The past three months have been an emotional whirlwind for York University hurdler Tamarri Lindo. Last month, his family faced deportation back to Jamaica, but on July 8 they received a temporary reprieve, allowing them to stay for another year. On Saturday, Lindo ran the fastest 110m hurdles time of his career, winning a provincial championship at the Ontario Track and Field Championships in Toronto with a huge personal best of 13.88 seconds.
Lindo told Canadian Running that his win and personal-best performance was a long time coming: “I had a lot of pressure with everything happening. Once I got the news, I felt stress-free.”
His journey to victory was anything but smooth with so much uncertainty surrounding his family. “It’s hard to train when you have stuff going on in the background,” shares Lindo. “My mind wasn’t there.”
In 2019, Lindo and his family fled to Canada from Jamaica due to fears of political persecution. His father, George, was affiliated with the political opposition People’s National Party and reportedly survived several assassination attempts. Their asylum claim was first denied by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), resulting in them fighting to stay safe in the new place they call home.
Lindo says training during his deportation trials was particularly challenging with it always being in the back of his mind. “Deep down, I knew I had to fight through. My coach, Charles Allen, was always in my corner and kept me coming to practice.”
Canadian university sprint hurdler with Olympic dreams faces deportation
On July 8, the Lindo family received a temporary resident permit from the IRCC, allowing them to stay in Canada for another year. “I was emotional. The support and relief from my community played a crucial role,” says Lindo. “I didn’t know people cared that much.”
The 20-year-old is heading into his second year at York University and was named MVP of the school’s men’s track team for 2023/24. Lindo also won bronze over the 110m hurdles at the 2024 Bell Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal and has aspirations of one day competing for Canada.
“The plan is to go back to school this fall and work toward my degree,” says Lindo. “I want to compete for Canada, and next year brings a lot of opportunities with NACAC U23, FISU Games and the 2025 World Athletics Championships.”
Lindo’s journey is a testament to overcoming adversity and conquering challenges, with his recent provincial gold triumph being an example of just that.
