KINGSTON, Jamaica – World and Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion, Usain Bolt, and World 100 metres hurdles champion, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, were crowned National Sportsman and Sportswoman of 2009 on Thursday, January 14, at the RJR Sports Foundation’s 49th awards, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
Bolt was widely expected to win the Sportsman of the Year award, after his record-shattering exploits in Berlin, where he bettered his own marks on his way to a sprint double at the World Championships.
Foster-Hylton, who won the Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence late 2009, closed her season in style with seven consecutive wins, following her triumph in Berlin.
Chairman of the RJR Sports Foundation, Chris Dehring, who presented veteran sports journalist, Tony Becca, with the chairman’s award, said he was pleased with this year’s staging of the event.
“It was always going to be incredibly difficult, particularly in the female category, so many gold medallists, so many outstanding performances, but you know we have a selection committee that felt that Brigitte just, I guess, pipped the others on the line and we’re happy for her and we’re happy for Usain,” he said.
Certificates of Merit were awarded to: Marva Bernard — For outstanding contribution and leadership to Jamaica’s Netball; Douglas Burke — For outstanding work developing Tennis programmes; David Crawford –For contribution towards the development of cricket; Lenworth Hyde –For outstanding contribution to football: Barry Watson — For the development of sports in Jamaica.
Special Awards 2009 went to: 4×100 Relay (men); 4×100 Relay (women); 4×400 Relay (women); Cricket — Visually Impaired Team, National Under-15 Team, National Under-19; Netball — National Under-16 Team, National Under-21 Team, National Senior Team (Sunshine Girls); Special Olympics — Floor Hockey Team, HiIlary Richards and Monique Brown (Roller Skating).
