CL: Henry, I am grateful for the opportunity to document your track and field career. You possess a remarkable legacy that deserves much more recognition within the KC and Jamaican athletic fraternity. I thank you for agreeing to share your track and field experiences with the Fortis family. Firstly, when did you attend KC?
HJ: I attended KC from 1964 to 1967.
CL: Which school did you attend before KC?
HJ: I attended Manchioneal Primary in Portland, then Black River Primary in St Elizabeth, then Frome Senior School in Westmorland. At Frome Senior School, I was an outstanding athlete, and many schools tried to recruit me, but for some reason, I chose KC, of course, with no regrets. I came to KC as a "country boy" from Frome!
CL: What were your favourite subjects at KC?
HJ: Art was my favourite subject, but I was also very good at chemistry and biology.
CL: Who was your favourite teacher at KC?
HJ: Mr. Jones, who taught geography, was my favourite. Even in my time, they used to call him Wyatt Earp because he walked around campus like a sheriff.
CL: Yes, he was famous in my era, too. Interestingly, it was only after leaving KC that I learnt that he was the uncle of the famous singer and actress, Grace Jones.
At school, you were a multi-talented athlete. What events did you compete in at Sports Day at KC?
HJ: I recall that one year I did the 100 and 220 yards, long jump, triple jump and pole vault and ran on the 4x440 relay team for Decarteret House. Ashman Samuels and I were the top athletes for Decarteret.
CL: Which was your favourite Champs, and why?
HJ: Champs in 1967 was massive for me. KC was on its winning streak, and I won the class one high jump, the pole vault, and ran on a relay team. One year, I contributed 39 points to KC's victory, which, according to ISSA, stood as the record number of points by a single athlete for many years.
CL: After KC, you attended the University of Southern California in the USA. Who were some of the other Jamaican athletes there with you?
HJ: When I arrived at the university, Lennox Miller was already there - he was one year ahead of me at KC, and I knew him well. Later, my good friend Donald Quarrie arrived, having transferred from the University of Nebraska.
CL: Five years after leaving KC, you were selected for the Jamaican team for the Munich Olympics. Tell me about your experience at those Olympics?
HJ: I will never forget the Munich Olympics. So much happened in those weeks. We were all scared when we heard that members of the Black September Palestine group killed several Israeli athletes. As time passed, we could not get in touch with our officials from Jamaica, and we were wondering if we would be the next to be killed. In those days, there was no internet or cell phones, and information was hard to come by. We had no idea what was happening. All we knew at the time was that the entire Olympic Village was under lockdown.
CL: That must have been terrifying.
HJ: Yes, it was.
CL: Which events did you do in Munich?
HJ: I did both the long jump and the triple jump. In fact, I was the first Jamaican to compete in the triple jump at the Olympics. I was pleased with my performance even though I did not make the finals. We were happy for Lennox Miller, who came third in the 100m finals.
CL: How did your track career progress after Munich?
HJ: After Munich, I was still at the University of Southern California for another year. Leading up to the Montreal Olympics in 1976, I was with an athletic club in California and was ranked 3rd in the world in the triple jump. I made the Jamaican team again, and I was confident that I could finally get an Olympic medal. Unfortunately, I suffered a serious leg injury a few weeks before the Olympics and could not go to Montreal. I was devastated. Surgery was recommended, but I decided against it.
CL: How did you adjust to life without athletics?
HJ: I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, and thankfully, I was able to work in that field for many years. I finally retired in 2017.
CL: Have you returned to Champs over the years?
HJ: Yes, I used to go to Champs quite regularly. The last time was in 2018.
CL: Now that you are retired, how do you spend your time?
HJ: My wife and I both love to cook, so we sometimes cater for weddings and other events. After retirement, we also travelled a bit, going to places like Jamaica, Hawaii, Mexico and Canada. (My wife is Canadian). However, due to health reasons, we do not travel a lot these days.
CL: What advice would you give to a student/athlete at KC today?
HJ: Make sure that you get a good education at KC and at university. Always train hard and be self-motivated because your coach will not be with you every day.
Cl: You were honoured by the Jamaican Olympic Association in 2025. How did it feel to get that recognition?
HJ: It was a great feeling and one that I will forever cherish.
CL: Henry, you are a KC icon. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me.