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Champs leaves Great Britain's Olympian Jackson speechless
PAUL A REID, Observer writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, April 06, 2009
Former Olympic and World Champion hurdler Colin Jackson has deep roots in Jamaica and at Kingston College where his brother ran in the purple and white uniform.
Yet, it was only this past weekend that the man hailed as one of Great Britain's greatest ever track stars got the chance to witness the phenomenon that Boys' and Girls' Champs is and it is a memory he will not forget anytime soon.
JACKSON... this is the kind of atmosphere you want to compete in. (Photo: Paul Reid)
Trying to shout over the almost super sonic din that characterised Saturday's final day at the packed National Stadium, the 42-year-old Jackson, who was a top competitor for nearly 20 years, said he had never expected anything like this.
"For every single athlete that has ever competed anywhere in the world, this is the kind of atmosphere you want to compete in," he gushed. "You can feel the passion from the crowd, all the support you would want is right here in the stands."
Jackson has won medals at every senior level meet, silver at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea behind the American Roger Kingdom, two golds and silver and a bronze at the IAAF World Championships, four European Championships gold medals, two golds and two silvers at the Commonwealth Games, a World Indoor gold as well as a silver medal as the lead off runner on the Great Britain 4x100m relay at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
Jackson, who was here working for sports brand Puma and sported a purple and white Puma t-shirt, joked that "I ended up supporting KC (winners Kingston College) by default today" and described Champs as "a real special occasion".
He was not the only present or former athlete on hand on the final day as Trinidad and Tobago legends Hasley Crawford and Ato Bolden were in the crowd as well as 1996 Olympic 100m champion, a former Knox College runner Donovan Powell, a regular at Champs was also in attendance.
Jackson told the Observer that "Champs is nothing that I expected it to be", adding that he had always heard stories from his family members as to what to expect.
"They always say it is not quite the same (as in England), you never quite understand what they meant until you come and see it in the flesh," said Jackson.
His desire to see Champs first-hand was also fuelled after the success of the Jamaican team at the Olympic Games in Beijing where they won an unprecedented 11 track and field medals. "I made certain to come this year and see where the athletes started their careers. and I am very impressed," he ended.
PAUL A REID, Observer writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, April 06, 2009
Former Olympic and World Champion hurdler Colin Jackson has deep roots in Jamaica and at Kingston College where his brother ran in the purple and white uniform.
Yet, it was only this past weekend that the man hailed as one of Great Britain's greatest ever track stars got the chance to witness the phenomenon that Boys' and Girls' Champs is and it is a memory he will not forget anytime soon.
JACKSON... this is the kind of atmosphere you want to compete in. (Photo: Paul Reid)Trying to shout over the almost super sonic din that characterised Saturday's final day at the packed National Stadium, the 42-year-old Jackson, who was a top competitor for nearly 20 years, said he had never expected anything like this.
"For every single athlete that has ever competed anywhere in the world, this is the kind of atmosphere you want to compete in," he gushed. "You can feel the passion from the crowd, all the support you would want is right here in the stands."
Jackson has won medals at every senior level meet, silver at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea behind the American Roger Kingdom, two golds and silver and a bronze at the IAAF World Championships, four European Championships gold medals, two golds and two silvers at the Commonwealth Games, a World Indoor gold as well as a silver medal as the lead off runner on the Great Britain 4x100m relay at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
Jackson, who was here working for sports brand Puma and sported a purple and white Puma t-shirt, joked that "I ended up supporting KC (winners Kingston College) by default today" and described Champs as "a real special occasion".
He was not the only present or former athlete on hand on the final day as Trinidad and Tobago legends Hasley Crawford and Ato Bolden were in the crowd as well as 1996 Olympic 100m champion, a former Knox College runner Donovan Powell, a regular at Champs was also in attendance.
Jackson told the Observer that "Champs is nothing that I expected it to be", adding that he had always heard stories from his family members as to what to expect.
"They always say it is not quite the same (as in England), you never quite understand what they meant until you come and see it in the flesh," said Jackson.
His desire to see Champs first-hand was also fuelled after the success of the Jamaican team at the Olympic Games in Beijing where they won an unprecedented 11 track and field medals. "I made certain to come this year and see where the athletes started their careers. and I am very impressed," he ended.
Public relations manager of the IAAF, Laura Arcolio (centre), and journalists Mattias Schneider of Stern Magazine (left), Leon Mann of the BBC (second left), Connie Aitcheson of Sports Illustrated (second right) and Jen-Denis Coquard of L'equipe (right) covered the 99th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Championships last weekend. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
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