'Journey of Champions' begins - Gleaner launches archival exhibition spanning 50 years of athletic excellence in Jamaica

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

The Gleaner is set to roll out its first event under the 'Jamaica 50' banner on Wednesday with the launch of an all-island archival exhibition at the St Catherine Parish Library in Spanish Town.

'The Journey of Champions: 50 Years of Jamaican Athletic Excellence', a celebration of the island's participation and successes in international competition post- and pre-Independence, will rely heavily on The Gleaner's unmatched and expansive collection of photographs, clippings and other material, which captures the nation's athletes on and off the track over the years.

Funded entirely by Scotiabank Jamaica, the multimillion-dollar exhibition, which will be given its visual vein by celebrated curator Susanne Fredricks, also marks the beginning of the second leg of The Gleaner's dynamic and unprecedented 14-month track and field programme, 'Daegu to London', which kicked off last June.

Multi-platform approach

The programme saw a multi-platform approach to the coverage of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships, IAAF World Youth Championships (Lille, France), IAAF World Championships (Daegu, South Korea) and the Pan American Games (Guadalajara, Mexico) along with a series of public fora and special editors' forum also on the agenda.

Wednesday's launch - which will see several junior and senior athletes, sport administrators, students from schools in the area, as well as government and parish officials in attendance - is scheduled to get under way at 10 a.m.

First vice-president of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Don Anderson, who will again play a pivotal role in Jamaica's Olympic delegation later this year, and will present the main address.

Mavis Williams, information systems manager at The Gleaner Company, is looking forward to sharing some of the archive's most prized assets over the next few months.

"It's a great opportunity for The Gleaner's archive to showcase some of its material to the public on this scale. We have never done anything like this, so these are exciting times for us," said Williams.

Excited about project

Fredricks is also excited about the project and is pleased with what she has been able to put together.

"I am very happy to have been invited to curate this exhibition. It has been fascinating to research and curate, and I feel the project itself is of great substance and importance," said Fredricks.

Speaking on behalf of the Jamaica Library Service, Director General Patricia Roberts underscored the relevance and value of the project.

"This exhibition showcases Jamaica's enviable record of athletic success since Independence and is most appropriate in this our golden jubilee this year," Roberts said.

After the St Catherine launch, the exhibition will spend just over two weeks at the parish library, closing on February 17, before moving across the island.

andre.lowe@gleanerjm.com