'YOU'VE MADE PMORE PROUD''

anthony minott photos - Olympic stars and contestants from the recent Miss Teen Portmore pageant wave to fans during a Portmore Olympic motorcade and homecoming on Thursday.

Residents of Portmore, mainly children, went wild for Portmore athletes, who represented the country at the Beijing Olympics in China in August, during a motorcade and homecoming event in the sunshine city on Thursday.

Dwight Thomas, who was joined by his mother, Pearline Reid, and his twin brother, Dwayne, on the motorcade, was quite elated with the show of love he experienced.

"It is very special to me, and for the other Olympians, even more because I am a product of Portmore," the Olympic 4x100m gold medallist said.

"I have to say special thanks to Mayor Keith Hinds, and Mr and Mrs Waite and the main sponsors Burger King and Spike Industries, and I appreciate what they did for us."

Sanjay Ayre, though not from Portmore, came along to offer support for his friend Dwight and his love for the people of Portmore.

MAYORAL WELCOME

The event kick-started at Ascot High School with a brief welcome ceremony led by Mayor Hinds and his predecessor, George Lee, both giving speeches recognising the achievements of the athletes.

The motorcade made stops at Braeton Primary and Junior High, Port Henderson Primary, Bridgeport Primary and Bridgeport High schools, where the athletes waved, met, greeted and signed autographs for ecstatic children.

At some schools, children ran wild and screamed as the motorcade approached.

The procession went to Burger King, Portmore Mall, one of the main sponsors of the event, where the Olympians met with Richard Lake, the vice-chairman of the fast food giant.

Dwight Thomas was given a framed photograph and citations were given to former Olympians, George Kerr and Neville Myton.

Lake said his company's sponsorship was about giving back to the people of Portmore.

"We want to give back to the Portmore community and we are happy about and proud of our Olympians. this was a once-in-a lifetime experience, they made us all proud to be Jamaicans," he said

Waterford Primary, where Dwight's talent was discovered, was the final leg of the tour.

The school's administration, due to rain, switched from an outdoor presentation to the library, where the athletes were given citations and accolades heaped on them.