Jamaica is internationally known as a country great runners, although the rich sports history of that Caribbean country also includes other athletes that have made headlines in several specialties, such as soccer, basketball and even baseball.
Handpicking the top 10 Jamaican athletes of all time is not an easy task, but Panamericanworld has dared to make a list by taking into account the achievements of women and men that were born and took their first sport steps in Jamaica.
USAIN BOLT, THE MOST FAMOUS JAMAICAN ATHLETE ON EARTH
Before Usain Bolt, Bob Marley held the title of Jamaica’s most famous figure. That changed in 2008 when Bolt’s unparalleled sprinting prowess and magnetic charisma captivated the world. Widely regarded as the greatest sprinter in history, Bolt amassed eight Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championship titles.
His world records—9.58 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 19.19 seconds in the 200-meter, and 36.84 seconds in the 4×100-meter relay (with Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, and Yohan Blake)—set in 2009, remain unbroken as of March 2025. Bolt retired after the 2017 London World Championships, having passed every doping test, cementing his legacy as a clean athlete. Named IAAF (now World Athletics) Athlete of the Year six times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016), his influence endures, with ESPN ranking him 9th in its Top 100 Athletes of the 21st Century in 2024.
MERLENE OTTEY, THE QUEEN OF TRACKS
Dubbed the “Queen of the Track,” Merlene Ottey’s career spanned over two decades, earning her nine Olympic medals (3 silver, 6 bronze) and 14 World Championship medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 7 bronze).
She became the first English-speaking Caribbean woman to medal at the Olympics with a bronze in the 200-meter at Moscow 1980. Ottey competed in seven Olympic Games (1980–2004), a record for track athletes, and concluded her career representing Slovenia from 2002 to 2012. Her longevity is remarkable—she ran the 100-meter under 11 seconds 68 times, second only to Fraser-Pryce among Jamaican women. A statue honoring her stands at Independence Park in Kingston, alongside other Jamaican legends.
ARTHUR WINT, A POLITE GIANT
Wint can be labeled as Jamaica’s first great runner. This man have an interesting life, which not only included numerous sports achievements, but he was also a pilot of the British Royal Force in WW2 and, after war, he studied medicine. In 1948, Wint was the first Jamaican sprinter to stand on an Olympic podium, by winning in 400 meter dash, although Jamaica’s national anthem was not played in London at the time because that country conquered its independence in 1962.
As a curiosity, Wint was followed by another great Jamaican runner, Herb McKenley. Four years later, in Helsinki, Wint got his second title, as a member of the 4 x 400 meter relay. A street in Kingston was named after this athlete and a statue was placed out of the National Stadium, at the country’s capital.
VERONICA CAMPBELL, A PRIZE TO CONSISTENCY
Veronica Campbell-Brown’s consistency defines her legacy, with eight Olympic medals (3 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze) and 11 World Championship medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 1 bronze). A 200-meter specialist, she won consecutive Olympic titles in 2004 and 2008, becoming only the second woman to achieve this feat.
She also claimed the 100-meter world title in 2007 and contributed to Jamaica’s 4×100-meter relay gold in 2015. Retiring in 2021, Campbell-Brown carried Jamaica’s flag at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, symbolizing her status as a national icon. Her personal bests—10.76 seconds (100-meter) and 21.74 seconds (200-meter)—underscore her versatility and enduring excellence.
“CHILI” DAVIS, A WORLD CHAMPION JAMAICAN BALLPLAYER IN MLB
Baseball is not usually practiced in Jamaica, but several players from this country have stood out in Major League, such as Devon White and, especially, “Chili” Davis, who was born in Kingston and moved to Los Angeles at the age of ten. Davis played for five teams throughout 19 seasons in MLB.
He began with the San Francisco Giants, later joined the California Angels, followed by the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and he finished his career with the New York Yankees. All in all, he won three World Series rings: one with the Twins, in 1991, and two with the Yankees, 1998 and 1999. “Chili” shot 2,380 hits, 350 HRs and 1,372 RBIs.
HERB MCKENLEY, THE “PIONEER” OF SPRINTERS IN JAMAICA
If Arthur Wint was once recognized as the “creator” of Jamaican speed tradition, McKenley can be described as the “pioneer” of supremacy in the track for Caribbean sprinters. McKenley was the first Jamaican athlete to win a scholarship in a U.S. university, back in 1942. He was good at running in 200 and 400 meters, although he preferred the last one, where he set a world record in 1947, with 46.3 seconds. However, McKenley couldn’t win the gold in the 400 meters final of the London Olympics Games, in 1948, because he was left behind by his compatriot Wint.
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Four years later, in Helsinki, McKenley got the silver in 200 and 400 meters, and he conquered the crown in relay. Besides the sports triumphs, McKenley is famous because of his extraordinary contribution to development of athletics in Jamaica. In 1950 he fostered the idea of creating several athletics clubs throughout the country, so more runners came up as a result of this program. McKenley was the director of the national team, 1954-1973. In 1992, McKenley was given the Silver Order, delivered by the International Olympic Committee as recognition to his contribution to athletics for over half a century.
DONALD QUARRIE, THE SPEED KING IN THE 1970S
Quarrie was the king of speed back in the 1970s. He competed in Olympics Games, where the athlete conquered four medals (one gold, two silvers and one bronze medal. His first Olympic win came in 200 meter dash, in Montreal 1976. He also finished second in 100 meters, since he was surpassed by another Caribbean athlete: Trinitarian Hasely Crawford. In Moscow 1980, he was third in 200 meters. Moreover, in the British Commonwealth Games and Pan American games Quarrie was the leader of the decade by collecting nine medals. A statue of Donald Quarrie can be presently seen at Jamaica’s National Stadium.
PATRICK EWING, A JAMAICAN PLAYER IN THE NBA HALL OF FAME
This player has been one of the best pivots in the history of NBA. He was born in Jamaica, but moved to the United States when he was 12 years old. His seven feet of height and mobility in the court caught the eye of professionals and, in 1985, he was chosen in the draft for the New York Knicks, where he developed his successful career.
All in all, Ewing scored 24,815 points and caught 11,617 rebounds. He is still the leader in both segments in the Knicks. He played in eleven All Star Games and won two Olympic crowns: Los Angeles 1984 and Barcelona 1992, where was a member of the so-called “Dream Team.”
SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE, THE SMALL GIANT OF TRACKS
Standing at just 1.52 meters (5 feet), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a towering figure in sprinting. She burst onto the scene at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first Caribbean woman to win the 100-meter gold at age 21. She defended her title in 2012 and, as of her retirement following the 2024 Paris Olympics, holds eight Olympic medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) and 16 World Championship medals (10 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze).
Her five 100-meter world titles (2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022) are unprecedented, and at 35 in 2022, she became the oldest sprinter to win a world title. Fraser-Pryce’s personal best of 10.60 seconds ranks her as the third-fastest woman ever. Named World Athlete of the Year in 2013 and Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year in 2023, she ranks 77th on ESPN’s 21st Century list. An injury forced her withdrawal from the 2024 Olympic 100-meter semifinal, marking the end of her illustrious career.
2013 was her most successful year, since she won three gold medals in the Moscow World Championship and the International Athletics Federation named her Athlete of the Year, the second Jamaican runner to achieve it after Merlene Ottey, who did it in 1990.
ELAINE THOMPSON-HERAH, THE DOUBLE SPRINT QUEEN
Elaine Thompson-Herah emerged as a sprinting powerhouse, securing five Olympic gold medals, including the rare 100-meter and 200-meter double at both the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Games—only the second woman to achieve this after Florence Griffith-Joyner. Her 10.54-second 100-meter run in 2021 ranks her as the second-fastest woman ever, and her 14 World Championship medals (7 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze) bolster her resume. Named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year in 2022, she continues to compete, aiming to further her legacy.
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