The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) on Wednesday held an appreciation reception at its Papine campus for its student athletes who participated in the 2013 Penn Relays, and launched the new UTech Sports Advisory Committee.

The university presented each athlete with a cash award and book grant to assist with their academic preparation.

President Errol Morrison, in emphasising the historic significance of the win by the UTech 4×100 men’s relay team, said that it reiterates “the university’s identity of being the ‘home of world-class athletes’, as no idle boast”.

Noting that there are only two industries in which Jamaica has done extraordinarily well — sports and music — for which the world is enthused to know how the country does it, the president emphasised the need to use this indigenous knowledge and talent to the nation’s economic advantage. He noted that UTech has been piloting the development of this process through its Faculty of Science and Sport to ensure that the nation understands what it has achieved and will be able to reproduce it. Professor Morrison also noted: “There are many more ‘Shelly-Anns and Bolts’ waiting to be nurtured in the right environment,” supported by the science behind it all, adding that “UTech has taken a step forward and the country should be investing in every possible way to continue with the success.”

He noted that the new UTech Sports Advisory Committee will support this development by providing a mechanism for sustainability of the sports programme.

Dr Colin Gyles, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Sport, UTech, said that the success of the UTech student athletes at the Penn Relays underpins the university’s vision to develop sporting performance in Jamaica and to ensure that it is sustainable through the application of sound scientific principles and strong institutional support.

Dr Dennis Johnson, Chairman of UTech Sports Advisory Committee, introduced the members and described them as “great achievers” who are among the “best minds in the country”. The group has been challenged to lead the charge to help the institution to “bridge the gap between academia and the business of sport”.

The Committee members are Professor Morrison, President, UTech, and Biomedical Scientist, Dr Gyles, Dr Neville Graham, Surgeon and Former Head of UTech’s Caribbean School of Sport Sciences, Laurence Garriques, Acting Director of Sport, UTech, Paulton Gordon, Lecturer, Caribbean School of Sport Sciences, UTech, Dr Ryan Wilson, Lecturer, School of Oral Health Sciences, UTech, Allie McNab, Adjunct Professor — Sport, UTech, Claire Sutherland, Senior Director, International and Institutional Relations, UTech, David Mais, Former Chairman, GC Foster College, Karey Lewis, Physiotherapist, Dr Warren Blake, President, JAAA, Dr Aggrey Irons, Psychiatrist, Brando Hayden, Financier, Jamaica National Building Society, Bernard Panton, Retired Accountant, Attorneys Franz Jobson and Lincoln Eatmon, Lyndie Headley, CEO, Heritage Education Fund International, Ian Forbes, CEO, Sherwin Williams, and Leroy Cooke, Managing Director, Fiscal Services Limited.

Lamenting that “we tend to lack understanding of the achievements that we have made”, Dr Johnson said that the committee plans to “optimise our full potential using strategic programmes to build UTech as an international leader in sports”.

Sports analyst Hubert Lawrence placed UTech’s success at the 2013 Penn Relays in context. He pointed out that UTech has been chasing this 4x100m win for a decade and claimed victory after several disappointments and coming close on many occasions. The capacity audience comprising members of faculty, staff and the sporting fraternity was given the opportunity to relive the glorious 38.92-second run by the UTech male 4x100m relay team comprising Nicholas Watson, Andrew Fisher, Adolphus Nevers and Julian Forte, with the viewing of the race on big screen. This was the first time that a college outside of the United States had won this event.

Track and field coaches Paul and Stephen Francis were acknowledged for their hard work and dedication.

Paul Francis paid tribute to the members of the team who were present — Stephenie McPherson, Carrie Russell, Venicha Baker, Jamie Demns, Genneva Greaves, Davion Haye, Ronald Levy, Natasha Morrison, Travane Morrison, Joseph Ramie, Israel Ramsay, Andrea Reid-Goodwin, Janieve Russell, Megan Simmonds and Tyquendo Tracey.