The Jamaica Defence Force cherishes a long tradition of producing top quality athletes especially in long distance running-, such names as CROSS, BERNARD, SPENCE and STEWART readily come to mind as stalwarts.

Today there is Private Phillip EDWARDS who serves in the First Battalion the Jamaica Regiment and now parades as the number one distance runner in the Force.

Since enlisting in the Jamaica Defence Force in 1995 Private EDWARDS has participated in numerous events and has acquitted himself satisfactorily. His talent was spotted during inter company cross-country runs. In 1995 he was selected to represent his battalion in the Inter Unit competition and finished in seventh place, from there on he blossomed into the limelight.

During the ensuing years Private EDWARDS gave sterling performances, notably in 1998 when he placed second in the Jamaica Marathon. As a member of the National Cross-country Team he represented Jamaica at the Central America and Carifta (CAC) Cross Country Championships in St Lucia in 1999. He finished eleventh (11th) in that event and affording Jamaica Championship honours over Mexico.