‘Tears of joy’

A hall of fame induction is not a new feeling former Olympian Inez Turner. Yet, she shed “tears of joy” when she was told that she will be inducted in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) 2025 John B. McLendon Hall of Fame.

Turner, who now serves as the head coach of Fayetteville State University (FSU) track and field programme, will see her 14-year coaching career in the CIAA conference honoured in February 28, 2025 at the Baltimore Convention Center Ballroom.

She was told of her selection after receiving a call from the CIAA Commissioner Jacqueline ‘Jacqie’ McWilliams-Parker.

“When you get a call from the commissioner, you know that’s a nice call so I knew something was up when I got a call from her,” she explained.

“I was in my compliance director’s office and I just started to shed tears of joy. It is such a blessing to know that while you’re at it, the same road that you are trodding is being recognised. I am still on the job and still doing everything that I love, so I’m truly blessed.”

Her selection will be her ninth Hall of Fame induction throughout her competitive and coaching careers.

She stands as a five-time Penn Relays Hall of Fame inductee as well as single inductions in the FSU, the National Junior College and the Texas State University (TSU) Hall of Fames.

Despite her impressive achievements, Turner said each award is a blessing in its own right.

“This is my ninth induction but when it comes to this induction, I am just truly blessed,” she affirmed.

Turner started her CIAA coaching career with Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) where she won four women’s cross country conference titles, three women’s indoor conference titles, one women’s outdoor conference title and a single men’s cross country conference title.

SEVEN-STRAIGHT WINS

In 2017, she joined FSU where she continued her success, guiding the school to seven-straight women’s cross country conference titles.

She also led the school to its first-ever women’s indoor conference title in 2020, before claiming a further three titles across consecutive years in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

As she looks forward for another year at FSU, she said she draws her motivation from being able to guide the next generation of track and field athletes.

“One of the main reasons why I feel like this is because I am still coaching our young people. I am still mentoring our young people. I am still encouraging them to be and to taste what I have tasted,” she explained.

“I was once in their shoes and it is such a heartfelt blessing to know that your labour is not in vain.”

Turner made her name as a young athlete during the 1980s throughout her junior career representing Vere Technical during the school’s 14-year sweep at the then named ‘Girls Champs’.

Throughout her collegiate career at TSU, she won two back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in the women’s 800m, setting a school record of 2:00.27 minutes.

At the senior level, she won gold for Jamaica in the women’s 800m at the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games as well as bronze in the women’s 4x400m at the 1997 Athens World Championships, setting a then national record of 3:21.30 minutes.