One of Saint Lucia’s top all-time athletes is being recognised by an American university.
Two-time Saint Lucia Sportsman of the Year, Zepherinus ‘Knockay’ Joseph is set to enter the Hall of Fame at the University of North Florida (UNF), come February 2017.
Zepherinus, who officially joined the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force in 2016, represented Saint Lucia in men’s Marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, where he was given the honour of carrying the nation’s flag, and in fact led the parade of nations.
The now 41-year-old also was Saint Lucia’s Sportsman of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2009. He holds a host of Saint Lucia records, including every distance from the 1500m up to Marathon, the 5000m junior and indoors mark, and the 3000m indoors.
Knockay also holds the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) 10,000m record, and is an eight-time winner of the now-defunct OECS Half Marathon. After leaving school in 2002, Zepherinus was the Caribbean’s top distance runner for a decade.
Most of his national records were set whilst at UNF, where he was a four-time NCAA Division II All-American (2001, 10,000m; 2001, Cross Country; 2002, 5,000m and 10,000m), a three-time NCAA Division II medallist, and three-time Peach Belt Conference award winner.
Zepherinus will be one of just four athletes from different sports (golf, tennis, baseball) entering the UNF Athletic Hall of Fame. The Ospreys will also recognise their golf team at the induction ceremony and reception, which will be 11 February.
“Every year our Hall of Fame weekend festivities are some of the most special events for the Athletic Department and our alumni,” said UNF Athletic Director Lee Moon. “The Hall of Fame is our opportunity to recognise, highlight and celebrate the best of the best in North Florida athletic history. The selection committee again did another outstanding job in selecting a class that honours the greats of our past, who were the trailblazers and foundation for our program’s current successes as well as our future accomplishments. We are excited to have the opportunity of welcoming the honorees, alumni and fans back to campus for this memorable event.”
Said Zepherinus: “I am ever so grateful to be inducted into the UNF Athletic Hall of Fame. It is really an honour to be among all those who have made UNF the great school it is. Thank you for making me part of the UNF family from August 2000 until now.”
