Photo caption: Dr. Akshai Mansingh (left), Dean of the Faculty of Sport, UWI, Mona,   Antoine Simenel, Deputy Head of Mission, French Embassy, Jamaica, Marsha Smith, State Minister in the Ministry of Education and Youth, and Christopher Samuda, President of the Jamaican Olympic and Paralympic associations, pose with the Olympic Baton prior to the start of the Jamaican leg of the 3rd edition of the Relay around the World on March 14th, 2024, at The UWI Usain Bolt Track. Photo by Aston Spaulding

...“I would love to make it to the Olympics," a slightly out of breath Green said wistfully. He had just handed over the Olympic baton to his schoolmate, Jewel Montique, who was making her way around The UWI Usain Bolt Track as part of a larger global effort to symbolically hand the baton off from one country/territory to the next.  The 24-hour event, which was organised by French embassies around the world, saw the baton making its way from New Zealand to Tahiti, French Polynesia. The Jamaican leg of the Relay, which got under way shortly after 9:00 am and lasted for one hour, had participants from 24 schools and universities including The UWI Mona. The French Embassy and the Alliance française, had invited institutions offering the French Language as part of their curricula to get involved, and schools in Kingston, St Catherine, St Elizabeth, Manchester, and St Mary came out in full force.  During the Relay, which was transmitted across the world, representatives from National associations staged demonstrations in fencing, archery, taekwondo and gymnastics.

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