As widely anticipated, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce were named the RJR Sports Foundation’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the awards ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Friday night.
Bolt, who became the first man to successfully defend both sprint titles at the London Olympic Games, took the male award ahead of club-mate Yohan Blake, who was also the runner up to Bolt in both the 100 and 200 metres in London. It’s the fourth time Bolt was winning the prestigious award.
Fraser Pryce who also defended the 100 metre title in London walked away with the top female award, ahead of swimmer Alia Atkinson, who placed fourth in the 100 metre breaststroke final.
Atkinson also collected the People’s Choice award for her performance in the swim off to qualify for the final in London.
The Chairman’s Award went to Paralympics competitor Alphanso Cunningham who also landed gold in the men’s F52/53 Javelin in London.
The Sagicor Icon award was won by world renowned track and field coach Glen Mills.
Cricket legend Michael Holding was guest speaker at the awards ceremony.
Swimmer Alia Atkinson on Friday evening won the RJR Sports Foundation People’s Choice Performance of the Year Award for 2012, following her outstanding performances in a sport that Jamaica has not been dominant in on the international scene.
The path breaking swimmer was also named runner-up to Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce as Sportswoman of the Year.
At the Summer Olympics in London Atkinson won an exciting swim-off to secure a place in the finals of the women’s 100-metre breast stroke where she just missed a bronze medal, matching the fourth place that her namesake, Janelle Atkinson, secured in the 400-metre freestyle at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
In December 2012 Alia won two silver medals in the World Swimming Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey; Jamaica’s first medals at this level of competition.
Credits:
Article by Jamaica StarPhotos via Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
