FORMER Sportswoman of the Year Lorraine Fenton and Observer columnist Ken Chaplin were among four Jamaicans who received honours at the annual National Honours and Awards Ceremony on National Heroes’ Day, yesterday at King’s House in Kingston.

Chaplin, also a veteran journalist, was awarded the Commander of Distinction for his achievements in the fields of journalism, public service and sports.

The other awardees were Dr John Masterton, who received the Commander of Distinction for his service to sports, as well as farming and industry, and former national footballer Arnold Foote, who was among the highest honoured yesterday, receiving the Order of Jamaica, the nation’s fifth highest honour, for his contribution to sports and diplomacy.

Fenton, who retired from track and field athletics in 2003, received the Order of Distinction, Officer Class, for her contribution to athletics.

The quarter-miler had an illustrious career, becoming the first Jamaican woman to claim a medal in the 400m at an Olympic Games after securing the silver medal in the event at the 2000 Games in Sydney.

This she did in a year when Australian Cathy Freeman won the gold medal in front of her home crowd in the country’s Olympic Stadium.

Fenton also earned individual silver medals in the one lap event at the 2001 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Edmonton, Canada and again two years later in Paris, France.

Graham-Fenton, as she was then called, claimed a gold medal as part of Jamaica’s 4x400m relay team in Edmonton and claimed bronze medals with the teams at World Championships in Athens 1997, Seville 1999, and Paris 2003.

She was twice named Sportswoman of the Year. She won in 2001 following her feats in Edmonton after having shared the prize the year before with Deon Hemmings who also captured a silver medal in Sydney in the 400m hurdles.

Chaplin was a former FIFA football referee and officiated in over a dozen World Cup and Olympic Games qualifying matches in North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Arnold Foote was a national player who was previously honoured by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in 1997 during the historic Jamaica/Mexico World Cup qualifying encounter at the National Stadium for being one of Jamaica’s football patriarchs.

He was a member of national football teams in 1951 and between 1954 and 1957.

Foote also represented his alma mater, Jamaica College in football, cricket, hockey, tennis, athletics, and shooting. Foote, who is in the advertising business, was awarded the Commander of Distinction for his services in that field in 1997.

Masterton was both a polo and rugby player and helped to found the first rugby club in Jamaica. He served as president of the Kingston Polo Club and the Jamaica Polo Club and was captain of the Jamaica Polo team at various points.