ASAJ celebrates excellence at inaugural awards ceremony
The Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) hosted its inaugural awards ceremony on March 1, 2025, at the Terra Nova hotel in St Andrew.
The event recognised the outstanding performances of Jamaica’s national and age group athletes in aquatic sports throughout 2024, celebrating their dedication, perseverance, and excellence in the sport.
The ceremony was also a fundraiser, designed to uplift the nation’s aquatic athletes, boost team morale, and enhance ASAJ’s presence in the global aquatic community. Sport Minister Olivia Grange applauded the initiative as a creative and impactful way to support the nation’s aquatic athletes. She also emphasised her vision to develop a new swimming facility in Jamaica to further expand the sport.
A highlight of the evening was the keynote address delivered by five-time Olympian Alia Atkinson. Her speech inspired the next generation of Jamaican swimmers, emphasising the limitless potential of local talent on the international stage. She encouraged the athletes to embrace challenges and push beyond their limits, reminding them, “To dream big,” as she once did on her path to becoming a world champion.
Honoring Excellence in Aquatic Sports Awards were presented in several categories, recognising top-tier performances in swimming, open water, diving, and artistic swimming. Some of the most prestigious awards of the evening included:
● Male Athlete of the Year – Yona-Knight Wisdom, for his representation at the Paris Olympics and leadership as Jamaica’s Olympic team captain.
● Female Athlete of the Year – Sabrina Lyn, for her remarkable performance in the 50m freestyle at the Paris Olympics and leadership as the 2024 CARIFTA team captain.
● Relay Performances of the Year – 13-14 Boys 200m & 15-17 Boys 200m Freestyle Relays Team for their record-breaking performance at the 2024 CARIFTA Games.
● Coach of the Year – Wendy Lee, recognized for her exceptional leadership and dedication to athlete development.
● Official of the Year – Josyanne Chambers and Joseph Reynolds, for their outstanding contributions to officiating and governance of the sport.
● Open Water Swimmer of the Year – Charles McIntosh, for setting a new 3K open water record at the 2024 Blue Marlins Open Water Meet.
● Excellence in Diving – Yona-Knight Wisdom, Jamaica’s first male diver to represent at three Olympic Games
● Excellence in Artistic Swimming – Jordanya Thomas & Johanna Doman, they both represented Jamaica at 2024 Carifta Artistic Swimming.
Additionally, numerous age group champions were honoured for their exceptional performances at both local and regional competitions, highlighting the depth of young talent within the ASAJ.
