Usain Bolt Jamaica's male athlete of the year	Melaine Walker, female athlete of the year.

Triple Olympic Games gold medallist Usain Bolt and Melaine Walker, the women's 400m Hurdles winner in Beijing, are Jamaica's male and female athletes of the year respectively.

Howard Aris, President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA), presented the awards to Walker and Bolt, who expressed deep appreciation.

Bolt, already the World Athlete of the Year, set World records in winning 100m (9.69), 200m (19.30) and 4x100m relay (37.10) gold at the Beijing Games, having already broken the world mark for the 100m earlier on in the season.

"It is good to be recognised by the JAAA because they have done a lot of work by trying to develop the athletes and track and field in Jamaica overall. I really appreciate it," said Bolt, who also watched the man behind his success, Glen Mills, collected the Coach of the Year.  Mills was also voted IAAF and Central America and the Caribbean (CAC) Coach of the Year.

Walker was singled out from a trio of Jamaican gold medallists in Beijing, beating out 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown and 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser.

"I know Veronica ran well and Shelly-Ann came out and became the first (Jamaican) female to win the 100m, which is also a superb performance, but there were other things that may have contributed (towards my success)," explained Walker.

"I would not have a problem whosoever with who was chosen as the Athlete of the Year but I am glad that I am the one that came out on top, but those ladies are also superb athletes," she said.

Walker, enjoyed 13 successive victories (finals only), including her Olympic title-run of 52.64 which was an Olympic and Jamaican record. Her only loss at the hurdles came in her opening race in Sydney in February.

The occasion, Tuesday's 'Athletes Awards Luncheon', held at the Jamaica Pegasus, was also used to announce two benefits to the JAAA.

Florida-based Jamaica United Relief Association handed over a US$14,000 cheque to president Howard Aris. This figure, according to the association, would be given until 2010 to assist with preparation for the 2012 Olympics.

Also, Scotiabank has announced it would partner with the JAAA for the next three years to host the Athlete of the Year awards fund-raising dinner. Scotiabank said they would underwrite the full cost with proceeds going to the JAAA.