Clarke proud of Sportsman of the Year nomination

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

It has been a fantastic year for Jamaican sprinter Lerone Clarke, who has capped his splendid Commonwealth Games 100 metres gold medal-winning run in Delhi, India, with his first RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year nomination.

This is a big deal for the 29-year-old, whose name not too long ago would raise a few eyebrows among local sports fans. Today, his is almost a household name, and the Victor Thomas-conditioned sprinter is taking it all in stride as he eyes his first Sportsman of the Year nod.

"It's truly an honour and privilege for me to be nominated for such a prestigious award," said Clarke from his USA base. "To be considered for Sportsman of the Year is a great motivation to do even better as I do feel it is recognition of my hard work and recent success so far."

"To be truly honest, I haven't given it much thought in regards to what my chances are (of winning), since just to be nominated with the likes of my other contenders is already a reward in itself. It's blessings of such nature that one has to give God thanks for," Clarke continued.

Clarke, who like sprint king Usain Bolt and former Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michael Green, is a past student of William Knibb High gave a peek into just how much his life has changed since mining gold in Delhi.

"I can truly say that my life has changed some since then, especially when it comes to my Jamaican supporters who never knew much about me before this season," said Clarke. "I've never experienced anything in my life before, like winning that title. It is the greatest feeling knowing that I wasn't just training for nothing. And with that achievement, I feel I have something to offer to the sport and also to many people who dream of success in one way or the other.

"Others can look at where I've been and where I am now and see that success can come to anyone who's willing to believe, and go out there and get it. Sometimes all you need is a little push and a little talent," continued the very philosophical-sounding Clarke who also represented Jamaica in the qualifying round in the 4x100m relay at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin.

The 2010 RJR Sportsman of the Year will be announced at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on January 21, 2011.

The male category also features another Commonwealth Games star Dorain Scott, who copped the silver medal in the men's shot put with a best hurl of 20.17 metres to follow up on his Central America and Caribbean Games gold medal with a distance of 18.93 metres.

Double world-record holder Usain Bolt is also nominated along with new 400m national record holder Jermaine Gonzales, former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell, sprinter Lansford Spence as well as cricketers Christopher Gayle and Brendan Nash and Olympic skier Errol Kerr.