CATHERINE HALL, St James — Reggae Boyz defender Damion Lowe and his sister Onanda share a special bond.

Other than being children of former national player Onandi Lowe, both have excelled in their chosen sport and have earned national selection.

Damion’s eyes lit up yesterday when he was asked about his relationship with the Immaculate Conception High School sprinter/long jumper.

“She just texted me this morning requesting her tickets (to Monday’s Concacaf Gold Cup game against Honduras at National Stadium),” Damion told the Jamaica Observer after training with the Reggae Boyz team at Montego Bay Sports Complex. “We plan to meet up soon; I will take her to dinner and catch up.”

Damion, who plies his trade with IK Start in the Norwegian Premier League, added: “We have a close relationship. Because I moved away from here the communication was on and off and we lost the link for a while, but we got back again and we talk almost every day.”

Onanda is a member of Immaculate Conception’s track team, competing in Class Two in the long jump, short sprints and the sprint relays and big brother Damion keeps close tabs on her progress. “I sent her a nice care package to help her prepare for the ISSA Champs,” he said. “I wanted to go see her at Penn Relays but my schedule did not allow that.”

Damion describes his sister as “a top talent. She is doing well in the long jump and in the sprints as well and I know they are doing well”.

Onanda was selected for the Jamaican team to the Carifta Games in the Cayman Islands in April but did not make the trip. She was, however, part of Immaculate Conception’s team that won the High School Girls’ 4x100m International finals at the Penn Relays, two weeks later.

Sports is a big thing for the Lowe family, as Damion’s brother Andre plays for Harbour View in the Red Stripe Premier League, who Damion says “has the same aggression as our father”.

Orlando, their uncle, also played for Harbour View and, according to Damion, “many thought he was better than Onandi and some of my other uncles played for Rockfort as well; but it’s great that myself and Onanda can carry on the name in sports.”

—Paul Reid