The Montserrat Reporter

The MSS school road relay teams stole the show one more time in the 2016 Easter Monday Road relay.

The school girls’ teams placed 1^st and 3^rd with MSS 1 winning in a time of 50mins 39secs taking the Prize money of $1500.

Endurance Girls copped 2^nd with a time of 51mins 31secs and Prize money of $1250, while MSS 2 Girls got 3^rd place with a time of 55mins 18secs and Prize money of $1000.

MSS Cadets Girls had entered a team but were unable to finish the race, whihle the Cadet boys team took the cellar position of 5^th place in 1hr 50 mins 17 secs 

The Endurance Men team took 1^st  in a time 1hr 34mins 16secs beating the previous best time 1h 35mins 9secs and earning themselves prize money of $1650.

There was a visiting hurricane Power Club girls team from Antigua which participated but did not compete. The team however set outperformed the local girls beating the previous 2015 records of 48mins 29secs set by MSS Girls by clocking 47mins 16secs.

Meanwhile the hurricane Power Club male team from Antigua came in a time of 1hr 42mins 45secs landing them in 4^th position.

Final positions men teams:

5^th MSS Cadets Boys – 1hr 50mins 17secs

4^th Police & Community United 2 – 1h 48mins 20secs

3^rd Police & Community United 1 – 1h 38mins 55secs (Prize money $1250)

2^nd Fire Men – 1h 36mins 29secs (Prize money $1350)

1^st Endurance in a time 1hr 34mins 16secs

The Montserrat Secondary School sports was forced to be concluded over two Wednesdays in successive weeks because of unusual downpour of rain on the first Wednesday.

At the end of April 19, 2017, Orange House with secret, but intuitive leadership and the Victor Ludorum who in strong competition gathered 37 points, Orange House was the winner with 624 points. Blue House followed with, 601, with Green House and Red House tailing with 592 and 505 respectively.

A family of athletes over the years, Anisha Turner shone for blue House capturing the Victrix Ludorum title.

Blue house tugged away with winning the tug-o-war, sweeping March past and the house rally.

In netball, Orange house won the Tournament while Green House won the Basketball tournament.

Blue and Green vs Orange and Red. Each house gained 10 point after the final score was tied at 2-2.

Below is a tabulation of champions in the different classes

The Montserrat Basketball Association Village Basketball League came to an end on early Sunday morning when defending Champions Salem Jammers held on to their title by winning Lookout Shooters two in the best of three games series. The finals began on Friday night with Cudjoehead vs St. Peters and Lookout vs Salem. Both St. Peters and Salem walk away with the first game. Salem Jammers 69 points against there opponent Lookout Shooters who gained 57 points.

Game two took place on Saturday night going in to early Sunday morning the St. Peters defeated their opponent Cudjoehead 63 to 51 points and taking third place in the tournament. Then the climax was the big game where the two top teams of the league battle to end the series or have one more game. It ended with Salem Jammers the defending champions proving they got what it takes and walking away with the championship for a second time back to back scoring 80 point to Lookout Shooter 70 points.

Watch snippets of the game:

Toni-Ann Williams from Jamaica scored 50.966

Toni-Ann Williams Team Jamaica entire floor exercise performance.
Bringing Caribbean flavour to ‪#‎Gymnastics‬ Qualification.

Uneven Bars performance by Toni-Ann Williams Team Jamaica
‪#‎Gymnastics‬ Qualification.

Toni-Ann Williams Team Jamaica does well on the balance beam.
Women’s ‪#‎Gymnastics‬ Qualifications Subdivision

Marisa Dick from Trinidad and Tobago scores 12.533 on her floor routine and 13.66 on the balance beam.

Marisa Dick Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee vault at ‪#‎Gymnastics‬Qualifications Subdivision.

Marisa Dick floor routine. The first Trinidad and Tobago to represent for the sport of Gymnastics.

By Owen Roach

Members of Melford Roach family

On Saturday, December 5th, 2015, Melford Roach was laid to rest at the Macon Memorial Park Cemetery in Atlanta, USA.

Myself, friends and other family members turned out in numbers to say our final goodbyes. The night before the funeral, my friend Eddy Burke suggested that I should pen a few lines on a man whom he described as distinguished. I gave his request some thought, as this would be the second time that I would pay tribute to a Montserratian national cricket hero. The other, being the incomparable Haycene “Chico” Ryan; one of my childhood mentors, who also succumbed to cancer a few years earlier. Heroes they both were at least for the masses, if not officially recognised as such. For in Montserrat, recognising the worth and contributions of those who have contributed is sadly superficial, for truth has become a chimera.

It is not easy to write on a family member, more so your brother. But, here I go with caution. My earliest memories of Melford go back to the mid 1970’s. Our father, the late Tommy Roach, a former national cricketer, frequently spoke of Mel and his exploits in cricket. By then he had migrated to the land of the brave and free. My memories of him were derived from the stories our Dad told both myself, and my brother Rudolph, and also from a photo of him which was proudly displayed in our living room; featuring a Montserrat cricket team, with the likes of Frank Edwards, Vendol Moore, John Wilson, and Cubby Jemmotte among others. That year I believe was 1964.

By 1984, when I was much older, I was able to do some research on Mel Roach. I learnt that he played for the Leeward Islands cricket team against the touring Australians in St Kitts in 1965. His 34 runs batting at number 7 for the Leeward Islands was an example of his determination as a batter. What impressed me most about him in 1965 was that he opened the bowling for the Leeward Islands. Then, he would have been age 22. This was no mere feat. In the Leeward Islands of 1965, not many bowlers were quicker than Mel Roach. This clearly spoke volumes, for in the early 1960’s Winston Soanes; arguably the quickest bowler the Leewards had seen, had died in a car accident in Antigua. The Antiguan Hubert Anthonyson, bowled with fire and brimstone; and Lester Bird, the former Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda was a force to be reckoned with. I dare say, that these men of pace were as quick then as anyone in the West Indies. The difference was that they were all from the small Islands.

In the 1960’s the West Indies hierarchy did not consider cricketers from the Leeward Islands. Coming out of adult suffrage, these were the men that we hinged our hopes on for great things. This image was to manifest itself in 1973, when Elquimedo Willet, and later Andy Roberts and Viv Richards played for the West Indies cricket team. Thus, Mel Roach, and the other forerunners of pace were the spiritual fathers of Andy Roberts, and the other Leeward Island fast bowlers who later played test cricket. Not to see this is simply not to see!

Playing for Montserrat in the late 1960’s, Mel Roach’s performances were outstanding. Today, Clifton “Blee” Riley still contends that Mel bowled in the nineties. Dick Martin, and the other villagers of St Patricks, where he grew up and played most of his cricket are still steadfast in this belief. My friend Hugh Gore in Antigua, the former Leeward Islands player and later Manager once told me that Mel Roach was good enough to have played for the West Indies.

The late Antiguan historian, and writer Tim Hector, who frequently spoke of Mel Roach’s, high arm action and rapid pace in the 1960’s, echoed these sentiments.

I pause here, for no Montserratian writer is yet to write about Mel Roach. I am not surprised. For when years after the death of a cultural icon like Arrow, not even a street symbolises his memory, it tells me that we are a people,” without the knowledge of our past history, origin and culture”.

Mel Roach was a man of inspiration and great pride. His performances for Montserrat in the Leeward Islands cricket tournament as a fast bowler were exemplary. They lifted the nation. It gave us, the sons and daughters of slaves, coming into adult suffrage, the feeling that we could achieve any height as those who were more fortunate than we were.

This was evident in the dashing manner in which Jim Allen batted in later years, and Lesroy Weekes who came later, haunting some of the finest batsmen the game has produced in the Caribbean and England.

Mel Roach’s 151 not out against St Kitts in Antigua in 1965 – a gem of an innings – is still spoken of by students of the game. That innings was made against Leroy Coury and Edgar Gilbert; two of the finest spinners the Leeward Islands has produced. This was the first time that a Montserratian had made one hundred and fifty runs, in a Leeward Islands Cricket match. This was also the second century by a Montserratian after Kingsley Rock in the 1950’s.

In the 1960’s Montserratian cricketers did not score centuries. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Jim Allen made scoring centuries and punishing bowlers in Leewards and regional cricket a norm. In the decade of the 1990’s, myself, Davon Williams, Fitzroy Buffonge, Alexander Hubert, Macpherson Meade, Trevor Semper and Zuan Sweeney, made hundreds at will and I hope, has paved the way for Dino Baker, Jason Peters and others. No other genuine Montserratian fast bowling all-rounder with the exception of Mel Roach and Alford Corriette has scored a century for Montserrat in the Leeward Islands cricket Tournament. Yet, these facts are not recorded in the history of Montserrat.

When Mel moved to the USA in the late 1960’s his impact as a cricketer was evident. So much so, that he had the distinction of touring with a New York representative team to Bermuda in the 1970’s. Mel’s long-time friend, and business partner Vincent Cassell, Eddy Burke and myself discussed at length as to why Montserrat had allowed such a talented cricketer to leave its shores in the prime of his life?

But, you see in the country of the blind, the one eyed man will always be King. It’s not the first time that a clueless cricket administration and a myopic Government had allowed our best sports personnel and or academics to leave our shores. It will not be the last.

Melford knew exceptional talent in cricket. When I visited him in Atlanta in March of this year, he was hospitalised, but we spoke about the game at length, as we always did. For him, cricket was the cultural vehicle, which gave us the people of the Caribbean a national expression. He spoke of the late John Burke, Eddy Burke’s Uncle who bowled the great Everton Weekes at Sturge Park in Montserrat in late 1950’s. Weekes was then one of the best batsmen in the world, and a celebrated member of the famous trio of, Weekes, Worrell, and Walcott. His words were, “Burke was a great off spin bowler”. He was also full of praise for Son Harris whom he thought was one of Montserrat’s finest fast bowling talents.

Away from the field of cricket, he believed in education. He believed in education in only a way that believers knew how to. He attended Baruch University in New York and gained a Master’s Degree in Business.

My position was Pan Africanism. Our social backgrounds were different. He grew up in a different Montserrat to me. My views were shaped by the struggles of good people the world over – Black and White, Christian or non-Christian – whose goals were based on equality and justice.

What impressed me most was Melford’s humour, and the equanimity with which he faced his illness. His son Laurie and I together visited him two weeks ago. He stated he was expecting us earlier than our arrival time. He also quickly told his Care Assistant who we both were with absolute certainty. I told Laurie that such traits of decisiveness were learnt on the field of play. Cricket was the golden game. Melford was a fast bowler who was mentally tough, despite the threat of death. I also got the impression that he was a no-nonsense man who was committed to positive family values. He always walked with a purpose, which typified certainty, and was distinguished in his dealings. He cared for everyone, and as Carlton Johnson in London told me a few nights ago, “he would never say a bad word about anyone”.

As I became older we grew closer. I would call him often, as I respected his views on everything. For me, he was the Dubois and George Padmore of his time in my personal life. Pan Africanism and cricket would always meet.

In the last couple of months Melford was suffering from pancreatic cancer. I saw the hurt and frustration in his eyes. I visited him several times in Atlanta. He told me that he was not going to give up. He was right, for today his fight is on a different frontier. His spirit never wavered. I am sure that today his spirit will join those of his mother and father, safe beyond the stars in God’s promise of eternal life.

In July of last year, he said the following on his Facebook page

“Something remains indelible on my mind 50 years ago, this month. After following on by 150 runs in our match against St. Kitts in Antigua, we were able to avoid another defeat. After being 23 for 5 the afternoon before, Corbett, Moore, Cabey, Brandt and myself, decided that we were not going to be defeated again. We were able to amass 266 runs, of which, Moore contributed 30 odd; Corbett and Cabey in the twenties. Brandt made his highest score ever, 19 runs. I was left not out 151. I cannot forget those guys who stood with me as we fought with great Montserratian pride. I think of them often. Must mention my friend Jemmotte who ran for an injured Moore. That entire group of players was the foundation if what was to follow”. What memories!

He leaves to mourn his wife Cheryl Campbell Roach in Atlanta. His Son Laurie, and his family in the USA. His daughters Penny and Kimberly, and their families also in the USA. His sisters, Iona, Edith, Audrey and Monica in the USA. Also his brothers Hopey, Rudolph, Owen, and their families. Rest in peace my brother!

Note: Owen Roach is a Pan Africanist and Barrister at the Bar of England and Wales

By Owen Roach

(Thomas at his home in The Bronx, New York)

This is the first time in about five years that I have visited New York City. My memories of this City are littered with good thoughts. Years ago in the early 1990s, I spent many Summers with Reinford Gibbons, alias Kulcha Don, Adrian “Smudge”, Johnson, Polo Johnson, Cullen Bramble and many more of my childhood friends in the Bronx. We were all much younger then, and much fun, we had. As an elder, James “ Dah- Rocky” Lee, always provided useful guidance.

(Top Photo. Montserrat cricket team in Nevis in 1952. Bottom row sitting – Sylvester Davis, Barley Mason, and Thomas Davis – with bat in hand.
Bottom photo – Far bottom right Thomas Davis . Other players in that photo are: – standing from left – Sylvester Davis, Don Edwards, Syers, George Edwards, Robert Semper, Son Harris, and Theodore Bramble- Standing. George Edwards has the white scarf on his neck. He is fourth from the left at the top.).*

(B Roach speaking with ‘Legs’ Davis on June 25 at Melford’s Memorial service in New York.)

Most of my family lives in this huge cosmopolitan City, so it is unusual that my hiatus was for such a long duration.

On Sunday of last week, as I travelled on the uptown train from Manhattan, I thought of my brother Melford Roach, who recently died. It was his memory that has brought me back to this City, as a memorial was held in his honour on 25th June, 2016 at Vyse Avenue in the Bronx. Mel, as he was affectionately known, loved cricket, and as expected several past cricketers attended his memorial. Amongst them was my former Ghetto Stars cricket mate, Cecil “ Joe Fatty” Farrell, forever a proud Montserratian.

I was introduced to Thomas Davis, and right away I recognized his name, as his name has always been synonymous with cricket in Montserrat. I thought that it would be good to record his story for posterity, as in Montserrat, the contributions of its sons and daughters seems to have faded into oblivion or are simply nonexistent. It is not the first or last time, that I would echo these sentiments.

Thomas Davis is one of Montserrat’s most prominent cricketers. He was born in George Street, to Samuel Davis and Alice Tuitt in 1928. His nickname, “Legs” was given to him by his cousin Ruby Chambers. Ruby once told Thomas during their childhood playing days, that “legs on duty stand up on duty”. He attended the Kinsale Primary School. His two favourite teachers were Ms Dunbar, an Antiguan who lived in Montserrat, and Ms Vivian Allen from St John’s. The then young Thomas Davis journeyed to school on foot daily. Such was the mode of transportation in those days.

As I sat and spoke to him at his home in the Bronx where he has lived since 1959, he fondly remembers playing for the Spitfire Cricket Team in the 1940s. Spitfire Cricket Team then was the team of the working class. That team featured the likes of my father Tommy Roach, Daniel Roach, Barley Mason, Robert Semper, and Gee Dyer, all deceased.

Young Davis played as an opening batsman, and excelled against the other teams that were part of the cricket league in Montserrat at the time. Some of those teams were the Union Cricket team that comprised of players from the then Montserrat Secondary School. Some of the players who represented this club were Reginald Clarke and James Osborne. In later years Reginald Clarke would open the batting for Montserrat with Thomas Davis. There were also other teams like Rivals, who boasted in their ranks the likes of Peter Collins, Rolley Riley, Simeon James and John Barzey.

The Corkhill Cricket Team featured Teacher George Edwards, Peter Cabey, and Fred Barzey. The Montserrat Defence Force Team one of the more opulent clubs of the time, featured Theodore Bramble, Hubert Mason, and Michael Dyer.

It was a century in a trial match at Sturge Park in the late 1940s that brought Davis to the attention of the Montserrat Cricket Selectors. Davis, who was predominantly an offside player, had no structural weakness in his cover drive. He recalls that in those days trial matches were played on Wednesday afternoons.

These were the halcyon days of Montserrat cricket. Thomas Davis remembers playing his first match for Montserrat in 1951 in St Kitts. Some of his teammates then were, Sydney Meade, Will Farrell, Simeon James, Barley Mason, Hubert Mason, George Edwards and John Burke, all deceased. The names of which very few Montserratians have ever heard of. Such history should be taught in our schools. For a people without the knowledge of their past, history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.

In 1953, Thomas Davis representing Montserrat in Montserrat, scored a half-century in the first innings against Nevis at Sturge Park. In the second innings, he was again prolific in scoring 60 runs. In that same Tournament, Davis scored 84 in the first innings against St Kitts and a half-century in the second innings against St Kitts. Montserrat won the Leewards Islands Cricket Tournament for the first time. That feat is yet to repeat itself. Thomas Davis is the only surviving member of that team. He is eighty-eight years old. I think that the Government and people of Montserrat should officially recognize this unsung hero, and true son of our soil.

Davis played for Montserrat with distinction between, 1951 to 1956. In 1953, he had the honour of being selected to play in a mixed team in British Guiana. He, along with three others from the Leeward Islands were selected. The others were Austin Eddy of St Kitts, Hubert Anthony of Antigua, and Hobson from Nevis. Such was the high esteem in which Thomas Davis was held as a batsman. In British Guiana, Davis scored 42 runs for Robert Christiani’s team. Jeffrey Stollmeyer, the former West Indies Cricket Captain, captained the other team.

I will divert a little here, for in the times in which Thomas Davis grew up, it was an era that had as its backdrop slavery and intense racism. In those days, we the sons and daughters of the descendants of African slaves were made to feel inferior. This was enforced by law and the power of internal and external forces. We in Montserrat had to, as a matter of necessity, rise in sports, politics, and culture to overcome those darks days of oppression. In particular, to overcome the contempt shown to our so called inferior status. Thomas Davis as a cricketer, was a beacon of hope in those dark days. He shone at times in isolated brilliance.

Diminutive in size, only a careful observer of physique would notice Davis, but in the 1940s and 1950s his mastery as a batsman could not be missed.

Davis worked as a Carpenter at Public Works Department in Montserrat before migrating to the United States to live in 1959. In New York, Davis continued to play cricket and had the distinction of representing the New York Cricket Team in 1970, as a batsman.

Cricket has always been the vehicle that we as the people in the Caribbean used as a tool to propel us forward. In Montserrat, cricket has become a form of national expression. Sports in our small island has been used as a carriage of personal advancement. For sports in general rests on the premise, that all participants are equal and that the same clock times all players. For like the law, sports is supposed to be colour blind.

Thomas Davis is an unsung hero. Montserrat should be proud of his achievements.

The present Government seems to be on the right track in honouring its own. No doubt the Honourable Gregory Willock is a driving force in this regard.

I would hereby submit that Thomas Davis, as the only surviving member of the victorious Montserrat 1953 cricket team, should be honoured and celebrated. My friend Helen Lee, and my cousin James “Capes” Taylor who transported me to meet Thomas Davis where overwhelmed by this touching story. It would be interesting to see what my Atlanta friends think, as Dave Markham is of the view that I should write more.

Perception, I am told, is more real than reality until reality overtakes it. For decades, I had wrongfully thought that myself, the deceased Haycene Ryan, Alford Corriette, and John Mack were the main cricketers to have emerged from George Street. Now, reality has set in.

Davis returned to Montserrat for a brief period in the early 1990s. However, the destructive bolcano destroyed his newly built home in Upper Dagenham. It was a huge financial and spiritual loss. Nature, would deny Thomas Davis the chance to spend more time in his beloved Montserrat.

It was a pleasure to have spent the afternoon with Thomas Davis and his wife Mrs Susan Greer Davis.

Note: Owen Roach is a former Montserrat National Cricketer and Barrister-at-Law in London.

by Bennette Roach

Melford George Roach, 1943 – 2015, born to Henrietta (a.k.a. Na, Helen) and John Thomas (Tommy) Roach in St. Patrick’s village, Montserrat, where he grew up until he migrated to the USA in 1967, but not before his cricket achievements, as mentioned in a tribute penned and published in this issue by his brother, Barrister-at-Law Owen Roach.

In a biography which formed part of a booklet with the program (Remembering “Mel”) of a Memorial service, organised by his sisters, Iona (Ta), Edith and Audrey, with other relatives, held on June 25, 2016 at Vyse Avenue in the Bronx, New York, and which I attended, Owen wrote, “Mel, as he was affectionately known, loved cricket, and as expected several past cricketers attended his memorial.”

In the biography, it stated: “From an early age Melford loved sports. He played cricket early on, first as a student attending the Roman Catholic School and later the Montserrat Secondary School from which he graduated. He immediately went to work for the Montserrat Government, first at the Public Works and later at the Audit Department.

“He was a big brother, Dad, father figure, friend, husband, grand dad, uncle, cousin, godfather and more…He would often encourage us, his siblings to call one another and other members of the family to keep in  touch…He looked forward to the reunions every time they’re held and unfortunately, he’ll be physically absent from this year’s and all other future Parrish Family Reunions.”

He had begun the plans for a big family reunion…the hope is that this plan will be fulfilled if just for his memory.

Melford was the second of the five children to Na and Tommy, older brother Joseph “Hopie” Roach, and younger sisters Iona Roach, Shandrena Audrey Welch and Edith Roach; and Monica Ryan. He married to Audrey Tuitt (sister of renowned Montserrat commentator Arnold Tuitt, deceased, who became an Anglican priest). He fathered Laurie Anthony and Penelope and Kimberly. He later married to Cheryl Campbell and moved to Georgia, Atlanta, until his death November 26,   2015. On Saturday, December 5, 2015, he was laid to rest at the Macon Memorial Park Cemetery in Atlanta, USA.

John Wilson in a tribute to Melford wrote to remember their friendship: “The qualities of character required for true friendship is quite simply the best qualities a human can possess; unselfishness, tolerance, forbearance, trustworthiness, faithfulness, honesty. If we, fragile mortals, feel un-equal to the effort of applying all these qualities all the time, we might try a little harder if we remember that we are doing it out of a kind of love which   yields love in repayment and to love and be loved is worth all the effort we can possibly make. My friend and “brother” Melford was handsome, charming, possessing that easy and persuasive manner, gentle and kind and accommodating, selfless, thoughtful, having flaws and weaknesses, not perfect but a good loving heart.”

For me, I remembered Melford (my cousin) as an older brother as we grew up closely together, played cricket and other sports as little boys in all ‘sorts and fashion’. I knew of his cricket prowess and it was first match representing Montserrat in Antigua when he made that memorable 151 of which he wrote, according to Owen: ”After following-on by 150  runs in  our match  against St. Kitts in Antigua, we were able to avoid another defeat. After being 23 for 5 the afternoon before, Corbett, Moore, Cabey, Brandt and myself, decided that we were not going to be defeated again. We  were  able  to  amass 266  runs, of which, Moore contributed 30 odd; Corbett and Cabey in the twenties. Brandt made his highest score ever, 19 runs. I was left not out 151. I cannot forget those guys who stood with me as we fought with great Montserratian pride.” I record this for the benefit of our young and old “with great Montserratian pride”.

I can contribute to Owen’s article on Thomas ‘Legs’ Davis who we both met at the Memorial Service for Melford.

I interviewed Legs who pointed out that he was a member of the Montserrat teams that won the Leeward Islands cricket tournaments in 1951 and 1953. He named who he referred to as the core players for Montserrat in the 50s. These were Sydney Meade (captain), George Edwards, Son Harris (fast bowlers), Desmond Taylor, Theodore Bramble, Peter Cabey and Colin Jeffers.

See also: Thomas “Legs” Davis and Tribute and “Tribute to the late Melford Roach; a Fine Cricketer and a Family Man”

Jovélle McLean Meade at 13 years-of-age is the son of Silvonnie McLean and Veronica Meade, grandson of Jean McLean and Cecil Cassell loved running from a very early age. Before he was a year old Jovélle would have plenty bouts of running – random strangers would always remark that we should put him into sprinting.

Even at the park when it would be time to go home Jovélle would ask to run around one more time, despite playing for hours and running around he would always want one more run around.

Forward a few years to the 2012 Olympics Jovélle became obsessed with sprinting. Watching Usain Bolt and all the other runners, he wanted to be like them.

He pestered his dad Veronis Meade aka Joe, to take him running. At this time Tchai Codrington Joes nephew was running for a club Orion Harriers Junior so Joe took Jovélle along.

The coaches were immediately impressed with Jovélle and asked to take him to Woodford Green to an open meeting where Jovélle would get his official time.

On Jovélle’s first race on August 21, 2012 as an under-11 athlete, Jovélle ran 10.57s in the 75m and 21.13s in the 150m. He broke the record that stood at Orion Harriers at that time and to date has these two records at the club in the under-11 age group.

His second race was in the 100m and he did it in 14.29s. He was immediately signed to that club and have represented them at various locations including Linford Christie Stadium, Basildon, Walthamstow, Brighton, Hendon, Chelmsford and Ashford to name a few.

After these races Jovélle represented his Primary School St. Pauls and Al Hallows in a cross-country Event where he ran with boys from year 6&7 and came 19th overall.

As Jovélle’s time improved in his preferred events of 200m and 100m he started running with not his peers, but with different athletes of a higher age group. Despite being only 13, Jovélle would find himself competing with athletes older than him. Boys who are in the U15, U17, U23 and above-age group.  This never deterred him and made his confidence grow. Often he would place first against these more experienced and older and advanced athletes.

Injury and loss of determination at one point discouraged Jovélle from running. Despite several encouragements even by his uncle Hartford Codrington who was a part of the Easter Monday Road Runners Relay Team 1990-1995 in Montserrat, he wanted to stop running.

February 2016, Jovélle went to a different club, Enfield and Haringey and the team spirit support and encouragement from his peers was the driving force backing-up his passion.

Jovélle most recent performance was on June 11, 2016 at the Hillingdon Stadium in Uxbridge where he competed with other athletes from various schools in the Inter School Championship.

Jovélle, with his mum and granddad in the crowd, ran the 200m in 23s which saw him break the previous record that stood since 1991. He then ranked 2nd fastest in England despite having a chest infection and not running to form.

The first ranked athlete did 22.9s.

As Jovélle won his last race in the 200m at this event he has been selected to represent the Borough of Middlesex in the 200m and will possibly be also selected to do the relay at the Gateshead International Stadium in Newcastle on July 8 and 9, 2016.

This is an ESAA National Championship competition and is the 4th largest Athletics event in the world.

He has also been selected to represent Haringey Schools at Crystal Palace the July 3 in the London School Championships.

Jovélle does 100m, 200m Long Jump and 4×100 relay where he is the anchor. Jovélle can represent Montserrat or the UK via his Montserrat parentage.

UK rankings stands:

60m -19th

60i – 20th

100m – 28th

200m – 2nd

200i – 13th

(i = indoors)