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On 20 August 2023, medical doctor Jordanne Lauren Levy was officially named Miss Universe Jamaica. As she stepped into the spotlight, a new chapter in our island’s history unfolded. But before we move forward into Jordanne’s journey, let’s take a moment to rewind and celebrate the Jamaican queens who’ve paved the way for her, each leaving their mark on the Miss Universe stage. From our first trailblazer to recent powerhouses, each woman carries a legacy.

Marguerite LeWars: First Miss Universe Jamaica (1961)

Marguerite LeWars made history as Jamaica’s first representative at Miss Universe. Her charm not only impressed the pageant judges but also led her to the silver screen, where she starred as Dr. No’s photographer in “Dr. No.”

Kimberley Mais (1991)

In 1991, Kimberley Mais captured hearts by placing in the top five at Miss Universe. But her journey didn’t end there. She continued to shine as a global supermodel, showcasing Jamaican beauty to the world.

Yendi Phillips: (2007 at Miss Jamaica World, 2010 Miss Jamaica Universe)

Yendi Phillips shone as Miss Jamaica World 2007. Her journey reached new heights at Miss World, where she excelled in all fast-track events. In 2010, she made Jamaican history by securing her place as 1st runner up at the Miss Universe pageant. She holds the position of the highest ranking Jamaican in the Miss Universe pageant.

Kaci Fennell (2015)

Kaci Fennell’s short hair and unique features stole the show at the 2015 Miss Universe pageant. Despite finishing as 3rd runner-up, she captured many hearts and sparked discussions about her rightful claim to the crown.

Davina Bennett (2017)

Davina Bennett broke barriers by proudly embracing her natural hair during the 2017 Miss Universe competition. Her afro and grace earned her third place as the second runner-up, showing that Jamaican beauty knows no bounds.

As we celebrate these five remarkable Jamaican queens, we eagerly anticipate Jordanne Lauren Levy’s journey at the 2023 Miss Universe pageant. Each queen has left their own unique mark, and with Jordanne’s radiant presence, Jamaica once again has the opportunity to shine on the global stage. The72nd Miss Universe pageant is set for 18 November 2023 in El Salvador.

Photo – Official Facebook Page for Miss Universe Jamaica

The post Tracing the Timeline of Jamaican Queens at the Miss Universe Pageant appeared first on Jamaicans.com.

Jamaica’s athletes continue to outperform expectations, securing the country’s fourth-place position in the final medal standings at the recently concluded 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Outshining many, only the United States of America, with a total of 29 medals, surpassed Jamaica’s impressive haul of 12 medals.

Five-Medal Haul

A defining moment in the competition was when Danielle Williams secured Jamaica’s first gold at the World Championships and added to her accolades with her second world title in the 100m hurdles, building on her initial victory in 2015. She clocked a season-best time of 12.43 seconds, narrowly edging out Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn by .01 seconds. Later, Jamaica earned silver and bronze in the men’s long jump, with Wayne Pinnock and Tajay Gayle placing second and third. Also, Rushell Clayton secured bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Breaking the 40-Year Drought for Jamaica

Jamaican sprinter Antonio Watson becomes the first Jamaican athlete since Bert Cameron’s triumph in the inaugural World Athletics Championships of 1983 to claim gold in the men’s 400m event, ending a 40-year drought for Jamaica in this category. He completed the race in an impressive time of 44.22 seconds, surpassing Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who took second place with a time of 44.31 seconds.

First Jamaican Male Triple Jumper in 28 Years

Although his journey at Budapest came to a pause due an unforeseen injury,  Jaydon Hibbert solidified his position in history by becoming the first Jamaican male triple jumper to advance to the World Championships final in 28 years. During the crucial stages of the competition, Hibbert experienced tightness in his right leg, forcing him to halt his jump and reevaluate his participation in the event.

Jackson’s Second-Best Time in Career

Shericka Jackson retained her world 200 metres title in 21.41 seconds. This achievement brings Jackson closer to the legendary Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34, a mark etched in history from the 1988 Olympics.

Relay Triumphs

The collective effort of Jamaican athletes was evident in the relay events, solidifying the nation’s success on the global stage. The quartet of Blake, Seville, Forde, and Watson secured a bronze medal in the men’s 4×100 relay. in the meantime, Fraser-Pryce, Jackson, Morrison, and Forbes achieved the silver in the women’s 4×100 relay.

Leaderboard Standings

Ultimately, the USA claimed the top spot on the leaderboard, boasting 12 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze medals. Canada secured the second position with 4 gold medals and 2 silver medals, while Spain clinched third place with 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal. Both Canada and Spain managed to attain one additional gold medal compared to Jamaica’s tally, which included 3 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze medals throughout the championship.

Photo – Deposit Photos

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A review of the results of World Senior Outdoor Men’s 100-meter competitions recorded between the years 1989 and 2023, show that 30 male athletes competing for Jamaica have run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds. The fastest time recorded during that period was achieved by sprint legend Usain Bolt on 16 August 2009 in Berlin.

20th-century Jamaican Male Sprinters

The first Jamaican man to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds was Raymond Stewart. He was born in Kingston in 1965 and attended Camperdown High School and was coached by Glen Mills. After high school, he attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. On May 20, 1989, he became the first Jamaican man to break the 10-second barrier, clocking 9.97 seconds at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. This made him the top-ranked 100-meter athlete in 1989 and the first Jamaican to officially break the event record. Stewart again broke the record in 1991 with a personal best time of 9.96 seconds at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. While this time broke the national record, it was only sufficient for Stewart to attain sixth place as two continental records and a world record were broken in the competition. He competed in his third consecutive Olympic 100-meter final in 1992, the first man to do so. He also reached the World Championship finals in the 100 meters in 1993 and 1995 but did not win any medals. In 1996, he attended his last Olympic Games. During his career of nearly two decades, Stewart competed at four Olympics and six World Championships and won the 100-meter event at Jamaica’s national championships seven times. After retiring from competition, he coached many sprint athletes, including Jerome Young.

Percival Spencer broke the time barrier on June 19, 1997, with a time of 9.98 seconds. He was born in 1975 and specialized in the 100 and 200-meter events. He attended Texas Christian University. In 1997.  He achieved his personal best time in the 100 meters in Kingston, running the distance in 9.98 seconds. He won both the 100-meter and 200-meter events at Western Athletic Conference track and field championships in that year. He was the 100-meter Jamaica National Champion in 1997. Spencer competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1997 World Championships in Athletics.

First in the 21st century

Jamaica had to wait until 2008 to see another 100-meter champion and “fastest man in the world.” Asafa Powell, whose record run of 9.72 seconds held until Usain Bolt’s legendary 9.58-second achievement in 2009. Powell was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, in 1982. During his career, he established a world record in the 100 meters twice – 9.77 seconds in 2005 and 9.74 seconds in 2008. He has consistently run the 100 meters under 10 seconds in competition, with a personal best time of 9.72 seconds, which is ranked fourth on the men’s 100-meter all-time list. He holds the world record in the 100-yard dash, 9.09 seconds, set in 2010 in the Czech Republic. He competed in the 100 meters at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics. In 2009, he won a bronze medal in the 100 meters and a gold in the relay. He is a five-time winner at the IAAF World Athletics Final and formerly held the 100-meter record in the event.

The Five Fastest Times

The five fastest times recorded by Jamaican men in the 100 meters were achieved by Usain Bolt at 9.58 seconds in 2009, Yohan Blake at 9.69 seconds in 2012, Asafa Powell in 2008 at 9.72 seconds, Nesta Carter in 2010 at 9.78 seconds, and Steve Mullings with 9.80 seconds in 2011. Notable among the athletes is Usain Bolt, widely considered the greatest sprint athlete of all time and the most-recognized athlete in the world. In addition to holding the record in the 100 meters, Bolt is also the world record holder in the 200 meters and the 4×100-meter relay. Bolt won eight Olympic gold medals and is the only sprinter to win Olympic gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter events at three consecutive Games. He became world-famous when he achieved a double sprint victory with world record times at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He is an 11-time World Champion and the first athlete to win four World Titles in the 200 meters.

List of Runners Achieving Sub-10-second Times by Year

1989 – Raymond Stewart

1991 –  Raymond Stewart

1997 –  Percival Spencer

2008 – Asafa Powell

2009 – Usain Bolt, Lerone Clarke

2010 – Nesta Carter, Mario Forsythe

2011  – Steve Mullings, Michael Frater

2012 – Yohan Blake

2013 – Nickel Ashmeade

2014 – Kemarley Brown

2015- Andrew Fisher, Kemar Bailey-Cole

2016 – Omar Mcleod, Senoj-Jay Givans

2017 – Odean Skeen, Julian Forte

2018 – Andre Ewers, Tyquendo Tracey

2022 – Davonte Burnett, Oblique Seville

2023 – Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Ackeem Blake, Kishane Thompson, Kadrian Goldson, Rohan Watson, Ryiem Forde, and Oblique Seville

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