From Jamaica to York University, Brenique Whyte builds strength on and off the field

By the time Brenique Whyte steps into the throwing circle, the noise around her fades. What remains is focus and release.

A third-year women’s track and field athlete at York University, Whyte competes in the shot put and weight throw, events she describes as far more than measurements and results. For her, throwing has become an anchor, a place of stability through personal, academic and emotional challenges.

“Throwing became more than a sport for me,” Whyte said. 

“When everything felt unstable, that circle, the ring, the training environment, it became a place where I could just breathe again.” 

Born and raised in Jamaica, Whyte’s athletic journey began not in the throwing sector, but on the track. She started as a sprinter at Knox Junior School before attending Manchester High School in Mandeville, where she continued in the 100 and 200 metres. A turning point came when sprinting no longer felt natural.

“My coach said, ‘Maybe let’s go into throws,’” she said.  

While her strength came naturally, Whyte says the technical demands of shot put challenged her in unfamiliar ways.

“I’ve always been really strong,” Whyte said. 

“But the technical part, that was hard. I like to challenge myself, and when I couldn’t get it right away, I was like, ‘No, I have to take this challenge on.’” 

She responded the only way she knew how: with discipline. Nights were spent studying video of elite throwers, breaking down technique frame by frame. Sometimes, her training took place in her bedroom, mimicking movements with a balled-up shirt.

“I refused to quit,” she said. 

Whyte originally planned to attend university in the United States, where her mother and younger brother live. Instead, she decided to head over to Canada by herself to study at York. 

At first, athletics wasn’t part of the plan. But as pressures mounted, Whyte felt drawn back to the sport that had carried her through earlier challenges. When responses to emails to join the team didn’t come, she took matters into her own hands, showing up at the track and introducing herself in person.

“I picked myself up in the middle of first year and went there myself,” she said. 

“I was like, ‘I want to throw. I’m really passionate about it.’” 

That initiative paid off. Under the guidance of York’s coaching staff, Whyte found both technical development and personal support, something she values deeply.

“My coach challenges me, helps me grow not just in the circle, but as a person,” she said.

“That guidance and patience, it’s impeccable.” 

Now competing in both the shot put and weight throw, Whyte’s focus extends beyond strength. Much of her training centres on mindset.

“You can have the talent, the build, but if you don’t have the mindset, it’s going to defeat you,” she said. 

Her days are demanding. Training includes sprint-based conditioning, explosive running, throwing sessions and four days a week in the weight room. At the same time, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with long-term plans of becoming a doctor.

“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor,” Whyte said. 

“Not just for the career, I’m always about helping people.” 

That desire to help others extends far beyond the classroom. In 2020, she founded the Brenique Whyte Foundation, a nonprofit organization created during the COVID-19 pandemic to support vulnerable communities.

“We fed the homeless. We helped single parents in any way that we could,” she said. 

“I didn’t have a lot, but I knew I could give something.” 

More recently, the foundation mobilized after a devastating hurricane struck Jamaica, raising close to $15,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support recovery efforts.

“We raised about $11,000 in three days,” she said. 

“That support meant everything.” 

The funds were used to assemble relief supplies and plan a return trip to Jamaica, where Whyte would oversee distribution herself. The initiative included packing barrels filled with food and essential items, while additional funds were earmarked for building materials such as zinc and plywood to assist families who had lost parts of their homes.

“It wasn’t about the amount,” Whyte said. 

“It’s what you do with what you have.” 

She describes Jamaica as a country defined by warmth and resilience, and believes even small gestures can make a meaningful difference.

“To see smiles on children’s faces, or to hear someone say thank you, that means a lot,” she said. 

“I’m very grateful for that opportunity.” 

The relief effort reflects Whyte’s broader philosophy on service. She emphasizes that giving back does not have to be grand or financial to matter.

“Giving back doesn’t have to be monetary,” she said. 

“It can be sharing a post, donating your time, helping someone get from point A to point B.” 

For Whyte, service, sport and academics are not competing priorities; they are intertwined. She relies on meticulous planning, structured schedules and a strong sense of purpose to manage the load.

“There are days I don’t feel like getting up,” she said. 

“But I want this out of life. I want it for myself.” 

If her journey has a defining theme, she sums it up simply.

“I turned pain into purpose.”