July 3, 2008
KINGSTON, JAMAICA - Allodin Fothergill has had a stellar sophomore year for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). From the start of an early indoor season he has garnered All-MEAC honors, earning two gold medals in the conference championship (200, 400-meter dashes). He then placed 10th in the 400 meter-dash in the NCAA Division I 2008 Indoor Championships (47.24). His performances during the Outdoor season improved as he qualified for the NCAA East Regional track meet. On the big stage he ran 46.40 to advance to the Outdoor National Championship. For personal reasons he would not make the trip to Iowa. But his season wasn't over.
Taking this time off proved successful for the Jamaican native as he returned home to reunite with family and compete in Jamaica's Olympic Trials in Kingston. To say Fothergill represented UMES well would be an understatement. In the 400-meter semifinals he placed third in his heat to advance to the finals. In the final round Fothergill scorched the track to a 4th place finish and an amazing time of 45.97. With his performance Fothergill was named to the Jamaican Olympic team for this year's 2008 Beijing China Olympic Games.
"It is an honor to make your national team for the Olympics Games," UMES Track and Field Coach Ernest Barrett said proudly. "Ever since Allodin arrived in Princess Anne last fall, his goal was to make the Jamaican Olympic team and I am happy to have assisted him to attain this goal. I am proud of his achievement, making it to Beijing for the Olympics."
The sophomore standout will team up with the two fastest men in the world, 100 meter-dash record holder and "the fastest man in the world", Usain Bolt, (9.72) and former record holder Asafa Powell (9.74). He will also have a running partner in Ricardo Chambers. Chambers was the undisputed colligate 400-meter champion during 2007, capturing both indoor and outdoor titles his junior year. He will surely have Fothergill on his toes with a Personal Record (PR) of 44.66 in the 400-meter dash.
Jamaica's track and field team is sending a total of 25 athletes to Beijing.
Fothergill is the third Hawk to make an Olympic team in the last 16 years. Dawnette Douglas and Derry Pemberton competed in the Barcelona Spain Games in 1992. Douglas competed for Bermuda and Pemberton for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The athletics aspect of the Games will be held at the National Stadium, Beijing, August 15-24.
