Roll Call: Athletes Missing in Action

[Karl]

...the problem for ever-changing teams like those of Jamaica and the USA is that, unless one has a “well-oiled machine” like the Bahamas’ so-called Golden Girls during the period 1996-2000 in which they stamped their superiority on the world (the same five Bahamian ladies perfected their baton exchanges through five years of consistency, if one includes the year 1995 before Chandra Sturrup joined that team), then there will always be the danger of baton foul-ups. We have only to look at the history of the USA men’s 4x100-meter relay performances to see this!

At the risk of appearing biased, I definitely would not put any blame whatsoever for the Beijing relay fiasco on poor Sherone! She did what she had to do, and to use the word of NBC commentator Ato Boldon, it was “indiscipline” on the part of Kerron (by going out before she should have) why we lost our chance at a certain gold medal and maybe an Olympic Games women’s 4x100-meter relay world record!

Also, Jamaica’s performance is an eerily similar enactment of the chaos that happened between Marion Jones and Lauryn Williams at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Below is a comment on this I made in another thread on this forum:

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the backstretch runner on the USA team, Marion Jones, failed to connect with curve runner Lauryn Williams, who had gone off too soon. Lead-off runner Angela Williams had given the favorites the USA (they went into the finals with the fastest qualifying time) a flying start. In Beijing four years later, the backstretch runner on the Jamaican team, Sherone Simpson, failed to connect with curve runner Kerron Stewart, who had gone off too soon. Lead-off runner Shelly-Ann Fraser had given the overwhelming favorite Jamaica a flying start.

In 2004 the members of the USA team hugged each other as they walked around and off the track. In 2008 the members of the Jamaica team hugged each other as they walked around and off the track.

Sounds like a perverse script, doesn’t it? That women’s 4x100-meter relay last year is, without question, eerily similar to what happened at the previous Olympic Games back in 2004.

I hear you and accept your take. ...and you are ooooh so correct on the 'irrie similarity' of that 2004 US team's chaos and our 2008 chaos.

We are looking forward to our ladies putting things right at the coming World Championships.

...and dare we hope, at the 2012 Olympics?

[Gamma]

200 specialist MUST run the curve...simple!

[Historian]

Don't know if I buy that line that Kerron never took a baton in her left hand before.

At the World Youth Championship in 2002 in Kingston, Kerron ran the 2nd leg. Jamaica won Gold! Team was Simpson, Stewart, McLaughlan and Facey.

200 specialist MUST run the curve...simple!

Good points, MdmeX and Gamma.

I suspect that Usain Bolt was used on the curve in Beijing because he is clearly the best 200-meter runner on the globe! This was most likely a good choice, and not only because it gave Asafa a chance to run past the finish line (at a global meet) for a gold medal (at last!). It was a good choice primarily for the reason that Usain was the best 200-meter runner in the world. Period.

To further support Gamma’s suggestion that “200-meter specialist must run the curve,” let’s look again at the 2002 IAAF World Junior Championships which MdmeX referred to. At that 2002 IAAF World Junior Championships in Kingston, Anneisha McLaughlin ran the curve. There is no question whatsoever that Annie was the best junior 200-meter athlete we had in 2002, and so naturally, she ran the curve. In addition, our relay team did not face any disadvantage from using Kerron on the second leg, as Anniesha got the baton in a good position!

Looking at Beijing last year, it could not have been a bad decision to use Kerron on the curve, because both Kerron and Veronica are excellent 200-meter runners! I wish I kept records of NCAA relays during Kerron’s years, as I am certain that Kerron ran positions on her college’s relay teams where she had to collect the baton in her left hand (that is, positions aside from anchor).

Historical note: Although Kerron ran the anchor on the 2002 Carifta Games Under-20 4x100-meter relay team that won the gold medal, the fact is that she was the best runner on that rather “shaky” team which had last-minute substitutions because of injuries (for example, a high jumper -- Peaches Roach’s partner whose name I cannot recall now -- was used as lead-off runner).

[Willi]

Thenk Q!

[Willi]

Well, the result is there for all to see...

[Willi]

It was done because Bolt is smart and wanted gold and WR. A team is structured for that, if not...you playing domiguess, not domiKnow.

[Islandman]

Lyndale Patterson was a Georgian too wasn't he? A very good 400M runner. Was a Class 2 400m gold medallist but ran into Mason, etc when he got to Class One.

[Willi]

Yup..Karreck.

Thelwell smoked a lot, and was not the most diligent trainer...but could have been Oly Champion if he dedicated himself to this. Thommo beat him going 100m in Class 2 and King Frog pulled up in the most hotly contested Champs 100m clash in modern history!!!

[Sensi]

I am very thankful for the memories and so I'll do my part and add some more to the list. Some athletes who come to mind are.... Wilburforce Godfrey of St. Jago (competed against Raymond Stewart) Glenford Campbell of Camperdown(won sprint double at Champs), Milton Smith of KC(200 & 400m), Kevin Moore of Campion (100 & 200), Martin Dawes of KC (100m), Wayne Fenton of Wolmers (100m), Michael Ming of KC (100m),
Ralston Reid, Clarendon College competed in multiple events.

On the girls side...Laurel Smith, St. Jago also an 80's sprint double champion. You guys pretty much said it all but I have to mention Revoli Campbell of Camperdown again...what a talent and what a waste! Hope she's doing well for herself.

[Islandman]

Ralston Reid! You know I was trying to remember that youths name when i made my post but my memory failed me. He could have been a great decathlete. Didn't he get something like 32 points by himself one year?

I forgot some of those other names too. Great additions to the roll call bredren.

[Sickko]

The other high jumper you are talking about could be Shawnette Davidson but she was a better sprinter than most as she ran on several of Holmwood technicla's 4x100m teams even at Penn Relays as she had real speed

Peaches Roach also ran some good sprint relay and 4x400m legs for Alpha and for University of Iowa as well

[Peter R]

Willi as a George's man, did you know Maurice Clark?

[Willi]

No...what year?

You mean Laddie the hurdler who transferred to CBar?

[Willi]

Young Ben Johnson from CC. Beverley Langley from manchester (I think).

Buddyhead Strachan in the LJ. Knibb the STGC calss 2 hurdler than fell while leading by a citiblock in 1979. Later migrated and never heard from again. Thelwell was possibly the greatest potential sprint hurdling talent that Jam ever produced.

Who was that light skinned CBar 400m runner (circa 1990) that got the hip injury again/ He was destroying all age group records before Herb mac overwork the youth...oh Yeah, Ali Watson...what a talent!

[Sickko]

Robinson twins finished College more than a year ago and are back in Jamaica, one of them is coaching or was coaching at Christiana High last season.

Tesfa is not running for anyone and Yhann 'Oily' Plummer is in college, should be a junior by now.