Standing Room Only at Launch of Finding Foster & Fifty Days Afire

November 11, 2022

Three granddaughters of Gerald Claude “GC” Foster – Heather Chinn, Debbie Jardine and Andrea Roberts (second, third and fourth from left) are stunned to see the young image of their famous granddad for the first time. Occasion was the unveiling of the official portrait of Foster, “Athlete, Teacher, Coach” as part of the premiere of the documentary film “Finding Foster” and the launch of “Fifty Days Afire” at the GC Foster College campus on Thursday, November 3. The film captures the hunt for photographs of the young Foster in 1908 while he competed in the UK, for use in the new book by Michael A. Grant and Hubert Lawrence, featuring the fifty greatest performances by Jamaican sprinters. At left is Grant and title-sponsor AnyBet’s Chantelle Nash, Product Manager, Online Betting/Gaming, who unveiled the portrait. At far right is Mr. Gibbs Williams, representing GC Foster College.

Neither rain nor the early Thursday start could deter the hundreds of sports fans and students who filled the auditorium of the GC Foster College to witness the premiere of the GC Foster documentary film, “Finding Foster:

The Search for Jamaica’s Lost Sprint Hero” on Thursday, November 3. Guests were also treated to the launch of a new book on Jamaican athletics, Fifty Days Afire: Inside Jamaica’s Long Sprint to Freedom, made their local debuts.

Olympians Vilma Charlton (center) and Dionne Hemmings-McCatty share observations about the book “Fifty Days Afire” with AnyBet General Manager Don Smith, who was at the film premiere and book launch representing the title sponsor of the twin projects on November 3 at GC Foster College.

In addition to the premier of the film about sprinter GC Foster and the book about Jamaica’s fifty greatest sprint performances, the college welcomed the installation of the official portrait of G.C. Foster, “Athlete, Teacher, Coach” in the foyer of the gymnasium. On hand for the unveiling were Foster’s three granddaughters, Heather Chinn, Debbie Jardine and Andrea Roberts. A fourth, Diane Shaw, who wrote a biography about Foster and was on hand for an unveiling of the Foster bust on the campus grounds, died in August of this year.

Foster, a native of Spanish Town, sailed to Bristol, England in 1908 hoping to gain entry at that year’s London Olympic Games. Though he was entered in the British AAA trials, there is no record that he competed, and since Jamaica had no Olympic association at the time, he did not face the starter. He was, however, able to race many of the men who did, winning most of his contests with them, including several over John “Jack” William Morton, the four-time British champion who won his national titles in the same years Foster had done in Jamaica.

The 30-minute production focuses on the research done on Foster for the first chapter of Fifty Days Afire. Fire, say the authors Michael A. Grant and Hubert Lawrence, refers to the speed, ambition and tenacity of sprinters who have braved hardships and scaled the heights of sporting glory over more than a century.

Deon Hemmings-McCatty, Jamaica’s first female Olympic gold medallist, displays the citation awarded to her by AnyBet at the dual launch of the film “Finding Foster” and the book, “Fifty Days Afire” at the GC Foster College Lecture Theatre on Thursday, November 2. Others L-R: Hubert Lawrence, the book’s co-author; artist Patrick Kitson, whose illustration is featured in the citation; Michael A. Grant, co-author and Mr. Gibbs Williams, representing GC Foster College. AnyBet also sponsored components of research and production for the film and book.

Throughout more than 300 pages, the book delves into the details of and atmosphere surrounding the fifty featured events, such as Dennis Johnson’s matching of the world 100-yard record six times in the summer of 1961; Marilyn Neufville’s two 400-meter world records (indoor and outdoor) set in 1970; the electrifying duels between Don Quarrie and the USA’s Steve Williams, as well as Bert Cameron’s legendary and courageous 400-meter run at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Fifty Days Afire also includes photographs representing every one of the fifty events.

Following readings from the book by the authors, Supreme Ventures Executive Chairman Gary Peart presented 1996 Olympic gold medallist Deon Hemmings-McCatty, Jamaica’s first such female champion, with a citation honoring her breakthrough achievement. Hemmings-McCatty thanked the event’s title sponsors AnyBet, the college “for its outstanding work with Jamaica’s coaches and PE teachers” as well as the authors “for immortalizing us athletes.”

Fifty Days Afire, which has been endorsed by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) is available at leading bookstores such as Kingston Bookshop as well as Urban Books & Publishers, Totally Male Club Spa & Salon, the bookstore at the Norman Manley International Airport, All Wrapped Up (in gift packages) and GC Foster College Library. The book is also available in print and ebook versions at www.kingstoncomm.com.