Ray Harvey, the organising committee chairman and co-founder of Western Relays, announced that the late Hubert Lawrence will be honoured at this year’s staging of the meet on Saturday, February 8 at G C Foster College.

Lawrence was said to have never missed a Western Relays meet during the last 35 years. He started to attend Western Relays when it was being held at Cornwall College and followed it to the incomplete Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall in the heart of the city. He also attended the event when it was first held at G C Foster College in 2009 and 2010, when the meet was forced to relocate in order to access an all-weather track. At the time none was available in Montego Bay due to the fact that the stadium was being completed. The meet eventually returned to Montego Bay but had to return to G C Foster College in 2019 because the track in the west was deemed unsafe for athletes.

Over the many years of Lawrence’s attendance at the meet, he wrote extensively about it, the athletes’ performances, the importance of the track that was the cradle for many athletes who represent Jamaica on the regional and international stages.

Additionally, Lawrence always contributed an article to the event magazine where he explored many topics of his choice. He also contributed in other capacities such as meet announcer and analyst.

His suggestions and recommendations over the years have contributed to the world class relay carnival that Western Relays has become. The sum total of his value to the meet goes far beyond those specific items listed. He will be sorely missed but the legacy of his contribution lives on.

His final article in the event magazine titled ‘A Glimmer of Hope’ was about the unavailability of Catherine Hall venue to stage track and field events. An excerpt from that article reads: “The Relays and Western Champs are glorious events when held at the hall, filled with colour and school pride. That venue gave Western track and field a centre easily reached by those from northern parishes and southern parishes. Its return cannot come too soon.”

This year’s Western Relays, which is the 46th staging, the event schedule will feature the throws — discus and shot put — for all classes for girls and boys at the high school level for the second time after being introduce in 2024. The invitational 60m for clubs and institutions will again be on the schedule based on request from the coaches at the senior level.