KINGSTON, Jamaica — Renowned Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson has been commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport to design and create statues of four of the country’s star athletes.

Watson, who sculpted the statue of Herb McKenley in Independence Park, will design statues of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell Brown and Asafa Powell to be mounted on Statue Road in the Park.

In a release from the ministry, Portfolio Minister Babsy Grange said she is confident that Watson would “do justice to these great Jamaicans” with the images that he will produce. 

The bronze statues — each to the scale of one and quarter life size (or between seven and eight foot high) — are to be delivered over two years. The first, a statue of Usain Bolt, is due by the third quarter of this year.

“We’re hoping to unveil Usain Bolt’s statue around August, or later in the year, and for Shelly-Ann’s to be ready for the end of this year,” said Grange.

Watson thanked the ministry and said he was excited by his new assignment.