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UWI Grad Wins Olympic Gold

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. W.I. Wednesday, Thursday, August 5, 2021—The University of the West Indies (The UWI) congratulates alumnus, Hansle Parchment on winning gold in the men’s 110 metre hurdles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Parchment clocked 13.05 seconds in the athletics event on August 5 to take the Olympic title. The UWI, Mona Campus alumnus now has two Olympic medals, following his bronze win at the London 2012 Olympics. He is also a silver medalist from the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

The Jamaican track and field athlete who graduated from The UWI, Mona Campus with a degree in Psychology in 2017, is among a contingent of current students, alumni, coaches and sports medical support staff, representing both their countries and the regional University at the Olympics.

Vice-Chancellor Beckles extends warmest congratulations to Parchment. In a brief statement he added, “This is why we established a Faculty of Sport within our current Strategic Plan, to give more UWI students a shot at gold as their personal goal. The potential to sustain the elite performance of our sport talent is obvious. UWI will continue to play its part."

Professor Dale Webber Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Mona Campus stated, “We at The UWI are bursting with joy and pride at Hansle’s tremendous achievement of the Gold Medal in the 110m hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics. The UWI has always been a believer in sports as essential to the well-rounded student, and Hansle’s journey is a testament to that fact.  We note with amazement the consistency in his performances since 2011, clearing hurdles on and off the track in his quest for greatness. We will continue, through our Faculty of Sport with Academies support our student athletes so that they may continue to perform at the highest level. Hansle’s story will no doubt be an inspiration to student athletes here at home, throughout the region and across the world.”

Commenting on Parchment’s performance, Dr Akshai Mansingh, Dean of The UWI Faculty of Sport Faculty said, “Hansle has been a model student athlete for The UWI. He continues to scale heights of achievement on the track. His involvement and influence on the Mona Campus over the last decade has been exemplary and he has motivated staff and students alike. We stand proud of him in this moment of glory.”

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About The UWI

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

Ranked among the top universities in the world, by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. In 2020, it earned ‘Triple 1st’ rankings—topping the Caribbean; and in the top in the tables for Latin America and the Caribbean, and global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the top universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.