The year 2021 has been a year like no other for sprint-hurdler Megan Tapper. The diminutive athlete made history when she became the first Caribbean female to win a medal in a sprint hurdles final at the Olympic Games last summer.

Tapper went into the finals at the National Championships in June as a rank outsider and stunned the National Stadium when she won the final running out of lane 8. She then produced another stunning performance at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan to win the bronze medal for Jamaica.

And as the year continues to give back to the determined athlete, Tapper has been nominated for two awards at the National Sports Award to be held next month.

For Tapper, being nominated has been a surreal experience.

“It was amazing! I found out through my friend on WhatsApp. She’s like ‘congratulations on your nominations’ and I’m like ‘for what?’ And she said Sports Woman of the Year and I’m like what? I’m nominated, crazy, plus its two nominations – People’s Choice Awards and Sports Woman of the Year. Surreal, surreal,” she said.

In her usual bubbly style, Tapper said she was happy to have brought joy to so many Jamaicans this year and encouraged everyone to vote for her for the People’s Choice Award.

“Vote for me if you get the chance.  If you don’t that’s fine. Vote for the person that you think should win.  I’m just really, really happy, and excited that I had the opportunity to represent Jamaica the way I did.  And to make you guys happy and excited and proud to be Jamaican,” she concluded.

Tapper was also recently announced as the female 2022 Patron for the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run.

“I am absolutely honoured.  It is a huge venture, it’s a huge thing and I’m really, really, really happy that I was chosen to be the 2022 Patron for the Sigma Corporate Run,” she said at the ceremony where she was officially revealed as the patron last week.

Tapper also encouraged all Jamaicans to support the event as their collective contributions will go a long way to support the healthcare system.

“The KPH does at least 9000 surgeries a year and caters to over 20,000 people.  So, they need all the support we can give as Jamaicans.  We need it, it will only help us in return.  So, give as much as you can, and lend all your support to this,” she urged.