On July 26th, 1976, Donald O’Riley Quarrie CD, won the 200m race at the Montreal Olympics in 20.22 seconds. Quarrie ended a 24 year long absence of Jamaicans on the Olympic podium when he received a gold medal.
Don Q or DQ, as he affectionately became known around the globe, led the pack coming out of the turn and held off all challenges to take the title and thrill the crowd. He was a five-time winner at the Jamaican sports person of the Year and a statue of him is positioned at the entrance to Jamaica’s National Stadium. There is also a school bearing his name as Donald Quarrie High School in Eastern Kingston.
