Olympic sprinter Ato Boldon says he will be sending emergency supplies to Jamaica in aid of relief efforts as the nation recovers from the passage of Hurricane Melissa last week.

The hurricane is the first-ever Category Five system to make a direct hit on Jamaica and left most of the island in ruin after making landfall in the west on Tuesday. The Government says over 20 lives have so far been lost, with the toll expected to rise in coming days.

Boldon, who represented Trinidad and Tobago in the short sprints, is a four-time Olympic medallist and former 200m world champion.

He, however, is part Jamaican through his mother, and spent some time living on the island in his youth.

“As you know, Jamaica has been devastated by one of the worst hurricanes ever in Melissa, and it is really particularly bad in the western part of Jamaica,” he said on a video on his Instagram on Thursday. “So my charity is my.americares.org, that’s the one that I’m giving to. But me and some of my pilot friends are also, in about two weeks, are going to fly an entire [Boeing] 737 worth of stuff down to Jamaica.

“So I am looking forward very much to that. But I said that to say don’t feel like you can’t do anything at all. Everybody does not necessarily just want money from you. You could literally take stuff you have in your pantry and give it and we’re going to make sure it gets there. Those of you who follow me on social media, I’m going to make sure that the people who follow me, that we are contributing to that 737 that we’re taking down there. So make sure that you follow along in the next seven to ten days so you can know where to send the stuff if you want to give stuff to Hurricane Melissa relief in Jamaica.”

The project is being put together by Boldon’s colleague Barrington Irving, an American pilot of Jamaican heritage. They will be joined by Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Briana Williams, a former trainee of Boldon. They previously collaborated on disaster relief in Bahamas after that island was hit by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

“We did this on a much smaller scale when The Bahamas was hit,” Boldon told the Jamaica Observer. “Barrington and I flew supplies with younger Briana and my own daughter Lea in his plane over to Freeport. I thought it was one of the most memorable days of my life, and certainly of theirs. This time there is a great need, and if everyone helps, it makes it easier. So I am encouraged by what I see on social media so far regarding getting Jamaica back on track. So we are going to do our part here in South Florida and encourage everyone to help in any way they can.”

BOLDON…there is a great need and if everyone helps, it makes it easier.