Sightseeing Jamaica's Sports Legacy in Kingston
Few countries celebrate their sports heroes quite like
Jamaica, and with good reason. The worldwide acclaim earned by Usain Bolt is all the rage now, but for a small country Jamaica boasts quite a long and storied history of supreme athletic achievement. While on a sightseeing tour of the capital city, Kingston, during a recent stay at The Courtleigh Hotel, I got to see just how celebrated Jamaica's sporting legacy is in the form of powerful statues like this one of Herb McKenley. You can find the statue at the main entrance to the Jamaica National Stadium. The man celebrated here quite literally was the forerunner to Bolt's amazing career. A Jamaican sprinter in his own right, McKenley competed in the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games. He brought home one gold and three silver medals from among the six events in which he competed. He also achieved multiple world records over his career. Upon retiring McKenley served as a coach of the Jamaica National Team from 1954 to 1973. Arguably there would be no Bolt today without McKenley, a good reason to swing by the National Stadium and pay him homage when visiting Kingston.
