CALIFORNIA, United States — Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell Brown and Asafa Powell are world renowned Jamaican athletes.

They deserve all the praise they receive for carrying the hopes of the country at various world championships and Olympic Games.

We should never underestimate all they and others have achieved for our people.

The mark left by the former sprint great Donald O’Riley Quarrie should also never be taken lightly. Here at the University of Southern California, he certainly appears to be highly thought of.

The evidence is clearly emblazoned inside the walls of the Heritage Hall, fortunately for me, the site of one of the media locations on campus.

The other day I just happened to be whisking through the quiet and luxurious hall when a very familiar face jumped at me from the wall just as I passed.

I stopped, then backpedaled in slow motion.

There he was. None other than Don Quarrie, baton in hand, and in fine fettle.

I ran into it by chance and what a proud feeling it brought!

These US schools famously cherish their basketballers, baseball players and American football stars. And Quarrie is right there amongst them.

Now, I’ve heard that iconic Jamaican athletes are featured at universities or colleges they attended in similar fashion. But it was a novel experience for me.

So excited I was, that a few times since I’ve deliberately walked that way while en route to the Media Center so I could sneak a few extra photos.

After all, it’s not every day I see such things.

A large photo of former Jamaican sprinter Donald Quarrrie and some of his achievements feature along the wall inside Heritage Hall at USC. (PHOTO: SANJAY MYERS)