Sunday, October 5 – Kingston, Jamaica: Several members of Jamaica's 2008 medal-winning Beijing Olympics team were honoured on Saturday October 4 in a special ceremony at the National Stadium and awarded with the country's fifth highest National Honour, the Order of Distinction, Commander and Officer Class. The ceremony commenced the National Sports Gala sponsored by Digicel.
In a classic 45-minute-long ceremony, witnessed by scores of excited Jamaicans, athletes Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker, Dwight Thomas, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter, Danny McFarlane and Bridgitte Foster-Hylton were honored by the Jamaican Government and the Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
Bolt, Powell and Campbell-Brown were bestowed with honours in the rank of Commander, and their colleagues in the rank of Officer.
Also honoured were president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) Howard Aris; Glen Mills, coach of Usain Bolt; 1976 Olympic 200m gold medalist and consultant in the preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Donald Quarrie, who were awarded the Order of Distinction Commander Class (CD) for their service to track and field and their contribution to the athletes' success.
The Digicel sponsored National Sports Gala ended with performances by the I-Threes, Tarrus Riley, Elephant Man and Beenie Man.
