Wed | May 8, 2024

Nugent an inspiration to Excelsior

Published:Saturday | November 11, 2023 | 12:10 AMHubert Lawrence/Gleaner Writer
Pause
Desmond Shakespeare
Contributed
Desmond Shakespeare
Ackera Nugent (left) competing for Excelsior High in the Class Two 100 metres semi-finals at the 2019 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
File
Ackera Nugent (left) competing for Excelsior High in the Class Two 100 metres semi-finals at the 2019 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
1
2

Even though she’s just 21, 100-metre hurdler Ackera Nugent is already inspiring the student-athletes at Excelsior High School, the institution she last represented in 2020. That’s the insight from Desmond Shakespeare, the patriarch of the Excelsior...

Even though she’s just 21, 100-metre hurdler Ackera Nugent is already inspiring the student-athletes at Excelsior High School, the institution she last represented in 2020. That’s the insight from Desmond Shakespeare, the patriarch of the Excelsior track and field family.

Just after the launch of the 2023 P.A. Benjamin Wesley Powell Track Meet on Wednesday, Shakespeare spoke with delight about Nugent’s NCAA titles for Baylor University and the University of Arkansas and her place in the World Championships 100m hurdles final in Budapest, Hungary.

Nugent is featured on a banner, alongside the school’s other great sons and daughter, at the ‘Equator’, which houses the Excelsior track and field office, weight room and exercise centre.

“Down by what we call the Equator, our centre, we have a banner with all our Olympians and now we’re about to put up what I call a Wall of Honour. So, all those people who went by, the Noel Mitchells, from 1960, are going to be up there on our Wall of Honour,” he revealed.

“In fact,” he continued, “there is a certificate down there with Ackera, her photo and a quote from her on the Wall. So we use all these people to motivate the current students.”

Nugent was a star at Excelsior and, in 2021, won the World Under-20 100m hurdles gold medal.

“Everybody is proud of Ackera not just as an athlete but just who she is. She’s always been a very confident and forward-thinking young lady, very good student from when she was here. Knew what she wanted to do, and she hasn’t changed,” said Shakespeare, who himself ran for Excelsior at Boys’ Championships.

“I get messages from all over the world,” he added. “So everyone is proud, all the past students, her teachers, the administration and, of course, the coaches. Everyone is very proud of her.”

Fifth in Budapest, Nugent has ended her collegiate career with two NCAA indoor 60 metre titles and one outdoor 100m hurdles crown. That last honour came in June and complemented her indoor victory for Arkansas. In addition, Nugent lowered her personal best to 12.43 seconds and now is the fourth-fastest Jamaican in history.