Before he became Jamaica’s head of government and national hero ,Norman Washington Manley was a Jamaica College (JC) hero — winning five events to lead the school to its first ISSA Boys’ Athletics Championship (Champs) in 1911.

Wolmer’s Boys’ had won the first Champs in 1910 with 35 points with JC second 30.4 points. In that championship Manley earned 11 points, winning the 880 yards open, and placing second in the Class One 100 yards, the 440 yards, and the long jump.

But he announced himself in 1911, propelling JC to the title, scoring 17 of the school’s 33 points, winning five events – the 100, 200, 440, 880 and 120 hurdle open, while placing second in the long jump.

The defending champions Wolmer’s finished second with 28 ½ points, while St George’s College finished third with 22 ½ points.

Manley was now a bona fide star, the first at Champs and he didn’t stop there. The following year, 1912, Manley went better. He was imperious, winning six events as JC retained their title.

JC piled up 33 points with Manley getting 18 of those which confirmed his status as a real superstar in athletics. He won the Class One 100, 220, 440, long jump, plus the 120 hurdles, and high jump open events.

The first World War robbed Manley of a chance to represent Jamaica at the 1916 Olympic Games and a chance at international glory.

Manley, along with his brother Douglas, Champs’ first 100m champion of 1910, JM Hall of JC, and LB Young who was a member of JC’s 1911 winning team, were drafted to fight for the British Empire.

Manley’s sustained pursuit of excellence began as a student at Jamaica College. The record of his achievements listed in the school magazine in his final year read: “Monitor; captain of football and sports; vice-captain of cricket; secretary of the rifle club; candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship; excellent forward; unmatched in running, jumping, and hurdling; very good bowler, good batsman; excellent shot — he excelled in all our athletics. His academics were as brilliant as his athletics… four out of his five mathematical papers were distinguished and the school was confident that his proxime accessit (finishing second in the exam) for the Rhodes Scholarship would lead to the scholarship itself.”

After school, Norman Manley studied law, being the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, and distinguished himself as a top barrister, labour leader, becoming the first president of the People’s National Party when it was formed in 1938 and became the first and only premier of Jamaica in 1959 while leading the fight for Independence from the British colony.

Jamaica gained Independence in 1962 and Manley failed in his bid to lead the PNP to election victory and become the first prime minister of the newly independent nation.

Manley died in September 1969 at 76 years old, and in October of that year he was named a National Hero.

Jamaica College current stars at Champs this year including Elijah Smeikle (left) and Deandre Gayle are standing on the shoulders of the school’s first Champs star Norman Manley. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)