Olivierre was unbelievably good - Graham
HONOURED LAST weekend by St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), Mike Olivierre helped the school become a force in high school sport and in track and field in particular. Several of his former athletes came to Santa Cruz to celebrate him, including Olympic and World Championships 400 metres hurdles runner-up Winthrop Graham, who described Olivierre’s contribution as unbelievable.
Olivierre came to Jamaica from St Vincent and the Grenadines to continue his studies at the University of the West Indies and later became coach at STETHS. His work made STETHS a fountain of good results and producer of athletes who went on to represent Jamaica. Olympians Dennis Blake, Anthony Wallace, Ian Weakley, and Graham, high school and college standouts Latonel Williams, Delroy Phang, Conroy Daley, and Gary Samuels were among those who came to support their former coach in person.
Graham explained why they came. “It’s a good reason to be back this weekend and show my support for them honouring him,” the three-time Olympian outlined, “and showing their appreciation for what he’s done for STETHS.”
Early in Olivierre’s reign as head coach, Graham won the 1984 Boys’ Championships (Champs) Class One 400m and 400m Hurdles Open. He recalls that the coach had very raw facilities at his disposal.
“He was unbelievable, and I know sometimes when he was here, they didn’t appreciate him, but he has done a lot for the youth around this side compared to some of them who had the access and the privilege of having the facilities in Kingston. With what we had here, he made more of it than anyone else on the island,” Graham praised.
Under the coach’s stewardship, STETHS became consistent topfive finishers at Champs.
Olivierre was honoured at an event staged on January 26 and presented to fans at the STETHS Invitational the following day, where it was announced that from 2025 onward, the Invitational would be renamed in honour of Olivierre and long-standing coach Eldemire Smith, who died last year.
Those events brought the retired champion back on campus for the first time since Olivierre left in 1997 to develop athletics in the Eastern Caribbean.
“I spent yesterday going around the campus just basking about how improved it is compared to what it was when I was here. So some good things are going on here,” he said.
Asked how it felt to be back at the place where his own journey to Olympic and World Championships success began, he said with a smile, “It’s always great.”