The sudden passing of Lenford Levy, the director of the IAAF Regional Development Centre (RDC) last Wednesday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has left the Vincentian track and field fraternity in disbelief.{{more}}

Coach at the West St George Secondary School Walford Mc Kie told SEARCHLIGHT that he is saddened by Levy’s sudden demise.

“I always saw him as a strong individual, one who inspires others,” Mc Kie said of Levy.

The affable Levy, who is Jamaican by birth, was in St Vincent and the Grenadines in August 2010, as one of the facilitators of a two-week (IAAF) Coaches Education and Certification System Course.

Mc Kie was one of the attendees at that course, and noted that Levy was very knowledgeable in the jumps and imparted much of his knowledge to the participants.

Also lending his tribute to Levy was Pamenos Ballantyne.

“I recall not even registering for the Level Two course, but I went down Arnos Vale (Playing Field) and Levy accepted me,” Ballantyne reminisced.

Ballantyne noted that Levy was not only a coach, but he was a “motivator, a counsellor, a psychologist, a teacher.”

The long distance athlete said on hearing of Levy’s demise, he was speechless, knowing the strength of character of the deceased.

Like McKie and Ballantyne, Woodrow Williams listed Levy’s contribution to track and field in the region as “tremendous.” Williams remembered Levy as a strong, committed family man, and one who was always willing to lend his help to others.

Last Thursday, as a mark of respect, Williams wore a jersey given to him by Levy.

Meanwhile, the local governing body for the sport here — Team Athletics SVG, in a letter of condolence to the International Association of Athletic Federation’s general secretary Essar Gabriel, wrote: “Lenford was a tremendous Caribbean sport development enthusiast, eminently qualified, highly motivated, genuinely committed and saw his role in the RDC as a facilitator of Caribbean excellence in the sport of Athletics. Undoubtedly, the Caribbean will be poorer for his loss. He will truly be missed.”

The letter of condolence from Team Athletics SVG’s general secretary Tyrone James concluded: “The President of Team Athletics SVG, Mr Keith Joseph, and the members of the Executive join in extending condolences to the family of the late Lenford Levy.”(RT)