Jamaican Track and Field Athletes

2012-07-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Jamaica Just Misses Medal as Alia Atkinson Finishes Fourth in Breastroke

Alia Atkinson

Jamaica just missed its first medal of the 2012 Olympics as Alia Atkinson finished fourth in the 100m women’s breastroke.

Atkinson, a native of St Andrew, finished in 1:06:46, less than a second behind Japan’s Satomi Suzuki, who finished in 1:05:55 for the bronze.

Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte took home the gold, followed by the United States’ Rebecca Soni.

Jamaica has a contingent of 25 athletes competing in London.

Atkinson, 23, is also competing in the 50m freestyle and the 200m breastroke.

She attended Texas A&M University in the United States. This is her third Olympic Games, after competing in Athens and Beijing.

2012-07-27T23:30:00.001-07:00

Jamaica's flag-bearer for the Olympic opening ceremony, the doctor, the honourable Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt is the undoubted star, not just of Jamaica but arguably the whole London Olympics. World records at 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay explain why. He will, however, come under pressure from teammate Yohanne Blake who beat him in the Jamaican trials and ran the second fastest 200m of all time in 2011. Asafa Powell could create a clean sweep in the 100m event. Veronica Campbell has been a sprinting stalwart for her country over the years and she will again compete in all the sprint events with strong chances of gaining a medal.

2012-07-23T19:40:00.002-07:00

: Jamaica's men's 4x100m relays at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea

BIRMINGHAM, England — Speculations are that the same Jamaican foursome that ran a World Record 37.04 seconds to win the men's 4x100m relays at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea last year could line up on August 12 in the final should the Jamaican team qualify.

Sources close to the Jamaican team told the Jamaiaca Observer yesterday, that given Asafa Powell's absence from the pre-Olympic training camp at the Monrow track on the University of Birmingham and the limited time available for relay practice in the Olympic Village, the former World Record holder may be left out.
With both Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake set to contest the sprint double and will have a heavy competition schedule in the Olympics, there will not be sufficient time for all the men to go through the paces, it is said.
Team officials here have, however, shot down the speculations and said there was still enough time to get more relay practice done before the start of the Games on July 27 in London.
Donald Quarrie, the Technical Leader, told reporters at a meeting yesterday there would be time to work on baton changes and said the relays would "come down to execution" when the time comes.
The managers were expecting Powell to arrive in Birmingham today with the team expected to leave for London come Thursday with track and field set to start on August 3.
Quarrie did not seem too worried by what he saw of the USA teams that competed at the Heculis Grand Prix in Monaco on Friday, saying the men's team made some mistakes even though they ran a fast 37.61 seconds, while the women's 'A' team failed to complete their baton passes and was disqualified.
Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt, who set the present World Record in the final in Daegu last year, along with Kemar Bailey-Cole, have all spent time in the camp and have been able to practice.
Bailey-Cole, who was fifth in the men's 100m finals at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Trials in a personal best 10.00 seconds, could be asked to anchor in the first round as was Dexter Lee in Daegu last year.
If Powell, who anchored the team to gold four years ago in Beijing is not in the team, the projected order could be Carter, Frater, Blake and Bolt for the final, assuming they get there.
Powell, who was third in the men's 100m at Trials despite nursing a sore groin, has started the relay for his MVP club on several occasions, including at the 34th Milo Western Relays in Montego Bay in February where he got the baton to Frater ahead of everyone else.
Powell also led off a Jamaican squad at the Penn Relays last year, also handing over to Frater.

2012-07-19T19:51:00.002-07:00

A must read from

Jamaicans treated like royalty ahead of Olympics

Usain Bolt was barely visible through the thick row of hedges that guarded the track.
Still, the curious fans tried to sneak a peek at the world's fastest man, if only for a brief second. Some climbed on railings in an attempt to peer over the top of the bushes, while others pushed the prickly branches to the side.

That is, until security sent them scurrying away.

Want to catch a glimpse of Bolt, Yohan Blake and the rest of the Jamaicans in action? Sorry, you're going to have to wait for the London Olympics to start. They are well protected at their training compound inside the University of Birmingham campus.

And well taken care of, too.

The university has rolled out the red carpet for the roughly 47 athletes from the tiny Caribbean country who have shown up to train in peace. The organizers have brought in special beds - including a 7-footer so Bolt can comfortably rest his 6-5 frame - offered up an assortment of entertainment and catered meals to their particular taste in food.

No food request is over the top.

Well, almost.

Wayne Willis, one of the chefs in charge of the food spread, couldn't find a goat's head that someone desired. Other than that, he's made sure they want for nothing, preparing a lot of jerk chicken and pork.

For added authenticity, Willis brought in Jamaican chef Karl Thomas to lend a hand in the kitchen.

"The food is flying out," said Willis, who's trying to keep up with the demand for grapes and kiwi fruit. "This is probably the most high-profile sort of thing I've been involved with in my career."

So far, he's earning a four-star review.

"The food is great," said Veronica Campbell-Brown, who's going for a third straight Olympic gold in the 200. "I really appreciate all the accommodations and the hospitality. The track is lovely."

Around here, the Jamaicans are treated like rock stars. Pete Jackson, a defenseman on the school's field hockey team, stopped by for a quick look at the squad. He climbed on a railing, clinging to the hedges to avoid falling, and glanced at Bolt stretching on the other side of the track.

"That's him right there," he called out to his buddies down below.

Indeed, it was. And Blake, too.

Think one of them is going to win the 100 when the training partners line up in London?

"I'd like Tyson Gay to win," Jackson nonchalantly said. "I just like his attitude. ... (but) it's nice to see (the Jamaicans) here. It's exciting."

The Jamaicans are staying within walking distance of the track, in a place that's under heavy watch. It's simply to give the athletes their privacy without any interruptions.

That's why the track isn't more open to the public. Banners even hang in the places where the shrubs aren't as thick, pretty much eliminating any sort of viewing.

"If we allowed open access, you'd have thousands trying to pour in," explained Zena Wooldridge, the director of sport at the university. "They're a team trying to prepare for the biggest days of their lives. They need to do that in privacy.

"This is about not just physical work, but psychological as well. You can't do that with loads of people."

The only thing the organizers haven't provided is, well, more sunshine and warmer weather. Some of the athletes showed up Thursday decked out in jackets with their hoods pulled up.

"It's been raining here for three months," Wooldridge said. "But I think the sun is due to come out now and should stay out for the next couple of weeks."

When Bolt & Co. aren't on the track, the organizers have made sure they aren't bored. There's a garden to stroll through, not to mention games such as dominoes, Scrabble, chess and backgammon. They also have an Xbox console and two televisions, one with a DVD player.

Not only that, but there are also outside activities lined up for the athletes: Seeing the new Batman movie, attending a special church service, being the guests of honor at a welcome dinner and taking in a live concert.

"But we don't want to do too much and have them over-programmed," Wooldridge said. "They're here to prepare for the Olympics. It's important they don't end up doing too many public engagements.

"We're absolutely delighted to be hosting them. We hope we can play a small part in their success at the Olympics."

2012-07-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

From the

Lock out! J'can journalists barred from athletes' training camp

In stark contrast, the American team which is sharing the same training facilities as the Jamaicans, will be hosting daily press briefings with their athletes.

The USTAF's website said they would make two athletes available each day and the names would be posted a day in advance.

Also on Tuesday morning the USTAF also invited dozens of locals to an open training session at the stadium.

At a Monday Exchange with the Observer staff two weeks ago, Quarrie had given the assurance that given the good relations between the Jamaican media and the athletics body, exceptions will be made as long as the media members recognised their boundaries and did not get in the way of the athletes or the coaches.

On Tuesday morning we were told by Jenna Hadley, the Olympics communications officer for the University of Birmingham that reporters would not be allowed access, but if the Jamaican officials gave the go-ahead then they would reconsider.

After finding the heavily guarded premises where the team was staying and requesting that messages be sent to either Quarrie or Ludlow Watts, the treasurer for the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), the Observer news team was again rebuffed.
After passing the message trough at least three different persons — the guards at the gate, to their supervisor and then Hadley again.

This time, with the cold rain increasing in intensity, the security supervisor called Hadley in our presence. She allegedly called Watts, who she then told the supervisor we would not have access until July 24.

Later in the day when the Observer team returned to the accommodation, we were advised by a man who said he was a security specialist that it would be better off if we did not stay there, as it "may aggravate situation", and advised us to contact someone in the Association of Jamaicans National (Birmingham) who should be able to assist.

2012-07-18T09:59:00.002-07:00

Sex and the Olympic Village

When the lights and competitions go out, the home of the athletes hosts some of the wildest and exclusive parties in town

Daily Mirror

Posted On Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 09:08:31 AM

It probably shouldn’t come as any surprise. Imagine thousands (in the case of this year’s games, seventeen-thousand) of muscly, toned athletes crammed together in one place and either celebrating their Olympic success or simply enjoying the experience of the games having finished their events.

The booze flows, international relations are improved over a few bottles of whatever someone can get their hands on and inevitably one thing leads to another.

Yet despite the longstanding rumours of the athlete’s village being the ultimate party venue, few of those to have experienced it had revealed its sexy secrets until now.

In a revealing piece from the ESPN magazine’s latest ‘Body Issue’ several Olympic stars of past and present have lifted the lid on some of the late-night antics.

American target shooter Josh Lakatos recounts tales of a house in Sydney that he turned into the ultimate party house following the end of his and his team’s participation in the Games, and as things swiftly got very steamy a wave of realisation hit him, “I’m running a friggin’ brothel in the Olympic Village! I’ve never witnessed so much debauchery in my entire life.”

• Gymnast Alicia Sacramone told the magazine about how adolescent gymnasts got sassy with the water polo and judo boys who shared their training room. “That’s where most of my socialisation took place,” she said. (Top) Hope Solo, the US football goalkeeper, observed, “There’s a lot of sex going on.”

While not every athlete ends up running a knocking shop like Lakatos, where a duffel bag of thousands of condoms was left by the door to ensure that all of the X-rated comings-andgoings were at least performed safely.

It’s no new phenomenon either, as three-time Olympic diver and fourtime Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis revealed about the US team’s friendship with the Russians in the Montreal village in 1976: “Once events were over, our entire diet was caviar, vodka and Russian champagne.

It was crazy,” and the sexual interactions weren’t confined by orientation as one married Russian was “hooking up with one of the other male divers on the team” in plain view of his compatriots and newly-found chums.

The Winter Olympics are no exception, with a skier that took part in the 2010 games in Vancouver lifting the lid on a six-way “whirlpool orgy” that occurred between “some Germans, Canadians and Austrians” in Whistler.

Unsurprisingly, as more events come to their conclusions the party gets kicked into full flow. Hope Solo, the US women’s soccer goalkeeper who became famous for her looks as well as ability in the last Women’s World Cup, succinctly observed, “There’s a lot of sex going on.”

How much? “I’d say it’s 70 percent to 75 percent of Olympians,” says American swimmer Ryan Lochte. Solo goes on to recount a story about the Beijing closing ceremony: “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but we met a bunch of celebrities. Vince Vaughn partied with us. Steve Byrne, the comedian.

And at some point we decided to take the party back to the village, so we started talking to the security guards, showed off our gold medals, got their attention and snuck our group through without credentials — which is absolutely unheard of.”

And, she reveals, “I may have snuck a celebrity back to my room without anybody knowing, and snuck him back out.

But that’s my Olympic secret.” Whether London will see such debauchery, we are yet to see, but American 400m star LaShawn Merritt is going to try and leave his stamp on the 2012 games, “An Olympics to remember has to have those stories,” Merritt says.

“But I was too locked in in Beijing. This time, when I’m done leaving my legacy on the track. I’ll make sure London remembers me.”

2012-07-17T12:27:00.001-07:00

Yohan Blake breaks Lucerne meet record in final race before Olympics

LUCERNE, Switzerland — Yohan Blake warmed up for the London Olympics by timing 9.85 seconds to win the 100 metres at a Lucerne meet Tuesday in his first competitive race since beating Usain Bolt twice at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

Blake was far from the fastest out of the blocks but powered through the field with legal wind assistance of 1.6 metres per second. Jamaica teammate Michael Frater was second in 10.00.

“Definitely I am on the right path for the Olympics,” the 21-year-old world champion said. “This is where I am supposed to be. I want to remain unbeaten and that’s what I am doing.”

Blake chose the low-key Spitzen Leichtathletik meeting to make what is expected to be his only appearance between the trials and the London Games.

He is scheduled to open his Olympic program when the 100 heats start on Aug. 4.

Blake lowered the Lucerne record of 9.86 set by fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter two years ago.

“I got the meet record, which is wonderful,” Blake said. “I didn’t come here to run a quick time but it’s still a fast time. Not many guys run 9.85.”

Only three-time Olympic champion Bolt (9.76) and 2004 Olympic winner Justin Gatlin (9.80) have run faster this season.

There was still obvious room for improvement out of the blocks.

“My first part was poor but, as you can see, the last part is always ’The Beast’ part,” said Blake, referring to the nickname given him by his training partner, Bolt.

Blake clocked a personal best and world’s season-leading time of 9.75 to beat Bolt in Kingston last month. He also ran a world-leading 19.80 to beat Blot and win the 200.

After his brief trip to Switzerland, Blake will return to the Jamaican team training camp in Birmingham, England.

2012-07-16T13:24:00.001-07:00

About the Olympic Village

The Olympic Village is located in the Olympic Park, within walking distance of the venues – enhancing the experience of athletes and officials who will stay there during the Games.

The design and build

The Olympic Village has residential apartments for around 17,000 athletes and officials during the Games, along with shops, restaurants, medical, media and leisure facilities, and large areas of open space.

There are 11 residential plots, each made up of five to seven blocks built around communal squares and courtyards, with water features accentuating the closeness of the River Lea.

Each apartment provides comfortable accommodation and state-of-the-art communications facilities, including internet access and wireless networking.

The Village also includes a ‘Village Plaza’ where athletes can meet with friends and family. The plan retains London's tradition of building homes around communal squares and courtyards, with water features accentuating the closeness of the River Lea.

Construction of the Village began in May 2008, following planning approval for the first blocks. Work on the other blocks was staggered throughout 2008 and 2009, and by mid-2012 five plots had been structurally completed and the others were approaching their full height. As construction of the plots was finished, they began to be fitted out. Temporary partitions have been put in to create the rooms for the athletes and officials.

After the Games

After the Games, the Olympic Village will be a lasting legacy of essential new housing for east London. It will be transformed into 2,818 new homes, including 1,379 affordable homes and houses for sale and rent, and will create a new residential quarter to be known as East Village.

The communities that develop in the area after the Games will be supported by new parklands, open space, new transport links and community facilities. These will include Chobham Academy – a world-class new education campus with 1,800 places for students aged 3–19 – and a new health centre, which will provide medical facilities to existing local communities and the residents of the Village after 2012.

The accommodation will range from one bedroom apartments up to four- and five-bedroom townhouses. Temporary partitions needed during the Games will be removed to form the final living spaces and bedrooms. Kitchens will be installed, along with new carpets or timber floors.

2012-07-16T12:59:00.002-07:00

LY 16, 2012

Inside the village of fun and GamesFrom 100,000 condoms to all-night drinking parties - lifting the veil on life at the Olympics

Sodom and Gomorrah are not among the 205 nations taking part in the Olympic Games this summer, but they would fit right in, at least if a new book, The Secret Olympian, is to be believed.

It has been written anonymously, apparently by a British former Olympian, who is almost certainly not Sebastian Coe, and probably not the Princess Royal either. The book claims that life in the athletes' village amounts to one great debauched party, and that the 70,000 condoms provided for the athletes at the Games in Sydney 12 years ago ran out within a week.

Can this be so? Has bed-hopping become the most popular sport in the Olympic village, the London one of which, incidentally, opens for occupation today? Certainly, it is no secret that there will be alcohol on campus: the American team alone has two sponsored beer halls, a Budweiser House and a Heineken House. And where there is alcohol and young, fit, libidinous men and women, there is invariably sex.

In terms of Olympic recognition, and with apologies to Philip Larkin, sexual intercourse began in 1992, between the start of the Ben Johnson ban and Britain's eight-man winning crew. At any rate, it was in Barcelona that year that free condoms were supplied for the first time, as they have been at every Games since.

No fewer than 100,000 condoms have been stockpiled for London 2012 along with, according to one report, "an industrial quantity" of pregnancy test kits. But Todd Lodwick, the American Nordic-combined skier and twice an Olympic champion, recently claimed that the bowls are traditionally emptied as a joke, suggesting that many athletes pocket them because it's considered a laugh to pretend they're all at it.

Whether they are or not, heaven knows how athletes will cope with all the other temptations in the Olympic village, which offers almost limitless potential for hijinks. In 1996 in Atlanta, the British sprinter Darren Campbell thought it unfair that so-called VIPs were driven from place to place in electric golf buggies, while the athletes had to queue for trains. So he took a golf buggy for himself.

Even if they resist sex and vehicle snatching, how will, say, young footballers who earn tens of thousands of pounds a week and are rarely the most self-disciplined of sportsmen, adjust? It's a long way from neo-Tudor mansions and fivestar hotels to the little apartments with two single beds to a room and identical London 2012 duvet covers.

Of course footballers will not be the only young athletes unaccustomed to living humbly. Another is the great Rafael Nadal, 11 times Grand Slam tennis champion, who told me in a recent interview that he can't wait to move into one of the 2,818 apartments awaiting the athletes in Stratford. The tennis is at Wimbledon, and getting from SW19 to E20 is bound to be a challenge, even in an air-conditioned car. However, Nadal rejected out of hand the offer of a luxury hotel room nearer the All-England Club. "The Olympics, spending time in the village with the rest of the Spanish team, is one of my greatest experiences," he said. "I cannot miss being in the village."

But single beds won't suit everyone. An Olympic gold medallist confirmed to me last week - on strict condition that I keep his (household) name out of the story - the prevalence in the village of two, if not all three, of the unholy trinity of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. "There's always a nightclub area for the Olympians to unwind and let their hair down," he said.

Some competitors drink others under the medals table. The swimmers, he added, tended in his day to be the "most excitable party animals." He recalled getting up at 6 a.m. to prepare for his event, and seeing the swimmers on their way home from a night's partying. "They usually compete early on, which gives them plenty of time to enjoy themselves," he said. Sometimes marriage ensues. At Barcelona, the story goes, Derek Redmond pulled his hamstring, and Sharron Davies pulled him.

More often, though, liaisons are fleeting. And my informant revealed that "a kind of hierarchy" prevails, headed by the male sprinters. "They always seem to be the ones who attract the most ladies and have the most success, at least they did until the [American] Dream Team basketball team took over."

During his own bid for a gold medal, he said, he stayed celibate. "Sex depletes the testosterone level," he explained. "So athletes who need a bit of anger, a bit of tension, to perform at their best, shouldn't have sex, at least not the night before. If you're laid-back, you can do what you like. But it wasn't for me." Bill Shankly, the celebrated manager of Liverpool FC in the 1960s and early 1970s, would have approved. His protege Ian St John once told me: "Shanks used to tell us to wear boxing gloves in bed on the night before a game. And if that didn't work, to send the wife to her mother's."

Whatever, it's not just the sex and booze and rock'n'roll that attracts athletes to life in the Olympic village, but the camaraderie, too. And it was ever thus. There are few points of comparison between London 2012 and London 1948, but the rapport between competitors is one of them. Not that there was then any such thing as an Olympic village. There were around 4,000 competitors from 59 nations, some of whom stayed at RAF Uxbridge, some at an Army camp in Richmond Park, and others at secondary schools in Harrow and Pinner, while the Jamaican team, for some reason, was billeted in private houses in Wembley.

Those were the so-called "Austerity Olympics," but that doesn't mean that there were no freebies. According to Janie Hampton, author of the meticulously researched The Austerity Olympics (Aurum), every man in Team GB, as it was mercifully not yet known, got a pair of white Y-fronts, courtesy of gents' outfitters Coopers, one of the sponsors. The women in the British team, however, had to use clothing coupons to get their kit.

Male and female competitors were kept apart and, in any case women were outnumbered nine to one. Within the New Zealand team, Ngaire Lane, a backstroke swimmer, was merely outnumbered six to one. There was her, and six men, and she told Hampton that she would not have been allowed to travel to London had she not found herself a middle-aged chaperone. A far cry indeed from 100,000 free condoms.

2012-07-14T15:14:00.001-07:00

Defending Olympic champion Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, stumbled after a few strides after leaving the blocks in the Samsung Diamond League in London and finished down the track in a disappointing last today.

Fraser-Pryce went into the finals with the fastest time but her race fell apart after the stumble and the 'Pocket Rocket' jogged through to the line in 11.82.

The race was won by Nigerian Blessing Okagbare in 11.01 from Carmelita Jeter and Tiana Madison of the USA.

Fraser-Pryce's Jamaican teammates Aileen Bailey, Schillonie Calvert and Carrie Russell finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

2012-07-13T17:41:00.002-07:00

Have you seen the supposedly Opening Ceremony outfit that Cedella Marley, daughter of the late Bob Marley, has design for the uniforms of the Jamaica’s 2012 Olympics team. Well here is what it looks like:

Yes what is supposedly the Opening Ceremony outfits to be worn by Jamaica's athletes to the Olympics in London has been unveiled but to much harsh criticism from MANY online users.
Most of the feedback so far has been negative, with comment ranging from "Dem ugly" to "him look like wanna the lotto hot, but what say you? Feel free to leave your comment as to how you feel about the look of the uniform.

2012-07-13T08:27:00.002-07:00

Two Jamaican Athletes Collapse At World Juniors

Published: Wednesday July 11, 2012 | 7:11 am

Simoya Campbell - File photo

BARCELONA, Spain:
Jamaican athletes Simoya Campbell and Javon Gallimore this morning collapsed and had been taken to receive medical attention.

The first sign that there was a problem came when Simoya Campbell did not show up for heat one of the women’s 800 metres semi-final.

When coach Michael Dyke was contacted, he revealed that Campbell had complained of not feeling well.

Team leader, Julette Parkes, later confirmed that Campbell was at the hospital with team doctor Lincoln Cox.

“She had her breakfast and was coming down with coach Kirk Douglas when she collapsed,” Parkes said.

“She complained of not feeling well at around 8:30 a.m (1:30 am. Jamaica time). She said her head was hurting her and (so) she put her head down in the bus and by the time they got to the stop they had to take her off and get her in an ambulance.”

Cox said Campbell who was at Hospital del Mar, might have suffered a cerebral seizure.

“She was trying to say something, but her words were not very clear,” Cox said.

“They are doing some more tests and I am waiting to have a discussion with them.”

After competing in the heats of the 800m on Tuesday, Campbell complained of not feeling well.

Meanwhile, shortly after 400 metres hurdles athlete Javon Gallimore and Shavon Barnes qualified for the semi-finals of their event, Gallimore had to be helped onto a stretcher and rushed to the medical centre.

“He was fine and then as soon as we got in the sun he started getting dizzy and said he felt weak; then he fainted. I had to lift him up and signal the medical persons,” Barnes related.

The medical personnel revealed that Gallimore's blood sugar level was fine, but he might have suffered a heat stroke.

Following his second place finish in heat four of the 400m hurdles, Gallimore had revealed that has been struggling with the flu.

“It has been rough, but I keep taking the vitamin C and it is helping,” Gallimore had said.

2012-07-13T08:16:00.002-07:00

Good morning for Jamaican athletes

BARCELONA, Spain — A World Junior Leading 50.45 seconds by Javarn Gallimore in the semi-finals of the men’s 400m hurdles this morning, a personal best from Jodean Williams, and a season best from Shericka Jackson, highlighted a brilliant morning for Jamaican athletes on today’s third day of the 14th IAAF World Junior Championships at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium here.

Russell.

1/4

All but two of the eight athletes who took part advanced including Gallimore and long jumper Chanice Porter who both qualified for finals later in the championships.

Head coach Michael Dyke was pleased with the morning’s progress and told the Observer, “we have recovered well from yesterday’s incident (referring to the health scare with 800m runner Simoya Campbell) and we like how well the kids are doing so far.”

While being cautious not to count medals before they are won, Dyke said he was looking forward to the afternoon’s session where Jamaica will be represented in two finals, the men’s discus throw with Fedrick Dacres and the men’s 400m with Javon Francis, one of the biggest surprises here this week.

If there was one disappointment he said it was the failure of 400m hurdler Shavon Barnes to advance to the finals of the 400m hurdles tomorrow after the Racers TC athlete faded to fifth in his semis today, clocking 51.18 seconds.

Gallimore, the Boys Champs two time champion, says he is “on a mission” and is “getting the job done, one race at a time.”

The Jamaica College athlete came into the championships with a personal best of 50.83 seconds and sliced off .38 seconds today with a race that he said was only marred by hitting the eighth hurdle and gave himself a grade of eight out of 10.

Three of four 200m runners advanced to this afternoon’s semi-finals after Tyquendo Tracey placed fifth in his first round heat in 21.47 seconds and failed to move on.

Julian Forte was easy in his first round, winning in 20.76 seconds, second only to Munro College’s Delano Williams running for the Turks and Caicos Islands who won his heat in 20.66 seconds, the eighth fastest time in the world this year.

Jodean Williams clocked a lifetime best 23.88 seconds to win her 200m first round heat and will be joined in the semi-final by IAF World Youth bronze medallist Shericka Jackson who ran a season’s best 23.35 seconds to win her heat, the best on the day so far.

Janieve Russell, who is the World Junior Leader with 57.04 seconds, strolled to an easy 59.38 seconds to win her first round and will contest the semi-finals set for tomorrow afternoon.

It was also a short day for Porter who got the automatic qualifying mark of 6.30m on the very first jump of the qualifying this morning.

2012-07-13T06:52:00.002-07:00

Powell Pulls Out Of 100m

The Gleaner has reported this morning that Asafa Powell will not face Tyson Gay in a 100m clash in London today as planned after the Jamaican chose to pull out of the two-day London Diamond League meet in order to rest his injured groin ahead of the Olympic Games.

Forced to withdraw from the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, last year, and having to jet off to Miami for treatment in the middle of the Jamaican Olympic trials late last month, Powell has had a lengthy and well-documented problem with his groin and is still feeling pain in the area after his most recent flare-up.

Agent Paul Doyle confirmed the decision, but sought to give the assurance that the former world 100m record holder would be ready by the time the athletics competition starts at the Olympic Games. Powell's first involvement at the Olympic Games will come on August 4 in the 100m heats.

"He's not going to run," said Doyle in reference to Powell's involvement at the London Diamond League. "We decided not to run because there's still a bit of pain in the groin, so he doesn't want to risk anything before the Olympics. He'll be fine for the Olympics, but we decided not to race this week."

Powell was expected to face the now-recovered Gay in a test of both athletes' readiness ahead of the July 27-August 12 showpiece. Gay seems fitter by the week after recovering from a hip surgery in 2011, while Powell's health progress remains a point of concern following his latest setback - the powerful Jamaican having to be lifted off the track after finishing third behind Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell in the 100m final in Kingston.

SHOULD BE READY

Doyle, however, said that his client would be ready in time for the games and that this latest step was simply a precautionary one.

"We've just been treating his groin so it heals. He feels fine now, but we've decided to take some more rest, then train, so he'll be ready for the Olympics," said Doyle.

Powell is the second high-profile Jamaican to pull out of a meet heading to the Olympic Games after Usain Bolt withdrew from the Monaco Diamond League, which runs off on July 20.

Despite Powell's absence, the meet will hold significant interest for Jamaican fans with several of the island's Olympic-bound athletes down to face the starter.

Nesta Carter, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Lerone Clarke, Jacques Harvey, and Michael Frater will carry the Jamaican flag in the 100m with Gay and training partner Keston Bledman carrying the biggest threats.

Melaine Walker - the defending Olympic champion - Kaliese Spencer, and Nickeisha Wilson will be looking to dominate a 400m hurdles field that includes Russian Irina Davydova, who is one of three women to have gone below 54 seconds (53.77), which is the second-fastest time this year.

Sherone Simpson, Anneisha McLaughlin, and Aleen Bailey will run the 200m against American Bianca Knight, while national champion Kimberly Williams will look to continue her rise in the triple jump.

Tomorrow, double national champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carrie Russell, and Aleen Bailey will contest the 100m against the troublesome Murielle Ahoure and Knight in the first heat. Schillonie Calvert will face world champion Carmelita Jeter and Tianna Madison in the other 100m heat. Latoya Greaves and Brigitte Foster-Hylton are entered in the 100m hurdles with Mario Forsythe and Marvin Anderson expected to start in the 200m.

Selected Events

12:22 p.m: Women's 400m Hurdles

12:34 p.m: Men's 400m Hurdles

12:44 p.m: Men's 100m Heat 1

12:54 p.m: Men's 100m Heat 2

1:04 p.m: Women's 200m

1:14 p.m: Women's 5000m

1:36 p. m: Women's 1500m

1:48 p.m: Men's 110m Hurdles

1:59 p. m: Men's 100m

2012-07-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Reigning Carifta Games champion, Jamaican Fedrick Dacres measured a personal best mark to capture gold in the discus at the 2012 World Junior Championships.

The 18-year-old Dacres threw 62.80 metres to edge Poland's Wojciech Praczyk (62.75m) and South Africa's Gerhard de Beer (61.57m).

"I feel really good. At the moment of throwing I didn't have anything on my mind," said Dacres, who also took gold at the World Youth Championships in Lille last year.

"I train in Calabar High School in Kingston. I hope that in the future Jamaicans will not only be first in sprint. I hope they change to more disciplines."

2012-07-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Who is Kenneth Edwards?

Jamaica's first ever qualifier at the Olympic Games in the Taekwondo event, Kenneth Edwards was born on December 30, 1985 (Age 27).

He qualified for the games on 2011 at the Olympic Games Qualification Pan America in Queretaro Mexico, after taking the bronze medal.

He is currently training with Alvin Bernard, Coach and founder of Team USA Taekwondo fitness club.

Edwards will be participating in the heavyweight class at the Olympic Games, despite starting out in the middleweight class. However, through the guidance of Coach Bernard, he has found success in the heavyweight class; winning his first tournament, the Big East Taekwondo Open, in that class.

Edwards says that he will be in the best shape of his life for the games and he's going in confident and optimistic, in hope of taking home a non-related track and field medal for his country.

Edwards, a member of Jamaica's combined martial arts team, historically qualified for London 2012, becoming Jamaica's first taekwondo Olympic representative.

To further hone his skills, Edwards was sent to Bernard's Team USA Taekwon-Do Fitness in Fort Lee, New Jersey, to master Olympic-style taekwondo.

Mainly a practitioner of International Taekwondo Federation-style (ITF) taekwondo, Edwards qualified in third place from the Pan Am region, fighting World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) style - the art used in the Olympics.

Combined team captain Jason McKay believes the 'Bernard factor' could transform Edwards from outsider to possible medallist in London this summer.

Bernard, who held national titles in the United States in both styles, was called on to make Edwards a lean, mean WTF-style fighting machine.

A sixth-degree black belt, Bernard is an international instructor, international Class A umpire/referee, US national team coach and chief instructor at Team USA Taekwon-do Fitness.

His interest in martial arts began at age 15 in Germany. Over the years, he has trained and competed in numerous styles of martial arts, including ITF taekwondo, Olympic taekwondo, shotokan karate, hapkido, kung-fu, boxing, kickboxing and grappling/submission fighting.
Bernard believes Edwards, under his tutelage, has "a great chance of medaling at the Olympics".

"He has made a tremendous turnaround," said the 44-year-old, who left Jamaica in 1980 for the United States before relocating to Germany with his father in 1983.

"When he started he had a lot of things that needed fixing. We started by working on conditioning. He is now in excellent shape. The technical stuff is now out of the way," Bernard added.

Bernard took Edwards on the road and he is three from three so far.

"In tournaments, he has been doing really well. We've had three and he has won all three. The last one was the most important, the one we really trained for, the Big East tournament on April 29 in New Jersey.

"It was hosted by Grandmaster Jigho Choi, the WTF Pan Am president. Kenneth went up against Muhammad Aly, the national champion for Jordan. He had beaten Kenneth last year. Kenneth beat him 7-1. The guy got one point due to a warning."

Going as planned
Bernard said Edwards' training is going as planned.

"He had a lot of things to fine-tune, so the first four months was conditioning, biometrics, taekwondo specifics," he said.

"In Olympic style, the scoring is electronic so we had to make sure placement and power of kicks were accurate. In the next few days, before we leave for the Olympics, we should be where we want to be."

Bernard pointed to Edwards' resilience and determination to medal.
"He's very determined. He has made history and wants to continue. He is not satisfied and wants to be a gold medalist. I have trained many people, including the US national team, so I know he can do it," he said.

2012-07-10T16:08:00.001-07:00

Usain Bolt is considering using an ice chamber in London to guarantee his fitness for this month’s Olympics amid fears a back injury has derailed his preparations.

The world’s fastest man has flown to Germany to see Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt and has pulled out of his final warm-up race before the Games as he strives to get his body right for the huge challenge of defending his 100 metres and 200m titles against training partner Yohan Blake.

Bolt’s camp are in discussions with a British company over the cryotherapy treatment, which aids athletes’ recovery by encasing them in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of -140C.

The 25-year-old is said to be keen on stepping into Britain’s only mobile ice chamber, which the Wales rugby team used this year as they won the Six Nations.

The chamber, supplied by CryolabSports, is secured in a former police van and can be driven to wherever it is needed.

Those using it strip to their underwear and let the cold air chill their body for up to three minutes, during which time the skin temperature drops significantly but the core stays the same. This boosts muscle recovery after exhausting training sessions and triggers the release of endorphins which help pain relief.

Bolt, whose aura of invincibility was punctured by two defeats by 100m world champion Blake at the Jamaican trials last week, could use it right away to help him recover from the injury which has forced him out of the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday week.

He could alternatively decide to wait until he travels to London for the Games and use it between the rounds of his three events – the 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

Mo Farah is likely to use the chamber during the Olympics as he runs for gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

He regularly uses one supplied by Nike at his home in Eugene, Oregon, and CryolabSports have offered their services on these shores.

Farah has said: “You’re not stiff or anything, your body’s just freezing cold. But you recover right away. The following day – that’s when you feel a lot better.’

His coach Alberto Salazar is a long-time fan. “An ice bath may help you recover in terms of flushing something out of your legs,” he has said. “But the way this works, tiredness and soreness everywhere in your body is much less.”

Of his runners he added: “You can have them go in after a very hard workout and they’d normally just be completely wiped out. They’d do this and an hour or two later they feel great.’

Newcastle United players including Demba Ba spent time in the chamber at the end of last season and the club has signed up to use it again for the forthcoming year.

Manager Alan Pardew said: “We think it’s something different and we know it works.”

2012-07-10T13:24:00.004-07:00

Jamaican juniors start well at World Champs

BARCELONA, Spain - Jamaica's head coach Michael Dyke was pleased with this morning’s start of the 14th IAAF World Junior Championships at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium here in Barcelona, Spain.

All but one of the six athletes who took part in the opening session automatically advanced to their second round of the women's 800m, men's 110m hurdles and men's 100m which Dyke said was "a good start for us."

Odean Skeen...won his heat to advance to 100m semi-finals at World Juniors.

"Based on tradition we are strong in the sprints and hurdles so it was not surprising to see our athletes advancing form the early rounds," Dyke told reporters minutes after the end of the first session.

He also reported that all was well with the athletes in the camp and the only health scare was a bout of diarrhea that high jumper Christoff Bryan had picked up as well as flu like symptoms suffered by some athletes.

"The medical staff has been working well with the athletes," Dyke reported, "And we have everything under control."

National Junior Trials champion Odean Skeen and two time CARIFTA Games Under 20 champion Jazeel Murphy both won their heats in the 100m to advance to tomorrow’s semis and hopefully finals.

Skeen clocked 10.45 seconds and Murphy 10.50 seconds both said they were doing just enough to move on.

Central American and Caribbean Junior silver medalist Stefan Fennel, was second in his heat of the boys’ 110m hurdles in 13.81 seconds while Yannick Hart who won the CAC bronze was also second in his heat here in 13.87 seconds.

Semoya Campbell who was one of the athletes who reported to be suffering from the flu, ran 2 minutes 06.18 seconds for third in her 800m heat, saying the 'rust' from not competing since the Junior Trials also affected her.

Desreen Montaque who was well poised after the first 400m of her heat, in second place in 1 minute 01.13 seconds, faded badly to fifth to finish in 2 minutes 10.22 seconds and failed to move on.

Later today when the second session gets underway at 6:00pm (1:00pm Jamaica time) Lennox Williams and Javon Francis will contest the 400m heats while Fedric Dacres will contest the discus throw preliminaries.

2012-07-10T09:33:00.001-07:00

Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell to go head-to-head

Diamond League, London (13-14 July); Crystal Palace hosts the latest Diamond League meeting which, for some, is the last competitive outing before the Olympics. Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell head the 100m line-up on Friday evening, while world champion Dai Greene goes in the 400m hurdles.

The second and third fastest men of all time will meet at Crystal Palace 23 days before a potential rematch in the Olympic final.

Gay, who has battled back from terrible injury problems, won the United States trials in 9.86sec last week, while Powell, the former world record holder, finished third behind Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt in the Jamaican trials.

They will both be looking to send out a warning to Blake and Bolt, who have run 9.75sec and 9.76sec respectively this year, ahead of the Olympics.

Gay said: "I haven't raced much this year and I'm feeling better each time out there on the track.

"My body is getting closer to where I want it to be. I've shown over the years that through all of the injuries, I'm a fighter, and I hope to be fighting for that Olympic gold in London later this summer."

Powell, 29, added: "This is a big year for me. I'm not getting any younger but there's a lot more to come from me. I've learned a lot from past major championships. I don't take anything for granted and I'm working as hard as ever. I know that I'm capable of running 9.8, 9.7, 9.6, so all that I'm focusing on is myself.

"I'm looking forward to taking on Tyson. It's good to have him back and it's going to make for a very competitive Olympic Games.

Before being done in by a groin injury, Powell had been running faster than he ever had in a major championships year and was a popular choice to finally emerge from behind the shadow of shortcoming that has cast a pall over the most consistent sprint career in the history of track and field.

There is no solace to be taken from 76 sub-10-second 100m races when you are rendered the second-fastest spectator on the planet.

But rather than sulk or question the fates, Powell looked in the mirror and came to a stark realization; one he hopes will finally propel him to greatness at the Olympics in London.

“Over the years I have been kind of lazy, thinking my talent alone can do it,” Powell said in a stark admission. “This year, I am trying something new. This year I am not missing training. I am trying to attend every training session and do all of my workouts.”

Since 2008, when his world record and reign over the men’s sprints were emphatically usurped by fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt , Powell has spent more time injured than he has challenging his friend and rival. The two have raced just twice in the last two years, and over the last three-plus seasons, Powell has been slowed by ankle, toe, hamstring, back and groin issues.

He said that he believed that litany of injuries was caused by over-training, which led him to ease up his workout regimen.

“I tried to push myself to the limit and got injuries so I kind of backed off a bit and said to myself, ‘Maybe the harder I train the more injuries I’ll get,’” Powell said. “I tried that and it didn’t work.”

So Powell has resumed full-bore training, only now he has employed a new doctor on his support team who will travel with him to meets as well. He has also resumed competing during the indoor season, something he has not done in eight years.

“Asafa has come in with a new attitude, quite honestly, the best attitude we have ever seen him train with," Powell’s manager Paul Doyle told The Associated Press. "He is getting to bed earlier than he has in the past. He is not partying anymore, nothing like that. He has a new outlook. Most of his career, he worked hard - don't get me wrong - but he didn't do anything and everything he needs to do.”

Powell said part of that was brought on by the realization that he isn’t getting any younger.

“My age is running about as fast as I am,” he said. “From Day 1 I wasn’t planning to run until I am very old. I am almost 30 so I am approaching this one as if it will be my last Olympic Games. I want to put out 110 percent to make sure that I am up at the top.”

If Powell proved anything in 2011 it was that he still belongs in the conversation of the world’s best sprinters – his 9.78 in Lausanne was the second-fastest time in the world on the season.

He openly acknowledges that he has fallen behind Bolt and young Yohan Blake , another Jamaican who won the 100m world title in Daegu, in the consciousness of most observers, but his perceived standing with fans and pundits does not concern him.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Powell said. “Maybe I am too laid back. I don’t really listen to people or let what they say affect me. When someone new comes on, everyone gravitates toward them. I know what I can do. I still have my fans and I am still working hard. People will always say this and that, but it’s what you do on the day that counts.”

While that has not been Powell’s strong suit, he is determined to change that in 2012.

“In life, if you give up very easily then you are not a champion,” he said. “I want to be remembered as one of the greatest sprinters who has ever touched the track. I want to be a great champion and I am working toward it. I’m not going to give up.”

"Hopefully the world will be able to see the four fastest men ever going head-to-head in the 100m final in August in London, what a race that would be."

2012-07-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

The Jamaica Olympic Association has announced the delegation to the Games of the 30th Olympiad to be held in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12.

Athletics: (women)
Fraser-pryce	Shelley-ann	100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Campbell-brown	Veronica	100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Stewart,	Kerron	100m, 4x100m relay
Simpson	Sherone	200m, 4x100m relay
Calvert,	Schillonie	4x100m relay
Henry-robinson	Samantha	4x100m relay
Williams-mills	Novlene	400m, 4x400m relay
Whyte,	Rosemarie	400m, 4x400m relay
Day,	Christine	400m, 4x400m relay
Williams,	Shericka	4x400m relay
Lloyd	Shereefa	4x400m relay
Blake,	Dominique	4x400m relay
Sinclair	Kenia	800m
Foster-hylton	Brigitte	100m hurdles
Greaves	Latoya	100m hurdles
Williams,	Shermaine	100m hurdles
Walker	Melaine	400m hurdles
Spencer,	Kaliese	400m hurdles
Wilson	Nickiesha	400m hurdles
Williams,	Kimberly	Triple jump
Smith,	Trecia	Triple jump
Randall,	Allison	Discus
Hinds,	Korine	3,000m steeplechase
Athletics: (men)
Blake,	Yohan	100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Bolt,	Usain	100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Powell,	Asafa	100m, 4x100m relay
Frater,	Michael	4x100m relay
Bailey-cole	Kemar	4x100m relay
Carter	Nesta	4x100m relay
Weir	Warren	200m
Hyatt,	Dane	400m, 4x400m relay
Mcdonald,	Rusheen	400m, 4x400m relay
Gonzales,	Jermaine	400m, 4x400m relay
Nolan,	Errol	4x400m relay
Steele,	Edino	4x400m relay
Hylton,	Riker	4x400m relay
Parchment,	Hansle	110m hurdles
Riley,	Andrew	110m hurdles
Phillips,	Richard	110m hurdles
Green,	Leford	400m hurdles
Robertson,	Josef	400m hurdles
Cato,	Roxroy	400m hurdles
Forbes	Damion	Long jump
Scott,	Dorian	Shot putt
Smikle,	Traves	Discuss
Morgan,	Jason	Discuss
Smith	Maurice	Decathlon
Equestrian:
Albert,	Samantha	Eventing
Swimming:
Atkinson	Alia	100m breast stroke
Taekwondo:
Edwards,	Kenneth	84 kg
Delegation officials:
Anderson,	Donald	Chef de mission
Rodney,	Compton	Deputy chef de mission
Hamilton,	Merlene	Female manager
Watts,	Ludlow	Athletics team manager
Quarrie,	Donald	Athletics technical anager
Cameron	Bertland	Athletics coach
Wilson	Maurice	Athletics coach
Westney,	Maurice	Athletics coach
Coleman,	Fitzalbert	Athletics coach
Blake,	Dr. Warren	Chief medical officer
Singh,	Dr.Priamanand	Medical officer
Dawes	Dr. Winston	Medical officer
Depass	Michelle	Physiotherapist
Julius	Dr. Karen	Physiotherapist
Edwards,	Everald	Masseuer
James,	Gavin	Masseuer
Turner,	Colin	Masseuer
Watson,	Patrick	Masseuer
Pasmore	Anthony	Equestrian team manager
Bernard,	Gladstone	Taekwondo team manager
Lyn,	Martin	Swimming team manager
Anderson	Christopher	Swimming coach

2012-07-07T16:09:00.002-07:00

Following up on Grace Foods and Services promise to deliver a minimum of $5 million funding as well as nutrition education for the athletes, the company also announced that with the support of Food, Nutrition and Lifestyle Consultant, Dr. Heather Little-White, Grace Foods and Services would partner with the JAAA to provide nutritional education and meal planning to the athletics community across Jamaica.

From left (back row) are Michael Ranglin, GK Foods CEO, Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, Olympic Champion and GraceKennedy Ambassador, GraceKennedy Group CEO, Don Wehby, Minister The Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, The Hon. Olivia’ Babsy’ Grange, and JAAA President, Dr. Warren Blake. In the front row is Dr. Heather Little-White

“This partnership with the JAAA underscores Grace Foods and Services commitment to Jamaica through the development of sport. This is going to be a great year for our country, as we all share high expectations for the London Olympics,” said Tania Christie, Marketing Manager, Grace Foods and Services. “Nutrition is the golden key to high performance, and with our help, and with the help of every consumer who buys Grace products, the JAAA will be able to boost their support programs for athletes at every stage.”

In further keeping with Grace Foods and Services pledge to supply the pre-Olympic Training Camp in Birmingham with Jamaican food, the company recently shipped a container of approximately 22 different food products to the United Kingdom.

Among the items were the two new commemorative editions of Tropical Rhythms -- Sprinter and Legend -- as well Grace Instant Porridge, Grace Oats, Grace Tea, Grace Chicken Soup and Grace Cock Soup, all of which will bring the welcome flavours of Jamaica to the athletes while they are away from home. A range of other Grace Foods products readily available in Birmingham will supplement goods in this shipment.

Tania Christie, marketing manager of Grace Foods and Services who was on hand to witness the consolidation of the container, said: "We are delighted that Grace Foods will be integral in providing not only great nutrition but a real sense of home as our athletes ready themselves for the Olympics."

The athletes will be housed at the University of Birmingham where they will have a chef on call to prepare their meals utilising a combination of products from Jamaica and UK. "What we are sending today will ensure that our athletes are comfortable while they are away. Together with our partners at the University of Birmingham, we have created a meal programme that will give our athletes comfort to deliver great performances," Christie added. "Imagine our athletes waking up to ackee and saltfish, mackerel and boiled bananas, fried dumplings," she exclaimed, while observing employees at the Grace Kennedy Distribution Centre in Spanish Town load the container.

The shipment being sent to Birmingham is one in a series of initiatives taken on by Grace to assist Jamaican athletes. In January this year, Grace Foods and Services made a pledge of a minimum of $5 million to the JAAA to support athletic programmes across the island from the donation of 10 cents from the sale of seven of Grace's flagship products: Grace Vienna Sausages, Grace 5-5 oz Mackerel, Grace Corned Beef, Grace Franks, Grace 16 oz Tropical Rhythms, Grace Tomato Ketchup and Grace Cock Soup.

Grace has also hosted several Food and Nutrition Seminars, in collaboration with Dr Heather Little-White to brief established and upcoming athletes about the importance of good nutrition, and to highlight the importance of having healthy meals to foster good health and facilitate high performance, as well as to assist coaches and family members in understanding the importance of proper nutrition for athletes.

Christie was elated at the culmination of sponsorships that have been made to the Jamaican athletic community. "We feel extremely proud to have kept our promise, and that we were able to deliver on such a large scale. This shipment consolidates the Grace commitment to athletics, we are in full support of our standard bearers of the Jamaican flag as they take the world stage and go for gold."

2012-07-06T12:35:00.001-07:00

Diamond League Athletics in Paris: live

Follow all the updates from the seventh Diamond League event of 2012 in Paris. Controversial sprinter Justin Gatlin set to face United States team-mates Tyson Gay and Michael Rodgers, Jamaicans Michael Frater and Nickel Ashmeade and home hope Christophe Lemaitre in the 100m at 20:46 BST.

Click on the link below to view:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/trackandfield/video/live/#id=2236957932

2012-07-06T09:37:00.002-07:00

A must read article from the Daily Reporter in Greenfield Indiana (http://www.greenfieldreporter.com):

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The numbers don't add up.

Jamaica, an island that covers less territory than Connecticut and has about as many people as Utah, travels to the Olympics, all but plants its green, yellow and black flag into the stadium turf and turns the soundtrack into a continuous loop of its national anthem, "Jamaica, Land We Love."

The Caribbean country of 2.7 million people won 11 medals at the Beijing Olympics, all in track and field, and is a good bet to hit that number again this year in London.

Sure, Usain Bolt is part of that. But not the only part.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake: All of them among the fastest in a country built for speed.

There are seemingly as many explanations for this success as there are medal contenders. A compelling one comes from Novlene Williams-Mills. She's a 400-meter sprinter who has two Olympic medals, won in the last two 1,600-meter relays. This year, though, she has something even more rare. She's the only person with a 2012 victory over Sanya Richards-Ross, the odds-on favorite to win the 400 meters in London.

"We're a poor country and not a lot of people have cars, so as a kid, you end up running everywhere," explained Williams-Mills, who grew up in rural St. Ann Parish on Jamaica's northern coast. "When I was young, I used to go with my mother and she wouldn't take me in her arms, so I had to run after her everywhere."

As for the more traditional explanations, a nod goes to the warm, sultry climate that allows athletes to train outdoors virtually 365 days a year and the hilly terrain that gives them good places to run. There's the unbending focus on physical education in schools. Family support, community support and national pride get a fair share of credit, as well.

Cynics might say Jamaica thrives because everything isn't quite above-board — that maybe there's something more than just the vitamin-rich root vegetables and clean living mixing through all that Jamaican blood. Bolt has never shied away from those questions. He devoted an entire chapter in his autobiography to the suspicions about doping in his country. He said there were times when he was tested four times a week before the Beijing Games. None of his tests have ever come back positive.

"The testers can form a queue outside my house if they want to, because the more often they test me and other athletes to show that we are clean, the better it is for the sport," he wrote.

One other explanation: There aren't many sports to siphon off the talent pool in Jamaica, the way there are in the United States. Yes, Jamaica loves its soccer and cricket. Bolt still likes playing both, and every now and then, some story — usually untrue — surfaces about him hurting himself in a charity or pickup soccer game. He knows, as do all the other sprinters, that besides the one or two athletes who might dream of becoming part of the legendary Jamaican bobsled team, there's only one obvious path for an athlete to make a name for himself on this island: Running fast.

"The sports we do have, we focus on an awful lot," said Keiron Stewart, a Jamaican who attends University of Texas and finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles at Jamaican Olympic trials. "Plus, there's the fact that we have very good role models."

Walk to the front of National Stadium in Kingston and you can see the statues of the people Stewart is talking about.

Donald Quarrie is to sprinting what Bob Marley is to reggae in Jamaica. Quarrie competed in five Olympics, won medals in four of them and, in 1976, became the first person to win a gold medal for Jamaica since it became an independent country.

On the women's side, Merlene Ottey enjoyed an even more impressive career, winning nine Olympic medals between 1980 and 2000. The end of her career was tainted with controversy — a positive doping test that was later overturned and the drama she caused by petitioning her way onto the Olympic team in 2000, at age 40, despite finishing fourth at trials. She won a bronze medal at the Sydney Games, however, and still inspires Jamaican sprinters today.

"I always wanted to be like Merlene Ottey because she is a warrior," said Shericka Williams, who won silver in the 400 in 2008, finishing one spot ahead of Richards-Ross.

Richards-Ross has ties to Jamaica herself. Her mother, Sharon, is Jamaican and Richards-Ross lived in Kingston until she was 12. She moved to America and now competes for the red, white and blue, but still receives a warm welcome whenever she returns. Her last trip here was in May, when she lost in the 400-meter race to Williams-Mills at National Stadium.

"Growing up, everyone wants to be a track star there," Richards-Ross said. "I remember when I was 7 years old and I started running, it was a big deal. We had great coaches at a young age. I was doing block starts and working on my technique. I think that focus and intensity at a very young age gets us prepared for what's to come. I think that's a key ingredient to what's so special. And because people care about it, you want to be real good. It's a motivating factor."

About 30 years after Quarrie's victory, Asafa Powell took up the banner for Jamaica, lowering the world record in the 100 to 9.77, then 9.74. In many corners of the country, he's still more popular than Bolt because he's the one who first put Jamaica's track prowess on center stage in the 21st century. His problem: He could never win the big one.

Even before Powell started dominating, women carried the banner for this country and began turning it into a track power for the 2000s.

In the years after Jackie Joyner-Kersee retired and Marion Jones fell from grace, there was a void in women's track. Campbell-Brown started filling it when she won Olympic gold in the 200 meters in 2004 and led the relay team to the gold, as well.

She was the flagbearer at the Beijing Olympics, but she arrived in China only after realizing how tough the competition in her own country had become. She finished fourth at Jamaican Olympic trials and settled for a spot in only one individual race, the 200 meters.

Once she got to Beijing, she saw that she truly had been beaten by the best. The Jamaican women swept the medals in the 100-meter race without the woman many thought to be their best sprinter. Fraser-Pryce won gold, while Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart tied for silver to complete the first-ever women's 100-meter medals sweep at the Olympics. Campbell-Brown repeated her 200 title. Those four sprinters head to London with a combined 10 Olympic medals.

"Most of the athletic talent you see in this country comes in track and field," Campbell-Brown said. "Because of that, you see a lot of very good sprinters. A lot of it also has to do with our history and our culture. Jamaicans are known to be very hard working, very dedicated. They enjoy competing. They enjoy supporting their best athletes."

At the Jamaican Olympic trials, sprinter after sprinter brought up another point: How inspiring it is to see National Stadium packed by people in a poor country who shell out the $10 or $20 dollars for tickets to see their stars run for 10, 20, sometimes 50 seconds.

"There's just an atmosphere and the love people have for track and field," Kerron Stewart said. "When you see thousands of people come out to watch you run, it makes you want to put on a show."

Inspiring as it may be, there is nothing pretentious about the shrine in which they run.

Had National Stadium had been built 50 years ago in Dallas or New York or Miami, it would have been bulldozed long ago. There are no skyboxes, no luxury suites, only one video scoreboard — and no beer or cable company has swooped in to buy the naming rights.

But the history is there — and still being made.

Any Jamaican who ever paid attention in civics class while counting the minutes before going outside for gym can tell you exactly why athletics, national independence and this creaky old 35,000-seat stadium are all so intertwined.

It was at midnight on Aug. 6, 1962, in National Stadium that the Union Jack, the flag of the British Empire that once ruled this Caribbean colony, was lowered for the final time and replaced by the yellow, black and green Jamaican flag that flies today.

On Aug. 6, 2012 — the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence — the medals ceremony for the men's 100-meter dash will take place at Olympic Stadium in London.

"That's the day the gold will go to Bolt and the anthem will be played and our flag will be raised in that stadium," said Junior Anthony Clarke, a track fan who came to watch Olympic trials, glossing over the fact that another Jamaican, Blake, is also a strong candidate win that medal. "It's going to be very significant in terms of demonstrating not only the strides we've made in track and sports, but that we are, truly, a strong, independent country."

2012-07-05T10:37:00.003-07:00

Injured Usain Bolt Pulls Out Of Diamond League

The BBC is reporting that double world record holder Usain Bolt has withdrawn from his final race before London 2012 after suffering a "slight" injury.

The 25-year-old Bolt was scheduled to run the 200 metres at the Diamond League meet in Monaco on July 20.

However, the three-time Olympic gold medallist has withdrawn so he can undergo treatment.

His coach, Glen Mills, is quoted as saying he wanted to give Bolt sufficient time for treatment and time to train and prepare for the Olympic Games.

Despite the withdrawal, Bolt said he will be in London to defend his three Olympic titles, which also includes the 100 metres and the 4 by 100-metre relay gold he won in Beijing four years ago.

The world record-holder had his right hamstring stretched out on the track after finishing second to Yohan Blake in the 200 metres at the Jamaican Olympic trials last weekend.

Bolt was also beaten by world champion Blake in the 100 metres at the Jamaican trials.

Taken from: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=38348

2012-07-04T19:50:00.002-07:00

Clash Of The Fastest Injured Sprinters

The Aviva Diamond League clash of the injured will take place in London on July 13 where Asaf Powell will go up against Tyson Gay. Powell who hobbled off the track after finishing third in last week's Olympic Trials, will go up against a resurgent Gay, who came back from hip surgery to finish second to Justin Gatlin in the American trials.

According to the Jamaica Observer Both men indicated that they are contented with their health and promised the London fans a treat.

"I'm looking forward to coming back to Crystal Palace for the Aviva London Grand Prix. I felt great two years ago and hope to feel the same this year. I haven’t raced much this year and I'm feeling better each time out there on the track. My body is getting closer to where I want it to be. I’ve shown over the years that through all of the injuries, I'm a fighter, and I hope to be fighting for that Olympic gold in London later this summer," Gay said.
Powell, has equalled his world record of 9.77 in Gateshead in 2006 and is looking to repeat that good form next week Friday. "I've got some good memories from the London Diamond League event. I want to pick up where I started here and come away with a good, fast win. This is a big year for me. I'm not getting any younger but there’s a lot more to come from me. I've learned a lot from past major championships. I don't take anything for granted and I’m working as hard as ever. I know that I'm capable of running 9.8, 9.7, 9.6, so all that I'm focusing on is myself," Powell said.

Included in the field are Jamaicans Nesta Carter and Lerone Clarke along with the evergreen Kim Collins of St Kitts.