This one’s for Dunkley – Simpson, Hines
ONLY ONE thing was on the mind of Clarendon College’s (CC) Roxene Simpson as she captured the Class One discus title on day four of the ISSA/Grace-Kennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) on Friday.
As her victory was confirmed, she immediately put on a shirt that memorialised their driver Keith Dunkley who died in a crash days before the start of the competition.
It was joy doubled for CC as Simpson, who took the event with a distance of 45.85m, was joined by her teammate Kimola Hines as a final attempt of 44.98m earned her the silver medal to ensure a one-two finish for the school. Manchester High’s Fabrienne Foster t ook bronze with 43.79m.
It was the finish that t hey envisioned at the start of the competition, a moment that she said honoured the memory of CC’s number one fan.
THE MOTIVATION I NEEDED
“It was all the motivation I needed to win because Mr Dunkley was CC’s key supporter in anything whether football, [Schools’ Challenge] Quiz, or track and field,” Simpson told The Sunday Gleaner. “And so when I heard of his passing, I said I was going to dedicate this gold medal to him.”
Simpson said that the days that followed Dunkley’s death were difficult but the team managed to rally around each other and with expectations from her coach Davion Chantiloupe, who pinned the event as a key medals target, it was an achievement that she knew she had to accomplish. “When I was competing, the only thing that was in the back of my mind was Mr Dunkley. I had to do it for Mr Dunkley,” Simpson said.
Hines said that she was overjoyed in knowing that both she and Simpson made their driver proud.
“This feeling is overwhelming to know that Mr Dunkley was expecting us to perform to the best of our ability and we are here first and second,” Hines said. “To be able to do this for him, it’s just a good feeling.
“This one-two is amazing, even though we did it in development meets, but it’s not the same compared to coming to Champs and to get the one-two for Clarendon College.”