Jamaican star athletes skip church service in London

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

BIRMINGHAM, England:
The 'big names' were missing but nine members of Jamaica's Olympic team, accompanied by several team officials arrived shortly after 11am at the Cathedral Church of St Phillip for a joint church service with the US team here.

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Yohan Blake decided to stay in camp for training at the University of Birmingham, where the team is based for pre-Olympic preparations, but marquee US athletes such as Kerron Clement were among the Americans in attendance.

National discus record holder Jason Morgan, Hansle Parchment, Richard Phillips, Shermaine Williams, Dominique Blake and Allison Randall were among the Jamaican athletes who showed up.

The team was met by a handful of locals who stuck around the heavily secured church, which had over 30 security guards patrolling the property.

They were also met by local dignitaries such as Jamaican-born Lord William Morris of Handsworth, Britains first black trade union General Secretary; Mayor John Lines; Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Paul Sabapathy, and Archbishop Bernard Longley.

sports@gleanerjm.com