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WORLD WATCHING Ja’s athletes, says McCook
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
COOPER’S PEN, Trelawny — General Secretary of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook has warned Jamaican track & field fans to be vigilant of overnight success in the sport as others overseas are as suspicious of us as we are of them.
McCook, who is also president of the North America, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (NACACAC), said, “I keep warning my colleagues in Jamaica who often say once we see a good performance outside of Jamaica, especially once it comes from the United States, we are quick to say that individual is on dope; let me tell you they are saying the same thing about us.”
The veteran sport administrator was the guest speaker at Monday evening’s Gala Recognition Dinner at Starfish hotel in Trelawny in honour of outstanding athletes from the parish.
Olympic and IAAF World Championship gold medallist Veronica Campbell, 2007 World Championship 200m silver medallist Usain Bolt and 100m silver medallist Michael Frater, along with Commonwealth Games 200m gold medallist Omar Brown and World Championships relay medallist Marvin Anderson, were recognised.
Earlier, Campbell, Bolt and Frater became the first recipients of the Keys to the City of Falmouth at a civic function held in their honour in Water Square.
McCook’s comments came in light of what he described as “another body blow” to the sport when American star and former Olympic gold medal winner “Marion Jones was reduced to shambles”.
According to the former JAAA president and present IAAF representative, “What has happened to Marion Jones should not have happened; that is an athlete who could have achieved greatness without performance-enhancing drugs.”
The Jamaican fan, McCook said, must be vigilant because “we are going to be embarrassed if that day arrives, especially when we know that we have a programme from the junior level second to none in the world to see something like that flittered away.
“We’re gong to be very vigilant when we see things that should not be occurring. When we see things happen overnight, we should not sit down and say ‘that is greatness’; we should question it... like... good performances overseas.” Because of his constant travelling over the world on track & field business, McCook said, he is always asked what is the secret behind the success of the Jamaican athlete.
“People come to me and ask, ‘What are your athletes taking? I get this every day when I travel to different continents around the world.
“Although they want to come and enjoy what we’re doing, they’re still suspicious... so let’s be very vigilant and as we see it, let us cry out aloud and put a stop to it so it does not get out the door.”
He applauded the honorees, saying they should be the examples of how to go about attaining athletic success.
“We know that the temptation is there. Athletes have said in interviews that they would rather take support and win a gold medal and die at 30 rather than not win a medal at all. This is not acceptable; we must use the long method, the method that has taken us where we are; the method that has taken the athletes that we honour here this evening to where they are,” he said.
Olympic and World Championship gold medallist Veronica Campbell (2nd left), World Championship silver medallists Usain Bolt (2nd right) and Michael Frater (centre), along with Commonwealth 200m champion Omar Brown (left) and World Champs relay medallist Marvin Anderson at a Gala Recognition event on Monday evening in Trelawny. (Photo: Paul Reid)
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
COOPER’S PEN, Trelawny — General Secretary of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook has warned Jamaican track & field fans to be vigilant of overnight success in the sport as others overseas are as suspicious of us as we are of them.
McCook, who is also president of the North America, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (NACACAC), said, “I keep warning my colleagues in Jamaica who often say once we see a good performance outside of Jamaica, especially once it comes from the United States, we are quick to say that individual is on dope; let me tell you they are saying the same thing about us.”
The veteran sport administrator was the guest speaker at Monday evening’s Gala Recognition Dinner at Starfish hotel in Trelawny in honour of outstanding athletes from the parish.
Olympic and IAAF World Championship gold medallist Veronica Campbell, 2007 World Championship 200m silver medallist Usain Bolt and 100m silver medallist Michael Frater, along with Commonwealth Games 200m gold medallist Omar Brown and World Championships relay medallist Marvin Anderson, were recognised.
Earlier, Campbell, Bolt and Frater became the first recipients of the Keys to the City of Falmouth at a civic function held in their honour in Water Square.
McCook’s comments came in light of what he described as “another body blow” to the sport when American star and former Olympic gold medal winner “Marion Jones was reduced to shambles”.
According to the former JAAA president and present IAAF representative, “What has happened to Marion Jones should not have happened; that is an athlete who could have achieved greatness without performance-enhancing drugs.”
The Jamaican fan, McCook said, must be vigilant because “we are going to be embarrassed if that day arrives, especially when we know that we have a programme from the junior level second to none in the world to see something like that flittered away.
“We’re gong to be very vigilant when we see things that should not be occurring. When we see things happen overnight, we should not sit down and say ‘that is greatness’; we should question it... like... good performances overseas.” Because of his constant travelling over the world on track & field business, McCook said, he is always asked what is the secret behind the success of the Jamaican athlete.
“People come to me and ask, ‘What are your athletes taking? I get this every day when I travel to different continents around the world.
“Although they want to come and enjoy what we’re doing, they’re still suspicious... so let’s be very vigilant and as we see it, let us cry out aloud and put a stop to it so it does not get out the door.”
He applauded the honorees, saying they should be the examples of how to go about attaining athletic success.
“We know that the temptation is there. Athletes have said in interviews that they would rather take support and win a gold medal and die at 30 rather than not win a medal at all. This is not acceptable; we must use the long method, the method that has taken us where we are; the method that has taken the athletes that we honour here this evening to where they are,” he said.
Olympic and World Championship gold medallist Veronica Campbell (2nd left), World Championship silver medallists Usain Bolt (2nd right) and Michael Frater (centre), along with Commonwealth 200m champion Omar Brown (left) and World Champs relay medallist Marvin Anderson at a Gala Recognition event on Monday evening in Trelawny. (Photo: Paul Reid)