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Elton Jefford was a world class sprinter
-100m record controversy looms
The only Guyanese sprinter superior to the late Elton Jefford against international sprint opponents is the legendary James Wren Gilkes.
Jefford, a 1979 Guyana CARIFTA Games representative made his international debut for Guyana at the Whitsuntide Games in St. Georges, Grenada and medaled in the 100m, 200m and 400m events.
In the 100m final, Jefford won silver in a time of 10.7 seconds with Cuban, Israel Alphonso winning gold with 10.5 seconds; third was Grenadian, Walter Simmonds with 10.8 seconds.
In the 200m final, Jefford won bronze with E. Maitland of Grenada winning gold with 22 seconds while Alphonso won Silver. In the 400m finals, Jefford won silver with Maitland winning gold and Grenadian E. Trumpet winning bronze.
Countries that participated in those Games were host, Grenada, St. Lucia, Cuba, Barbados, Martinique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana.
Jefford was also outstanding at his next international meet the following year, May 1982 at the Hampton Games in Trinidad and Tobago, competing against a star-studded cast including former World Champion, United States of America, Steve Reddick and former Olympic Games gold medalist, Haseley Crawford.
In the 100m finals Jefford won silver, clocking 10.52 seconds behind American, Reddick, who took gold in 10.4 seconds; Crawford had to settle for Bronze with 10.53 seconds.
In the 200m finals, Jefford won bronze with 22.3 seconds with Reddick winning gold with 21.65 seconds and W. Alexander silver with 21.66 seconds.
His next international meet was July 1982 also in Trinidad, Jefford placed fourth in the 200m finals with 22.15; American E. Quow won gold in 20.34 seconds with James Wren Gilkes taking silver with 21.12 seconds.
The 100m finals were won by the legendary American, Carl Lewis in a time of 9.83 seconds with Quow taking silver with 10.2 seconds. Trinidadian, A. Bruce had to settle for the Bronze with 10.3 seconds.
Former World Champions Steve Reddick and Steve Williams failed like Jefford to qualify for the 100m finals. Guyanese Gilkes qualified but withdrew from the event.
After the July international meet in Port of Spain, Jefford won the 100m at a St. Vincent and the Grenadines International Meet. His winning time was 10.00 seconds. This event took place in October 1982. Now for the records, the Guyana record books are showing that James Wren Gilkes and Earl Haley’s time of 10.2 seconds are the fastest 100m ever recorded by a Guyanese at an International Meet. That is not correct.
Jefford’s last international meet in 1982 was at the Antigua and Barbuda Invitational Meet in St. John’s. He missed Guyana’s 1983 international programme and a US Scholarship because of a serious leg injury. He returned to the track in 1984 but failed to regain the form that made him a world rater in 1982.
(Charwayne Walker)
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