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Jamaica remains on track to rule the world
BY John Portch
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MAIN MAIN: Bolt
THE MEDAL table does not lie. Jamaica’s second-place at the recent World Athletics Championships, ahead of the likes of Great Britain, Germany and Australia, was nothing short of phenomenal.
It was a similar story the at the Olympics in Beijing and marks a recent trend crowned by the gilded exploits of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Melaine Walker and the men’s and women’s 100-metre relay teams in Berlin.
How an island with a population of just 2.8million can take on and whip larger nations is no fluke. Patrick Robinson, in his book Jamaican Athletics, points to the strength of the national coaching infrastructure and attributes embedded in the Jamaican psyche.
“Jamaica’s success in track and field is not fortuitous,” writes Robinson. “It is the result of a system of athletic instruction, management and administration that has been in place, tried and tested, for almost a hundred years, and is now well established.”
He argues that although the Jamaican athletics programme has limited resources it yields top athletes because of its integrated nature from junior to senior level. Schools such as St Andrew Technical, Excelsior and Kingston College have numerous Olympic medallists among their alumni.
Crucially, Jamaican schools can call upon a plethora of qualified coaches. One of the key institutions in this role is the G.C. Foster College in Spanish Town. It has long produced top class coaches who have ventured into the school system.
Then if a child possesses athletic ability they will be found and tutored. The prestigious Annual Interscholastic Championships (Champs) also gives gifted students the chance to compete against other high quality opponents from an early age.
This tradition has helped create a strong athletic legacy stretching from Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey, right back to Arthur Wint via Don Quarrie.
“The unbroken line of high calibre Jamaican athletes has ensured that every generation of athletes has always had a role model and hero or heroine as inspiration,” observes Robinson.
It rings true with Bolt who told journalists at last summer’s Beijing Games: “If you sit and watch Don Quarrie, he is one of the smoothest bend runners ever. I have picked up a few things.
“And Herb McKenley is one of the greatest Jamaicans I know who has been in this sport. So I really idolise these guys.”
Many argue that Jamaica’s genetic heritage is a contributing factor to its sprint greatness. Though Robinson explains that research is in the early stages it is evident that the vast majority of the world’s fastest men are of West African origin.
Daily Mail science editor Michael Hanlon recently suggested that Jamaica’s slave heritage facilitated a form of eugenics. “Only the fittest were selected from West Africa as slaves and only the toughest survived the journey and slavery,” he explains.
Bolt concurs: “I think over the years what makes Jamaica different is because of slavery really…the genes are really strong.”
This genetic theory is supported by the number of athletes of Jamaican heritage who have competed for other nations with few connections to the Jamaican system. These include Britain’s Denise Lewis, Linford Christie and Kelly Holmes.
Yet the successes of this trio perhaps point to deeper more significant traits embedded in the Jamaican psyche.
“Competitiveness, combativeness and assertiveness are an integral part of the Jamaican persona and identity,” argues Robinson. It is a requisite combination in the individualistic and ultra-competitive world of athletics.
Edward Seaga, former Prime Minister of Jamaica and sociologist observed that Jamaican economic hardship fosters competitiveness in its people. “[Jamaicans possess a] determination to aggressively and competitively overcome the odds of scarcity with challenging responses.”
At international level Jamaica can claim to possess some of the best coaches in the world in Stephen Francis, Maurice Wilson and Glen Mills. Each is still based in Jamaica.
In the past Jamaicans may have opted for scholarships in the United States but that desire is waning for the majority. Brigitte Foster-Hylton, under the guidance of Coach Francis was one of the first Jamaican athletes to advocate his ‘stay at home’ training regime. Her gold in the 100-metre hurdles in Berlin is testament to his methods.
In fact, Robinson points out that if Francis-trained athletes, including Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, had competed as their own country in the Beijing Olympics they would have finished sixth in the medal table.
Glen Mills is the man responsible for channelling Usain Bolt’s energy and drive into becoming the world sprint king. Coach Mills’ credentials are renowned and British sprinter Dwain Chambers turned to him upon his return to competitive action following his drug ban.
Jamaican athletics reaps what it sows and Patrick Robison expects further triumphs.
“By their application of self-confidence, self-reliance, dedication to task and the application of the highest professional standards,” he argues, “they have demonstrated Jamaicans can, to echo the rallying cry of Marcus Garvey, accomplish what they will.”
BY John Portch
0 Comments
MAIN MAIN: Bolt
THE MEDAL table does not lie. Jamaica’s second-place at the recent World Athletics Championships, ahead of the likes of Great Britain, Germany and Australia, was nothing short of phenomenal.
It was a similar story the at the Olympics in Beijing and marks a recent trend crowned by the gilded exploits of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Melaine Walker and the men’s and women’s 100-metre relay teams in Berlin.
How an island with a population of just 2.8million can take on and whip larger nations is no fluke. Patrick Robinson, in his book Jamaican Athletics, points to the strength of the national coaching infrastructure and attributes embedded in the Jamaican psyche.
“Jamaica’s success in track and field is not fortuitous,” writes Robinson. “It is the result of a system of athletic instruction, management and administration that has been in place, tried and tested, for almost a hundred years, and is now well established.”
He argues that although the Jamaican athletics programme has limited resources it yields top athletes because of its integrated nature from junior to senior level. Schools such as St Andrew Technical, Excelsior and Kingston College have numerous Olympic medallists among their alumni.
Crucially, Jamaican schools can call upon a plethora of qualified coaches. One of the key institutions in this role is the G.C. Foster College in Spanish Town. It has long produced top class coaches who have ventured into the school system.
Then if a child possesses athletic ability they will be found and tutored. The prestigious Annual Interscholastic Championships (Champs) also gives gifted students the chance to compete against other high quality opponents from an early age.
This tradition has helped create a strong athletic legacy stretching from Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey, right back to Arthur Wint via Don Quarrie.
“The unbroken line of high calibre Jamaican athletes has ensured that every generation of athletes has always had a role model and hero or heroine as inspiration,” observes Robinson.
It rings true with Bolt who told journalists at last summer’s Beijing Games: “If you sit and watch Don Quarrie, he is one of the smoothest bend runners ever. I have picked up a few things.
“And Herb McKenley is one of the greatest Jamaicans I know who has been in this sport. So I really idolise these guys.”
Many argue that Jamaica’s genetic heritage is a contributing factor to its sprint greatness. Though Robinson explains that research is in the early stages it is evident that the vast majority of the world’s fastest men are of West African origin.
Daily Mail science editor Michael Hanlon recently suggested that Jamaica’s slave heritage facilitated a form of eugenics. “Only the fittest were selected from West Africa as slaves and only the toughest survived the journey and slavery,” he explains.
Bolt concurs: “I think over the years what makes Jamaica different is because of slavery really…the genes are really strong.”
This genetic theory is supported by the number of athletes of Jamaican heritage who have competed for other nations with few connections to the Jamaican system. These include Britain’s Denise Lewis, Linford Christie and Kelly Holmes.
Yet the successes of this trio perhaps point to deeper more significant traits embedded in the Jamaican psyche.
“Competitiveness, combativeness and assertiveness are an integral part of the Jamaican persona and identity,” argues Robinson. It is a requisite combination in the individualistic and ultra-competitive world of athletics.
Edward Seaga, former Prime Minister of Jamaica and sociologist observed that Jamaican economic hardship fosters competitiveness in its people. “[Jamaicans possess a] determination to aggressively and competitively overcome the odds of scarcity with challenging responses.”
At international level Jamaica can claim to possess some of the best coaches in the world in Stephen Francis, Maurice Wilson and Glen Mills. Each is still based in Jamaica.
In the past Jamaicans may have opted for scholarships in the United States but that desire is waning for the majority. Brigitte Foster-Hylton, under the guidance of Coach Francis was one of the first Jamaican athletes to advocate his ‘stay at home’ training regime. Her gold in the 100-metre hurdles in Berlin is testament to his methods.
In fact, Robinson points out that if Francis-trained athletes, including Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, had competed as their own country in the Beijing Olympics they would have finished sixth in the medal table.
Glen Mills is the man responsible for channelling Usain Bolt’s energy and drive into becoming the world sprint king. Coach Mills’ credentials are renowned and British sprinter Dwain Chambers turned to him upon his return to competitive action following his drug ban.
Jamaican athletics reaps what it sows and Patrick Robison expects further triumphs.
“By their application of self-confidence, self-reliance, dedication to task and the application of the highest professional standards,” he argues, “they have demonstrated Jamaicans can, to echo the rallying cry of Marcus Garvey, accomplish what they will.”
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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