Daniel England comes home for ‘Champs 100’
FORMER Calabar High star athlete Daniel England was inside the National Stadium yesterday for the penultimate day of action in the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships. And he’s expected to be there for today’s big finale.
How time has flown. It’s been 20 years already since England last ignited the ‘Stadium’, and even he couldn’t believe that it was that long ago.
“Twenty years… it’s a long time,” he mused.
At the height of his game, when boys and girls had their separate competitions, England was Calabar’s lynchpin when the Red Hills Road-based school ruled the roost in the 1980s.
“It feels really rejuvenating… the people, the fans, the athletes, it gets the blood going,” he told the Observer.
This is only England’s third visit to Jamaica since he migrated in 1990, and two of those were for funerals.
The first in 2006 was for that of his biological father and the second in 2008 was for the man he claims was like a father to him — his former coach in the Calabar glory days, Herb McKenley.
“He helped groom me to become a man and not only that, but be a better person and a better citizen, so it was very hard, I was heart-broken that he had to go,” he said of the Jamaican track legend.
This time England is back to celebrate a historic occasion — the 100th year of the ‘Champs’.
And though he has been away so long, the ‘Little Warrior’, as he was called, is still a recognisable face in a crowd.
“People recognise me with the hat, with glasses… it’s crazy,” he said.
The race to win the championships this year is very close with Calabar, Wolmer’s, and Kingston College all in with good chances and England is hoping that his alma mater can etch its name on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy in this historic year.
“Everything that happens within this week is all history, not only the Jamaicans, but for every athlete that is involved with the championships, so I wish they keep it up so we can get this win,” he said.
His best memory as a schoolboy track athlete — where he dominated the 200- and 400-metre races — is coming through the McDonald Tunnel at the National Stadium for competition and hearing the pounding of the drums and the rapturous cheers.
England did not continue his athletics career beyond the school level, but had a message for any athlete who wish to excel in a sport that has brought Jamaica immeasurable glory.
“My advice to any young athlete is don’t quit, don’t give up even if you lose a race; train hard (and) be the first at practice and the last to leave… push yourself, keep doing what you’re doing and the rest will take care of itself,” he said.