DUNROBIN Primary School’s top male performer in the recent Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination has a name which speaks of excellence on the track but he is making his early mark in the academic world.

He is named after the man dubbed the ‘sub-10’ king, Asafa Powell, and he is designed to equal or better his namesakes achievement in the classroom.

Powell will be attending Campion College for the upcoming school year and was rewarded with a free medical check-up for his outstanding academic performances at the opening of the Centre of Clinical Excellence on Westminster Road, St Andrew, on Wednesday.

Powell’s mother, Latoya Green, told the Jamaica Observer that her son’s name was no coincidence.

“Mi love Asafa Powell and when I met his father him last name was Powell, so mi a say this was a good combination and good opportunity,” said the beaming mother.

Despite her son’s lack of enthusiasm for the track, Green is proud of his accomplishments in school so far.

She describes him as the “Academic Asafa” who continues to run ahead of everyone in his classes with his hard work and determination.

Family friend Bridget Barret said all the residents in the sometimes troubled Cassia Park community love Asafa and are proud of him.

According to Barret, there are not many like him around the area who ignore the distractions and stay focused on school the way he does.

“To grow up in a little environment where at times we have the violence and to see that he still stays focused and maintained his good grades, that is why we are proud of him,” said Barret.

That is also a trait which Powell’s mother identified very early in his life.

She said there would be incidents of shooting in the area, sometimes even as close as beside their house, which would force them to take cover.

“One time we were in an online class and we heard gun fire very close to the house. We had to run and hide and I had to tell the teacher that ‘mi soon join back because a bare things a gwaan outside’. Mi haffi tek him up and we haffi run guh ina the kitchen go hide,” said Green.

She added that the violence did not faze Powell because he was never distracted nor frightened by anything that occurred outside.

Green recalled the struggles they faced whenever he had to attend classes online and commended his determination and discipline despite the challenges.

“I remember when he had no laptop [and] I had to leave my phone with him so he could do online class. So when I went to work I would use my co-worker’s phone and call him to check up and to remind him of all he was supposed to do.

He would finish all his homework and schoolwork in time without me telling me even telling or forcing him to do it. That is just the kind of child he is,” Green said while hugging her son.

She said the entire community of Cassia Park continues to embrace Powell and are looking to see what he will achieve in the future.