With the Paris Olympics just months away, Tamarri Lindo, a promising college track athlete, finds himself racing against a different kind of clock. The 20-year-old, who has been training rigorously to represent Canada on the world stage, is now grappling with the possibility of deportation back to Jamaica, the country from which his family fled five years ago.

Lindo moved to Toronto from Jamaica with his family when he was just 15. It is in Canada that his youngest sister was born, where he completed high school, and where he flourished as a university track star. This year, he earned a bronze medal in the hurdles for York University at the national university championships, a testament to his dedication and talent. Currently, he is training with Canada’s national track team in preparation for the Paris Games.

“I’ve had dreams of running for this country ever since the first year I stepped in here,” Lindo says. He aspires to become Canada’s first 110-metre hurdles champion. However, this dream is now overshadowed by the threat of deportation. Despite residing in Canada for five years, his family’s refugee applications have been rejected, and they recently received news that they might have to leave the country as soon as next month.

Returning to Jamaica would not only crush Lindo’s Olympic ambitions but also pose significant safety risks for his family. His father, a political activist in Jamaica, faced multiple life-threatening attacks due to his political affiliations. “My father was attacked multiple times for his political views,” Lindo explains. “In 2012, he had his neck slashed while organizing people during the Jamaican election. In 2016, there was a botched assassination attempt, and in 2019, he was chased by gunmen. That’s when we decided to seek refuge in Canada.”

The family’s plight has rallied members of Toronto’s Jamaican community, who believe the Lindo family deserves to stay. “My family’s been working, paying their taxes, and they have never been involved in any crimes,” Lindo emphasizes. Their immigration lawyer, Aidan Simardone, has been advocating tirelessly on their behalf.

“In my opinion, the decision is unreasonable and did not take into consideration the hardships of the removal if it were to occur,” Simardone argues. He highlights the urgent need for public pressure to help overturn the decision.

The family’s initial refugee application was denied, and their subsequent humanitarian and compassionate grounds application also failed. They are now appealing the decision, but time is running out. “We were only given a one-month extension,” says Simardone. “What we need now is public pressure to keep fighting.”

Supporters are organizing rallies and plan to take their case to local members of parliament. The community’s support has been a source of strength for Lindo. “It really touched my heart to see that people really want to see my family and me succeed in life,” he says, visibly moved. “It makes me very emotional.”

As Lindo continues to train, the uncertainty of his future hangs heavily over him. The Olympic track is no longer just a field of competition but a symbol of his and his family’s quest for safety and stability. For Tamarri Lindo, every stride on the track is a step towards a dream that extends beyond personal glory – it is a step towards securing a future in the country he has come to call home.