Clarke humbled, surprised by Austin Sealy Award

CARIFTA GAMES 400-metre hurdles champion Roshawn Clarke was humbled after leaving the 50th Carifta Games as the Austin Sealy Award winner and hopes to use the nod as a springboard for better things in his first season at the elite level.

Clarke and the rest of the Jamaican team returned from the Bahamas yesterday after a 78-medal haul that stretched its dominance of the Carifta Games to 37 years.

Although there were strong performances throughout the team, it was Clarke’s exploits that stood out.

He retained the 400mh under-20 boys’ title in 49.92 seconds, an under-20 world-leading time, 11th best in the world, and nearly broke the championship record of 49.72, set in 2010 by Trinidad’s Jehue Gordon.

It was a performance that saw him win the Austin Sealy award, given to the best athlete at the Carifta Games. For Clarke, it was an honour that he did not see coming.

“I was definitely not expecting that. I was collecting my medal and they called me to say that I needed to collect an award, and I am wondering, what award? And they said it was the best athlete award, and I was lost,” Clarke told The Gleaner.

“I’m surprised that I won the award. I’m still in shock.”

With Clarke’s achievement, he brought the award back to Jamaica for the first time in four years, Briana Williams last winning it in 2019. He is also the first Jamaican man to win the award since Yohan Blake in 2007.

The magnitude of the achievement was not lost on him, the lanky hurdler acknowledging the previous winners of the awards, who have gone on to have great careers on the international stage, including Blake, Veronica Campbell Brown, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, and Usain Bolt.

“Personally, that motivates me. To see them move from that stage to the senior level and continue to do great things motivates me to keep on pushing and work harder,” Clarke said.

At the games, there was something different motivating Clarke, who ran a storming second leg in Jamaica’s 4x400-metre relay win to close out the final evening.

According to Clarke, rallying around team captain Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, who injured his hamstring, provided much determination.

“The moment that happened I decided that I had to get the team together and go out there and put on a show for him,” Clarke said.

“Make him feel that he is a part of the team, which he is. We did that, and I am sure that he is happy with that.”

Still, Clarke believes there is more to achieve this season.

“It has been going well. I still need to work on some hurdling as well as getting more speed.”

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com