up spot for her 50m short-course breaststroke world record swim at the FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup in Tokyo, Japan last October. She also equalled the 100m breaststroke record and won three medals at the World Swimming Championships late last year.