Merlene Ottey roared to national recognition at the 1979 Champs, winning the 100m and equalling Jacqueline Pusey‘s record and breaking her 200m record to claim her second gold medal, helping Vere to the title. Later that year, at the PanAm Games, Ottey won a bronze medal in the women’s 200m, clocking 22.79 seconds. She then anchored the Jamaica team to a silver medal in the 4x100m.
Source: Champs 100: A Century of Jamaican High School Athletics 1910-2010 by Hubert Lawrence
