Jamaican Olympian and revered observe and area coach Inez Turner has been inducted into the 2025 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Affiliation (CIAA) Corridor of Fame. The popularity highlights her excellent profession as each an athlete and coach, celebrating her contributions to collegiate sports activities and her lasting affect on student-athletes.
A Profession of Excellence
Turner, who has led Fayetteville State College’s (FSU) observe and area and cross-country groups since 2017, has reworked this system right into a dominant pressure within the CIAA. Below her management:
- The ladies’s cross-country staff has gained six consecutive CIAA championships.
- The lads’s staff secured back-to-back titles in latest seasons.
- FSU’s observe and area groups have constantly excelled, successful a number of CIAA indoor and outside championships.
Earlier than becoming a member of FSU, Turner spent eight years at Winston-Salem State College (WSSU), the place she guided the Rams to 9 convention championships and earned a number of CIAA Coach of the 12 months awards.
An Olympian and Document-Breaking Athlete
As an athlete, Turner represented Jamaica on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, competing within the 800m and the 4x400m relay, the place Jamaica positioned fourth. She additionally gained:
- Gold within the 800m on the 1994 Commonwealth Video games.
- Bronze within the 4x400m relay on the 1997 World Championships.
- Seven CARIFTA Video games gold medals from 1988-1991.
She grew to become the primary English-speaking Caribbean athlete to interrupt the two-minute barrier within the 800m, setting the stage for her profitable collegiate profession within the U.S.
A Lasting Legacy
Turner’s affect extends past competitors. In 2012, she based the Inez Turner Basis, which offers assist for underprivileged college students at Vere Technical High School, her alma mater. She continues to mentor student-athletes, inspiring them to pursue excellence in each sports activities and teachers.
Turner expressed gratitude for her induction, saying, “This honor holds a particular place in my coronary heart. It’s a testomony to arduous work, religion, and the assist of my household, buddies, and the athletes I’ve coached over time.”
Her induction into the CIAA Corridor of Fame cements her standing as one of the influential figures in collegiate observe and area.
Photograph – Fayetteville State University’s (FSU)
