When Georgia Powell moved to Canada from Jamaica she never imagined that one of her three sons would become an Olympic champion.
Powell is the mother of sprinter Jerome Blake. Her other sons are Jason and Jhavoun.
READ MORE: Blake hits stride with move to Kelowna
She came to Canada, on her own, in 2008 through an employment program so she could give her boys better opportunities in life.
害羞草研究所淎fter two or three years if you work enough then you can take your kids there,害羞草研究所� said Powell.
When Powell first arrived in Canada she started working in Penticton and then moved to Revelstoke.
All that time she was without her children (they were cared for by their grandmother), but she did have a friend who was in the program with her.
害羞草研究所淚t was hard at first,害羞草研究所� she said.
In 2013, Powell married her husband, who is also from Jamaica and was finally able to bring her boys to Kelowna.
害羞草研究所淚t was so good, you couldn害羞草研究所檛 believe it like you害羞草研究所檝e won the lotto,害羞草研究所� she said of reuniting with her sons.
Powell and her husband divorced four years later, and they remain friends.
As they settled into their new home, Jerome and Jhavoun discovered track and field and football at Rutland Senior Secondary (RSS), while Jason attended Okanagan College. He is now a plumber and pipefitter in Calgary.
Jhavaoun is currently attending Gannon University in Pennsylvania on a football scholarship, and Jerome played for the Okanagan Sun before dedicating himself to track.
害羞草研究所淚 wouldn害羞草研究所檛 think Jhavoun would be playing football. Jason was doing carpentry, mason work, and construction before (in Jamaica). I didn害羞草研究所檛 think he would actually be going to school.害羞草研究所�
While Jerome was first drawn to football at RSS, Powell said it was track and field coach Peter McCall who recognized his potential as a world-class sprinter.
害羞草研究所淭hat man is amazing. He played a vital part in Jerome害羞草研究所檚 and Jhavoun害羞草研究所檚 lives.害羞草研究所�
The pair would also hone their sprinting skills on the running track at the Apple Bowl.
Raising three boys on her own was difficult, Powell said, and there wasn害羞草研究所檛 always the money to pay for sports-related fees and equipment. She said support from RSS faculty and staff, friends, and co-workers helped tremendously.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 really grateful for all the help and support Jerome gets from everybody in Kelowna.害羞草研究所�
Powell noted that her sons never complained, but were instead satisfied with whatever they had.
害羞草研究所淏ecause we got love and that害羞草研究所檚 the thing I think that kept us going. We had each other.害羞草研究所�
The day Jerome won a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to COVID-19) is one that Powell will never forget.
READ MORE: 害羞草研究所楤et on yourself, always害羞草研究所�: Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Jerome Blake reflects on Olympic bronze
It was around 6:30 a.m. when she walked into the theatre at Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna, where she works, and every single resident and staff member was there to watch him race.
害羞草研究所淚 started crying because I couldn害羞草研究所檛 believe it,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t was a celebration in there I害羞草研究所檓 telling you. They害羞草研究所檙e like my family away from home.害羞草研究所�
Jerome, and teammates Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse won bronze in the 4X100m relay. Those medals were upgraded to silver last year after a positive doping test on the British team.
The Canadian team will receive their new medals at the 2023 Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships in Langley July 29 where Jerome is competing in several events.
Powell, who doesn害羞草研究所檛 get to see her son run very often, will be in the crowd.
害羞草研究所淚 never expected he would go to the Olympics. He never gives up. I害羞草研究所檓 so proud of him.害羞草研究所�
So what advice does a mother, who took on adversity and triumphed, give to her sons?
害羞草研究所淎lways remember that you can害羞草研究所檛 do nothing without God,害羞草研究所� said Powell. 害羞草研究所淚 tell them be grateful for what you have, respect others, have manners, be honest, and give everything you do 100 per cent. 害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter where you come from, it matters where you害羞草研究所檙e going.害羞草研究所�
READ MORE: Dream homes for the entire family after Kamloops woman hits $35M jackpot
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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