Road race in honour of late Olympian Pearson Jordan

The spotlight will be placed on Barbadian athlete the late Pearson Jordan, as the St. Peter Parish Organising Committee (POC) hosts a road race in his honour.

The inaugural Pearson G. Jordan Road Race will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, from 3 p.m. beginning at the Speightstown Esplanade and making a full circle to culminate at that same location.

Organiser of the activity Simeon Allsopp of the Parish Organising committee, said it was aiming to highlight the sporting prowess of Barbadians and help in the promotion of the island’s sports tourism. He said the committee was seeking to encourage regional and international athletes to participate in this annual race.

He pointed out that while the Road Race was organised by the St. Peter Committee, it was open to persons from across the island and indeed all Barbadian athletes would be encouraged to take part in this inaugural road race and walk.

At the end of the race competitors, sponsors and officials will gather at the Fisherman’s Pub for the presentation of prizes and medals.

Interested persons may register for the Road Race on Saturday, November 19, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Whitehall playing field, St. Peter; Saturday, November 26, from 12 to 6 p.m. at Fisherman’s Pub, Speightstown or on race day November 30, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Speightstown Esplanade. 

Monetary prizes will be awarded for the first to third place winners of the race, while the first five participants to complete the walk will receive medals along with monetary prizes for the first three.

Jordan was an outstanding Barbadian sprinter who was born at Sand Street, Speightstown, St. Peter on October 23rd, 1950. Having a keen interest in sports from early, his athletic career started at the Coleridge and Parry School and continued with the Superstars Track Club until he gained an Athletic Scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU) in the United States of America.

Through sacrifice, diligence, dedication, determination and perseverance, Jordan or “PG” as he was familiarly known, rose from humble beginnings to reach the pinnacle of his athletic career and his vision, as he represented Barbados at the Summer Olympics in 1976 and later helped earn Louisiana State University (LSU) an NCAA title in 1979.

In addition, Jordan also taught the game of table tennis to the youth of St. Peter at the then Community Centre in Speightstown. As a dedicated member of the teaching service, he would have taught at the Speightstown Boys’ School which was amalgamated with the St, Peter Girls School in 1990 becoming the Roland Edwards Primary School.

Jordan died in the USA on March 27, 2020 after contracting the Covid-19 virus. He has left a record of excellence in the field of athletics.

Barbados Records:

The Louis Lynch Athletic Trophy – 1970, 1971 & 1972

The Independence Marathon Road Race Relay – 1974 (representing Superstars Club)

The Independence Marathon Road Race Relay – 1975 (representing Superstars Club)

100 m in Summer Olympics of 1976

4 x 100 m Relay in Summer Olympics of 1976

Personal Best in 100m – 10.3 in 1973

United States of America Record: NCAA title in 4 x 400M Relay – LSU – 1979

 (PR)