Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Elton Jefford was a world class sprinter
The now annual Boyce Jefford Classic athletics meet was recently held in the Mining Town of Linden at the Mackenzie
Elton Jefford
Sports Club ground. The event was birthed as a tribute to father of one half of the organising duo, Edison Jefford, the late Elton Jefford, one of Guyana’s premier sprinters. In September 2012 Kaieteur Sport carried an article by Charwayne Walker on this impressive son of the soil. Today we revisit that article in memory of Elton.
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 in 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 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.
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