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Short honeymoon for Jamaica's athletes
Raymond Graham, STAR Writer
Usain Bolt - file
AFTER a week of celebrations which saw most of Jamaica's athletes at this year's successful Beijing Olympic Games being paraded all across the country, it will be business as usual for most of them in a few weeks' time.
In less than a year, the IAAF World Championships will take place in Berlin, Germany.
Normally, the month of November is when athletes at this level start preparing for the next season and following their brilliant show in Beijing, the Jamaican athletes will be under severe pressure as they will be the targets of other athletes from all across the world.
REPEAT OF BEIJING
All Jamaicans will be hoping that there will be a repeat of the Beijing performances in Berlin, but for the athletes they know that they will have to double their preparation to maintain their world dominance. It should be another interesting year of competition and already the signals are out that all will be coming for the Jamaicans.
After being crowned Olympic champion in the 400 metres hurdles, Melaine Walker stated that one of her goals is to defeat the Australian world champion Jana Rawlinson. Since her junior days, Rawlinson has got the better of Walker on nine occasions but both did not meet this year after the Australian withdrew from the Gamers due to a foot injury.
AUSSIE rival
Despite her personal best being only 53.22 seconds compared to Walker's 52.64 seconds, the Australian is anxious to meet the Jamaican and she is pumped up after Walker's statement. American LaShinda Demus, the World Junior champion of 2002, will be one who will be gunning for glory after her disappointment this year in not making it to Beijing.
After creating history in the women's 100 metres where Shelly-Ann Fraser took the gold with teammates Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson ending in a tie for the silver medal, we could see more history next year as Olympic 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell-Brown has already booked her place in the Berlin 100 metres as she is the defending champion.
With the three Olympic finalists along with the likes of Sheri-Ann Brooks, Simone Facey, Nickeisha Anderson and young Schillone Calvert set to make their mark, it will be a tough task for any one to take on the Jamaicans.
After not making it at the Jamaican Trials this year, Campbell-Brown will be definitely be highly motivated as she looks to take the sprint double.
After their disappointment in Beijing, veterans Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Delloreen Ennis-London are not ready to hang up their spikes as yet and they will be coming out to end their carrers on highs. This is bad news for Jamaica's young sprint hurdlers as both are still at the top of their games and can challenge for world titles next year.
Although we are some way off to the Berlin, it will take a brave man to bet against the world fastest man Usain Bolt in both sprints as recently his coach Glen Mills stated that he is yet to reach his peak.
BAD NEWS FOR SPRINTERS
This is not good news for sprinters worldwide, including Jamaica's Asafa Powell who ruled the world in the 100 metres before the Bolt came on the scene in mid-year. Based on his performances this year and as long as he is injury-free, Bolt will not be beaten for a long time and he could even improve on his world-record times.
His anchor leg run on the world-record breaking 4x100 metres relay in Beijing showed that Powell could be the man to deny Bolt the double and the highlight of the 2009 season could be the various clashes between both men in the 100 metres.
Raymond Graham is a former national and high-school
coach who is now based in the United States.
Raymond Graham, STAR Writer
Usain Bolt - file
AFTER a week of celebrations which saw most of Jamaica's athletes at this year's successful Beijing Olympic Games being paraded all across the country, it will be business as usual for most of them in a few weeks' time.
In less than a year, the IAAF World Championships will take place in Berlin, Germany.
Normally, the month of November is when athletes at this level start preparing for the next season and following their brilliant show in Beijing, the Jamaican athletes will be under severe pressure as they will be the targets of other athletes from all across the world.
REPEAT OF BEIJING
All Jamaicans will be hoping that there will be a repeat of the Beijing performances in Berlin, but for the athletes they know that they will have to double their preparation to maintain their world dominance. It should be another interesting year of competition and already the signals are out that all will be coming for the Jamaicans.
After being crowned Olympic champion in the 400 metres hurdles, Melaine Walker stated that one of her goals is to defeat the Australian world champion Jana Rawlinson. Since her junior days, Rawlinson has got the better of Walker on nine occasions but both did not meet this year after the Australian withdrew from the Gamers due to a foot injury.
AUSSIE rival
Despite her personal best being only 53.22 seconds compared to Walker's 52.64 seconds, the Australian is anxious to meet the Jamaican and she is pumped up after Walker's statement. American LaShinda Demus, the World Junior champion of 2002, will be one who will be gunning for glory after her disappointment this year in not making it to Beijing.
After creating history in the women's 100 metres where Shelly-Ann Fraser took the gold with teammates Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson ending in a tie for the silver medal, we could see more history next year as Olympic 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell-Brown has already booked her place in the Berlin 100 metres as she is the defending champion.
With the three Olympic finalists along with the likes of Sheri-Ann Brooks, Simone Facey, Nickeisha Anderson and young Schillone Calvert set to make their mark, it will be a tough task for any one to take on the Jamaicans.
After not making it at the Jamaican Trials this year, Campbell-Brown will be definitely be highly motivated as she looks to take the sprint double.
After their disappointment in Beijing, veterans Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Delloreen Ennis-London are not ready to hang up their spikes as yet and they will be coming out to end their carrers on highs. This is bad news for Jamaica's young sprint hurdlers as both are still at the top of their games and can challenge for world titles next year.
Although we are some way off to the Berlin, it will take a brave man to bet against the world fastest man Usain Bolt in both sprints as recently his coach Glen Mills stated that he is yet to reach his peak.
BAD NEWS FOR SPRINTERS
This is not good news for sprinters worldwide, including Jamaica's Asafa Powell who ruled the world in the 100 metres before the Bolt came on the scene in mid-year. Based on his performances this year and as long as he is injury-free, Bolt will not be beaten for a long time and he could even improve on his world-record times.
His anchor leg run on the world-record breaking 4x100 metres relay in Beijing showed that Powell could be the man to deny Bolt the double and the highlight of the 2009 season could be the various clashes between both men in the 100 metres.
Raymond Graham is a former national and high-school
coach who is now based in the United States.