Seymour Newman....The forgotten Hero of Jamaica's 800m.

The following article was submitted to me by a someone living in Manchester:

Seymour Newman played under 19 cricket for Jamaica. On that team he was the new ball partner for another young man named Michael Holding. He however became famous as the 400/800m runner supreme for Jamaica named Seymour Newman. 

He went to the 1976 Olympics where he came 5th in the 800m semi-finals, and also after running a sterling anchor leg came fifth in the 4 x 400m finals. You must realize that Seymour ran 43.8 secs on this very leg of the relay...and yes we are talking about 44 years ago.!!He won gold in both the 400/800 in the 1977 CAC Games defeating the great Cuban Alberto Juantoreno. In the 1978 Commonwealth Games he gained a silver in both the 800m and the 4 x 400 relay. His battles with Juantoreno in the 400m and with Juantoreno and the Kenyan Mike Boit in the 800m in the 70's were legendary. Seymour still holds the 800m record of 1.45.2 in Jamaica after all of 44 years.

More Readings

• The Olympian
• Seymore on Wikileak