ASAJ celebrates excellence at inaugural awards ceremony

The Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) hosted its highly anticipated inaugural awards ceremony on March 1, 2025 at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston. This landmark event recognised the outstanding performances of Jamaica’s national and age group athletes in aquatic sports throughout 2024, celebrating their dedication, perseverance, and excellence in the sport.

The ceremony was also a fund-raiser designed to uplift the nation’s aquatic athletes, boost team morale, and enhance ASAJ’s presence in the global aquatic community.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange applauded the initiative as a creative and impactful way to support the nation’s aquatic athletes and emphasised her vision to develop a new swimming facility in Jamaica to further expand the sport.

A highlight of the evening was the keynote address delivered by Alia Atkinson, Jamaica’s five-time Olympian and world champion. Her speech inspired the next generation of Jamaican swimmers, emphasising the limitless potential of local talent on the international stage.

Atkinson encouraged the athletes to embrace challenges and push beyond their limits, reminding them to “dream big” as she once did on her path to becoming a world champion.

Team captain at the Paris Olympic Games, Yona Knight-Wisdom, was recognised as the Male Athlete of the Year, while Sabrina Lyn, who also competed at the Paris Olympic Games and was the team captain at the Carifta Games, was named Female Athlete of the Year.

Wendy Lee took the Coach of the Year award for her leadership and dedication to the development of athletes, while Josyanne Chambers and Joseph Reynolds were the officials of the year for their outstanding contributions to officiating and governance of the sport.

The Open Water Swimmer of the Year award went to Charles McIntosh, who set a 3K open water record at the 2024 Blue Marlins Open Water Meet, while three-time Olympian Wisdom, Jamaica’s first diver to compete at the Olympic Games, also took the award for Excellence in Diving.

The award for Excellence in Artistic Swimming went to Jordanya Thomas and Johanna Doman, who both represented Jamaica at the 2024 Carifta Artistic Swimming.

The 13-14 boys 200m and 15-17 boys 200m freestyle relay teams were recognised as the relay performances of the year for their record-breaking swims at the 2024 Carifta Games.

Additionally, numerous age group champions were honoured for their exceptional performances at both local and regional competitions, highlighting the depth of young talent within the ASAJ.

On a night of inspiration and celebration, president of the ASAJ, Lance Rochester, expressed his enthusiasm about the success of the event, stating, “This awards ceremony is not just about celebrating achievements but also about fostering a sense of unity and commitment to the continued growth of aquatic sports in Jamaica. We are thrilled to have had Alia Atkinson with us tonight—her journey is a testament to the possibilities that lie ahead for our young athletes.”

The evening also featured special recognition for members of the ASAJ Technical Committee for their contributions to the national squad programme as well as the presentation of the Humanitarian Award, recognising athletes who have made meaningful contributions to society beyond the pool.