Albert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Ashley Anguin, who is responsible for the marketing of the Jill Stewart MoBay City Run, said the award is dedicated to celebrating and recognising athletes from Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth, who have excelled in football, swimming, basketball, track and field, and tennis.
“The Jill Stewart MoBay City Run is like a child to me. I want to protect it, invest in it, and see it at its best,” said Anguin, a budding sports writer, who has won multiple PAJ Awards in her short career.
As an avid sports lover, who couldn’t pursue professional sports due to a lifelong heart condition, Anguin said her motivation to support the region’s young athletes was inspired by their dedication in spite of trying conditions.
“Student athletes in western Jamaica may lack facilities, but what they don’t lack is talent. I believe we have the most talented athletes on the island, and they deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication,” said Anguin.
Anguin further noted that the ‘Champions of the West’ awards aims to inspire and recognise athletes who may not always take centre stage but embody the spirit of sportsmanship and determination.
“On paper, maybe today you lost, but that does not mean you weren’t impactful, or a winner at heart. You don’t have to be the star of your team to be recognised,” argued Anguin, in drawing from her personal experience as a high school ‘benchwarmer’, who often didn’t even receive a jersey but still saw herself as an intergral part of the team.
Anguin said the awardees will be selected by their sports coordinators based on criteria set by the JSMCR special committee.
According to Anguin, a total of 10 awards will be presented, with eight named after sponsors such as JetBlue, VIP Attractions, Catalonia, and Rainforest Seafood.
Each award winner will recieve $50,000 towards their education and sports development. The top awards, Jill Stewart MoBay City Run Sports Boy of the Year and Sports Girl of the Year, will see the winners pocketing $100,000.
“The aim is for these young athletes to understand that we are not waiting for them to become global stars. We see them now, and we salute them now,” said Anguin.
In explaining the initiative to Sandals Chairman Adam Stewart, who was present for the event, which is named to immortalise his late wife Jill Stewart, Anguin, who was a supporter of the event when it was known as the MoBay City Run, said “Mr Stewart, I didn’t know your wife personally, but listening to all the great stories about her dedication to the race and her desire to see it grow, I believe this is something she would have loved.”
“Through the introduction of Champions of the West, the Jill Stewart MoBay City Run hopes to ignite a lasting passion for sports among young athletes and ensure that their ‘fire won’t burn out,’” said Anguin, in emphasizing the event’s tag line, ‘Where Future Legends Shine’.
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20250326/mobay-city-run-unveils-champions-west-awards
