The Edwin Allen High School community in Clarendon, Jamaica, is reeling from the tragic and sudden death of 15-year-old track & field athlete Taniesha Gayle, who collapsed during training on September 13, 2025, and could not be saved at Percy Junor Hospital. Taniesha Gayle had a life full of possibilities and success ahead of her, yet taken away too soon before she could even see her efforts near fruition.

The young sprinter and long jumper, affectionately known as “Tan Tan” among her peers, was a rising star who had already contributed to her school’s athletic success as part of the medal-winning medley relay team at the 2025 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships. Her unexpected passing has left the entire school community in a state of profound grief and disbelief, with principal Jermaine Harris describing the institution to be “grappling” with the tragedy and emphasizing that critical response teams had been activated to support grieving students and staff.

On Instagram, Track Alerts reported this tragic update, stating, “Deep sorrow surrounds Edwin Allen High following the sudden passing of 15-year-old student-athlete, Taniesha Gayle. She collapsed during training and could not be revived. Taniesha’s talent and spirit shone brightly, helping her team capture gold in the medley relay at Champs 2025. We extend heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, teammates, and the wider Edwin Allen community. May her young soul rest in peace.”

The circumstances of her collapse were detailed by Head Coach Michael Dyke, who explained that during a training session, Gayle had sat down with other team members—a normal occurrence—but failed to get up when instructed to continue training.

Despite assistance from a female staff member, she remained unresponsive, leading to her rushed transportation to the school doctor in Frankfield before being transferred to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The tragedy has sparked a widespread conversation about athlete safety and health screening protocols on social media.

The track & field world unites to mourn the loss

The incident that occurred really broke a lot of hearts. One track & field fan expressed, “May her soul rest in eternal peace and let us as a nation pray for her family and friends.” Another emotional response said, “OMGA, this is awful…” This comment points out concerns about coaching practices, suggesting that they might be putting performance ahead of the well-being of athletes. It mentions, “The child was probably dehydrated and overworked. Some of these coaches will push these athletes to the limit, not knowing the health risk factors. Prayers to the family.”

Another comment highlights some practical solutions: “These schools MUST have first aid/CPR trained persons and first aid with AED CPR could have saved their life smh.” This fan said, “This makes so much sense because sometimes we want to do things not knowing our bodies aren’t equipped. Not to mention these coaches will push you thinking everybody’s body work the same. Rip bbyg.”

Taniesha Gayle’s tragic passing really hits hard and too close to home, reminding us just how fragile life can be, even for someone with such amazing track & field talent. Her legacy should really push the industry to put in place stricter safety protocols and better health monitoring to keep young athletes safe everywhere.