Over its near 60 years as a sovereign nation, Jamaica has had its fair share of crises.

Worst would include Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 when then Prime Minister Mr Edward Seaga likened the devastation to that of the Japanese city of Hiroshima following the USA’s detonation of an atom bomb in 1945 at the end of World War Two.

Many will recall the build-up to the 1980 General Election when Jamaica teetered on the brink of civil war.

For most Jamaicans today, the worst crisis has been the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic which has claimed more than 2,900 souls over the past two years and turned life upside down.

Inevitably, there has been considerable mental instability as people struggle to cope with lockdowns and restrictions of all sort.

The public relief since the easing of restrictions and the withdrawal of the overarching Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) have been evident everywhere, not least at the National Stadium, during the 2022 Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which ended Saturday night.

At no point was the stadium anywhere near its 30,000-capacity as undoubtedly would have been the case pre-COVID-19. Still, those watching on TV had reason to smile at the unbridled joy on show from competitors and the mass of mostly young spectators.

Another wave of COVID-19 may yet come. But, whatever happens, Jamaicans must celebrate life and look optimistically forward.

Indeed, there was much to celebrate and to be optimistic about in the athletic performances over the five days of Champs.

Congrats to the top schools — those who won and others who pushed hard. Winning the more than 100-year-old Champs is not only about talent, it is very much about organisation at a very high level.

Edwin Allen High School, in deep rural north Clarendon, won its eighth-straight title and its ninth overall, in the girls’ category.

Kingston College, proud ‘purple and white’ standard-bearers of downtown Kingston, grabbed their 33rd hold of the boys’ title.

Team achievements aside, this newspaper was particularly impressed by the high level and spread of individual student talent from across Jamaica.

The markers laid down suggest the nation’s vaunted track and field programme continues to grow — despite the ravages of COVID-19 — with promise of even greater glory ahead.

Those shining bright came not just from the traditional top schools, but also from institutions hardly known outside of their immediate region. That’s testimony to the efforts and sacrifices of athletes, parents, school leaders, coaches, and others.

Achievements in sport should never be taken for granted. Consider young Mr Tavaine Stewart of Herbert Morrison Technical High School in Montego Bay. He is a Class Three sprinter who missed Champs last year because of injury, but bounced back to win his 100-metre event last week.

“I have worked hard for this medal… 10 o’clock in the nights sometimes I am just reaching home because I can’t get a drive… to get home [from school]… It’s very hard to be reaching home 10 o’clock in the night, having homework to be done — because you can’t forget the education — and then you have to wake up at 5:30 again to go to school the next morning…” said he.

Make no mistake, our student athletes deserve all the applause and support now ongoing, and much, much more.