Achievements
James Edward Wedderburn was born on June 23, 1938 in Bayfield, St. Philip to Samuel and Katherine Wedderburn. He attended St. Mark’s Boys’ School in 1941 at the tender age of three years old.
Jim, as he was popularly called, continued his education at The Lodge School, which he entered in 1947. House Captain Arthur Streetly took the young nine-year-old and his classmates from the Prep Form (A) to the main field for workouts. It was at one of those sessions that Jim was taught the high jump; the rest as they say, is history.
In 1947 and 1948, Jim took the Division 5 championship, winning the High Jump, 80 yards and the 150 yards. In 1949 and 1950, he won the Division 4 championship, winning the 100, 220, 440, High Jump and the Long Jump. In 1952, James won the Division 3 championship. In 1953 and 1954 Jim captured the Division 2 Championship; winning the 100, 220, 440, 880, High Jump and Long Jump.
Jim broke the Division 2 440 yards record at the Boys’ Inter School Sports in a time of 50.8 secs.
James Weddernburn ended his Lodge School’s athletic career by lifting the Division (1) Championship from 1955 to 1958. He won the 100, 220, 440, 880 yards, High Jump, Long Jump, but most important of all was his victory in 1956 in the 880 yards, the final event at the Inter-School Sports when The Lodge had to take all three places to win the Championship. “Lolly” was followed home by Keith Hunte and Noel Headley and so they repeated the 1951 feat of Glasgow, Elcock and Best.
In 1958 James won an Athletic Scholarship to New York University, USA. At the University Games in the same year, he was Metropolitan Champion at 440 yds., in a time of 47.6 secs.
In 1960 James was crowned, Madison Square Garden Melrose Champion at 600 yds. in a time of 1:12. In the same year, Jim was the Intercollegiate Amateur Athletics Association of America Champion at 440 yards in a time of 46.1 secs. The year 1960 proved to be the pinnacle of this talented yet humble Lodge School alumnus’ illustrious athletic career. At the Rome Olympics in 1960, as part of the West Indies 4 x 440 yards team, James Wedderburn won an Olympic Bronze Medal as a member of the British West Indies team with Jamaican team mates, Malcolm Spence, Keith Gardiner and George Kerr
On his return to Barbados; as Athletics Coach of the National Sports Department 1964 – 1969; Jim introduced Discus, Javelin, Triple jump and 110 Hurdles to the Inter-School Sports.
James Wedderburn received many awards during his distinguished athletic career. In 1961 & 1962 he was MVP – Track & Field – New York University. In 2016, James was inducted into New YorkUniversity (NYU) Hall of Fame. In 1997 he was inducted into the Barbados Amateur Athletic Association’s Hall of
Fame.
The award of CBE (Commander of the British Empire) was conferred on him in 2000. In 2021, the National Sports Council presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.