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I just love it when the international press
Jumps on the back of my questions and make a big deal out of it... after the 400m finals the other day I asked Alistair these questions and was so happy to see it in the local media here
Moona's friendship with Lee goes back to school days
C4
by Kris McDavid
Times & transcript staff
There must be something in the impossibly clear, turquoise waters of Jamaica.
The Caribbean island nation is arguably now known as much for its world-class sprinters as it is as a tropical paradise that draws hundreds of thousands of sun-seeking tourists to its white sand beaches each year.
Jamaica and its population of 2.8-million is comparable to that of the sparsely populated state of Utah, but for whatever reason it continues to be a factory for the fastest men and women on the planet, even producing some legendary Canadian speedsters as well.
The world's current fastest man - and about as close to a rock star as you're going to find in track and field - Usain Bolt is presently on top of the Jamaican sprinting world with no end in sight, but the island has also churned out a litany of other top-level athletes.
Former world's fastest man Asafa Powell, reigning Olympic 200-metre women's champion Veronica Campbell Brown, 1976 Olympic 200-metre gold medallist Don Quarrie, and, of course, former world record holder and 1996 Olympic gold medallist for Canada, Donovan Bailey are all from Jamica.
At this week's IAAF World Junior Championships at the Stade de Moncton Stadium, the star of this week's show and without a doubt the event's most captivating figure is Montego Bay's Dexter Lee.
Lee is captivating for a few reasons; mostly because he's the fastest 19-year-old on the planet, but also because he carries himself like a celebrity, with a quiet confidence and simmering intensity that naturally draws people toward him.
Surrounded by his own personal handlers, Lee doesn't really care to open up about himself too much, instead focussing on his quest to go down as the next in a great line of Jamaican sprinters - a title he has all but solidified at this stage.
And while the comparisons to Bolt might be premature, or even unfair, Lee's combination of professionalism and pure athleticism are likely rubbing off on his competitors in Moncton this week.
But when Lee exits the nest of the world junior level and enters the bright spotlight of the senior Golden League, Olympics, and World Championships, a Jamaican-Canadian sprinter will be cheering him on every step of the way.
Alistair Moona - now a Canadian citizen based in Mississauga but born and raised just down the street from Lee in Montego Bay - is one of Canada's clear up-and-comers at the 400-metre distance.
Although coming off a disappointing seventh place in the 400m finals here Thursday night, Moona shrugged it off, knowing his capabilities to compete with the best in the world and expressing a similar confidence that his old friend from Montego Bay carries with him wherever he goes.
Moona seems convinced he is destined for more on the global athletics stage, and his track record as a Canadian junior champion with a truly world-class ability seems to back up that conviction.
It's clear that Lee has made an impression on Moona, and that's probably not a bad thing.
Coming off his let down in the final, a smile quickly creeps across the young Canadian's face as he is asked to reminisce about his friendship with a potential future world's fastest man title holder.
Moona was more than happy to oblige, and discuss a relationship and a connection that few people have had, or likely ever will have with the hyper-focused and stoic Dexter Lee.
"My friendship with Dexter Lee is going way, way back - from primary school all the way through to high school," Moona said.
"We definitely keep in touch, we've got each other's phone numbers and Facebook, so we stay pretty close. We talk about different stuff, from track to just life in general, and a whole bunch of other stuff."
Moona and Lee attended Herbert Morrison Technical School together in the northern Jamaican city, and Moona admits he has duel allegiances in Moncton this week.
Make no mistake, Moona is backing Canada all the way, but if his good buddy happened to help Jamaica to a couple of gold medals in the relays, he would be happy for his friend.
"I'm cheering for him all the way, too." Moona said.
Moona says with conviction that he will be a future star on the senior world circuit some day, he just needs to work on a few more things before he gets there, but at just 19 years of age, there is still plenty of time.
Unlike many young athletes competing here this week, Moona's ultimate goal is not to continue to get better, or have fun, or set a personal best - it's to win a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games.
Moona said Moncton 2010 is just another stop on that journey, and he wants to carve out his own legacy as yet another world class runner to come from the lush Caribbean nation.
But he wants to achieve that stature wearing the red and white of Canada.
"This is just a stepping stone - I'm taking it step-by-step."
Moona's friendship with Lee goes back to school days
C4
by Kris McDavid
Times & transcript staff
There must be something in the impossibly clear, turquoise waters of Jamaica.
The Caribbean island nation is arguably now known as much for its world-class sprinters as it is as a tropical paradise that draws hundreds of thousands of sun-seeking tourists to its white sand beaches each year.
Jamaica and its population of 2.8-million is comparable to that of the sparsely populated state of Utah, but for whatever reason it continues to be a factory for the fastest men and women on the planet, even producing some legendary Canadian speedsters as well.
The world's current fastest man - and about as close to a rock star as you're going to find in track and field - Usain Bolt is presently on top of the Jamaican sprinting world with no end in sight, but the island has also churned out a litany of other top-level athletes.
Former world's fastest man Asafa Powell, reigning Olympic 200-metre women's champion Veronica Campbell Brown, 1976 Olympic 200-metre gold medallist Don Quarrie, and, of course, former world record holder and 1996 Olympic gold medallist for Canada, Donovan Bailey are all from Jamica.
At this week's IAAF World Junior Championships at the Stade de Moncton Stadium, the star of this week's show and without a doubt the event's most captivating figure is Montego Bay's Dexter Lee.
Lee is captivating for a few reasons; mostly because he's the fastest 19-year-old on the planet, but also because he carries himself like a celebrity, with a quiet confidence and simmering intensity that naturally draws people toward him.
Surrounded by his own personal handlers, Lee doesn't really care to open up about himself too much, instead focussing on his quest to go down as the next in a great line of Jamaican sprinters - a title he has all but solidified at this stage.
And while the comparisons to Bolt might be premature, or even unfair, Lee's combination of professionalism and pure athleticism are likely rubbing off on his competitors in Moncton this week.
But when Lee exits the nest of the world junior level and enters the bright spotlight of the senior Golden League, Olympics, and World Championships, a Jamaican-Canadian sprinter will be cheering him on every step of the way.
Alistair Moona - now a Canadian citizen based in Mississauga but born and raised just down the street from Lee in Montego Bay - is one of Canada's clear up-and-comers at the 400-metre distance.
Although coming off a disappointing seventh place in the 400m finals here Thursday night, Moona shrugged it off, knowing his capabilities to compete with the best in the world and expressing a similar confidence that his old friend from Montego Bay carries with him wherever he goes.
Moona seems convinced he is destined for more on the global athletics stage, and his track record as a Canadian junior champion with a truly world-class ability seems to back up that conviction.
It's clear that Lee has made an impression on Moona, and that's probably not a bad thing.
Coming off his let down in the final, a smile quickly creeps across the young Canadian's face as he is asked to reminisce about his friendship with a potential future world's fastest man title holder.
Moona was more than happy to oblige, and discuss a relationship and a connection that few people have had, or likely ever will have with the hyper-focused and stoic Dexter Lee.
"My friendship with Dexter Lee is going way, way back - from primary school all the way through to high school," Moona said.
"We definitely keep in touch, we've got each other's phone numbers and Facebook, so we stay pretty close. We talk about different stuff, from track to just life in general, and a whole bunch of other stuff."
Moona and Lee attended Herbert Morrison Technical School together in the northern Jamaican city, and Moona admits he has duel allegiances in Moncton this week.
Make no mistake, Moona is backing Canada all the way, but if his good buddy happened to help Jamaica to a couple of gold medals in the relays, he would be happy for his friend.
"I'm cheering for him all the way, too." Moona said.
Moona says with conviction that he will be a future star on the senior world circuit some day, he just needs to work on a few more things before he gets there, but at just 19 years of age, there is still plenty of time.
Unlike many young athletes competing here this week, Moona's ultimate goal is not to continue to get better, or have fun, or set a personal best - it's to win a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games.
Moona said Moncton 2010 is just another stop on that journey, and he wants to carve out his own legacy as yet another world class runner to come from the lush Caribbean nation.
But he wants to achieve that stature wearing the red and white of Canada.
"This is just a stepping stone - I'm taking it step-by-step."