Kishane Thompson, the pride of Mitchell Town

When Kishane Thompson steps on to the track to compete in the 100 metres at the Paris Olympics this week, he will not only carry the weight of his country's expectations but also the flame of hope for residents of Mitchell Town in southeastern Clarendon, many of whom have been severely affected by the merciless Hurricane Beryl.

The 23-year-old sprinter ran an astonishing 9.77 seconds in his pet event at the National Stadium last month and turns up in the City of Light ranked as a contender for the gold medal.

Grace Allen, Thompson's mother, was beaming with pride when The Sunday Gleaner visited her community yesterday.

“I always feel thrilled, and I always believe in him. I'm always cheering for him, and I know he's gonna come up as the winner. I know injuries plagued him for a while, and that was keeping him back, but I know he has the potential. I know he has the talent, so I'm not worried about him [in Paris], and he's focused.”

The proud mother said her son's athletic abilities became apparent while he was a young child attending Mitchell Town Basic, Watson, and Mitchell Town primary schools. His talent blossomed while at Garvey Maceo High School, and later at the University of Technology.

Focused child

“Kishane was such a focused child. He was always in the running at school, and he always did very well,” his mother shared.

Allen mentioned that Kishane's twin brother, Kishaun, has taken on the role of a proud track fan, cheering on his sibling's success. However, she also shared a poignant regret. Sadly, one of Kishane's biggest fans, his dad, passed away earlier this year, missing the chance to see their son compete on the big stage – a dream they had often talked about with much enthusiasm.

“Kishane and his father always had a good relationship. His father always believed in him and his running abilities. He knew he would make it to this point. He believed in his dream, and wanted him to see him at this point,” shared Allen.

Immense pride

In the meantime, residents of Mitchell Town have lavished praise on the 23-year-old athlete, hailing him as a source of immense pride for the community. Many residents described him as humble, well-mannered, and principled. Community folk fondly remember Kishane as a child who would often impressively ride his bicycle on one wheel through the streets of Mitchell Town.

One resident, Pauline Lewis, expressed her heartfelt pride in Kishane's achievements.

“I'm extremely proud of him ... he's like one of my own, like my own child,” she said. “When you're out and people ask where you're from, and you say Mitchell Town, they often ask, 'Where's that?' Nobody really knows Mitchell Town like that, so it's great to have something else put Mitchell Town on the map,” Lewis added.

Laddell Crawford, another resident, reminisced about the Thompson twins' childhood antics, recalling vividly the days of a younger Kishane and Kishaun “wheeling their bicycles on one wheel” through Mitchell Town. Crawford believes Kishane is the next big thing to bring glory to the community, following in the footsteps of notable Mitchell Town natives like Television Jamaica (TVJ) journalist and Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) 2022 Journalist of the Year, Giovanni Dennis, and Miss Jamaica Universe 2017, Davina Bennett.

Despite some sections of the community still being without electricity following the passage of Hurricane Beryl earlier this month, residents are determined to watch their star perform. “Some way somehow wi a fi see the race. If a even by [using a generator], wi a fi see the race, 'cause mi know him a win gold and put wi pan the map,” said Crawford.

Mitchell Town was among the Clarendon communities worst affected when Beryl, a rampaging Category 4 storm, passed close to the country's south coast on July 3. Thousands of residents across sections of the island are still without electricity after the transmission lines were damaged by the hurricane. In Mitchell Town, power has been restored to most areas, but the impact of the devastation is evident by downed trees and damaged roofs. A Kishane Thompson gold medal, they said, would go a long way in lifting their spirits.

Kishane's relative, John Thompson, has high hopes for his family member's future success. “That's my family. The next man fi tek over all a the victory in a the worl'. That's the man who gonna beat Usain Bolt's record,” Thompson told The Sunday Gleaner, predicting a 9.44 seconds word record gold medal run.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com