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'Goodbye, my friend' - 'Teddy' left distraught by Aris' passing

Published:Saturday | November 12, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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Howard Aris (right) with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association's 2008 Athletes of the Year, Usain Bolt and Melaine Walker at the awards function held that year. Bolt was a triple gold medallist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Walker won the 400 metres hurdles. Under Aris' leadership, Jamaica got its best ever medal haul at an Olympic Games - six gold, three silver and two bronze. - File
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Howard Aris (left), as president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), signing off, earlier this year, on a deal for the country's athletes to use the Birmingham University as their training base for the 2012 Olympics in London. Looking on is Mike Whitby, leader of the Birmingham City Council. - File
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Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

MONTE CARLO, Monaco:

Neville 'Teddy' McCook was clearly a man shaken yesterday, fighting back tears as he struggled to reflect on the loss of a dear friend of his, former Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association president Howard Aris, who died on Thursday night from a suspected heart attack.

McCook has known Aris since 1954, when the former first made the Kingston College track and field team of which Aris was the then captain, and it has been a difficult few hours for the North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) president and IAAF Area Representative.

"This news has really jolted me because he (Aris) was probably among the last persons that I spoke to before I left for Monaco," managed McCook, who is here for the IAAF council meeting and Grand Gala, where the 2011 World Athlete of the Year will be announced. "I am deeply saddened by this and still in a state of great shock."

"I am always very concerned when my phone rings when I am overseas in the morning. I first think of my immediate family but I can also regard Howard Aris as immediate family, so clearly when I heard Dr (Warren) Blake on the other side of the fence at 4:00 a.m. (Monaco time) telling me that Howard had suffered a heart attack, I was prepared to live with that and move on to look at recovery time and prognosis.

"He paused and said that he passed away half an hour after, I am devastated," said an emotional McCook, who went on to describe Aris' passing as a major blow for Jamaica's track and field.

"It is indeed a major blow for track and field in Jamaica, someone who had dedicated his entire life to the sport and not only that but has made a tremendous contribution, and I think that we are going to be poorer for it, but what we have to do is make sure that the things that we now do reflect the things that he wanted to do but didn't get accomplished," he added.

Re-elected on thursday

Incidentally, Aris was on Thursday re-elected to the IAAF's Youth Commission and while the international athletics community come to grips with his passing, IAAF president Lamine Diack yesterday called for a minute's silence during the Council proceedings, while many members offered their condolences.

McCook, who offered to assist the new leadership of the JAAA once that matter has been settled in whatever way he can, had some word of advice to the members of the organisation.

"We now have the responsibility to carry on. It's up to the other individuals that are members of the JAAA to look at themselves and see who is in the best position to lead them and give their support to that individual. They have to see who is best suited to carry on the philosophy and policies of the past leader," McCook said.

"I am going to make myself available to support," he added. "I am always available for advice and a lot of people know how close we were. I am going to make myself available to the leader of the JAAA, if they think I can be of any use."