Mo and Gamma -- Up Here

[Historian]

Gamma: I agree that “it can only be good for the other islands to do well and catch up.” Nothing is wrong with that view, of course, but it doesn’t mean that we are to relax so they can catch up! As a greedy, diehard Jamaican track and field fan (to the core), I want Jamaica to EXTEND our margins of victory, not allow others to “catch up”!

PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS
By the way, in case you haven’t noticed, the prestigious Austin Sealy Awards is nowadays being captured by Bahamian athletes – this is the third year in a row! When last has a Jamaican athlete won that award? Sure, we have won it many times over the years, but the most recent one was Yohan Blake who won it in 2007 (that’s six years ago). Just before him there was Theon O’Conner, Usain Bolt, Anneshia McLaughlin, Veronica Campbell, and then Aleen Bailey (Aleen was in the late 1990s). (Of course, many other Jamaican athletes have won this award aside from the most recent ones I listed.)

These are all amazing Jamaican stars who were allowed to compete at Carifta, and who as a result were rewarded for their amazing performances.

Surely we have had Jamaican athletes since Yohan who quite possibly could have won an Austin Sealy Award? Don’t you think our other young Jamaican stars would love to have such an award displayed in their homes? Can you imagine the boost to their confidence and their resume? But how can they achieve this ultimate Caribbean junior athletics award when short-sighted coaches do not give them the opportunity to take part in the Carifta Games?

REGIONAL CULTURAL EXPOSURE
So, I still – and will always - feel that Jamaica should send it’s “A” team to the annual Carifta Games. These athletes can only benefit from the exposure to different Caribbean cultures, lifestyles and experiences. And it shouldn’t affect any Penn Relays ambitions very much. Trust me, 2013 Austin Sealy Award winner Shaunae Miller, who took part in three events this weekend, will be at the Penn Relays representing the University of Georgia.

CASES FOR EXCEPTION
Of course, there will be valid cases for exceptions, as with the Wolmers girls, as pointed out by our friend, the poster Time. Education and examinations should always take priority over sports and entertainment, and so I fully support this move by the decision makers at Wolmers.

CHAMPS
I will never downplay the vital importance of “Boys & Girls Champs” since 1912 (in the case of “Boys Champs”) in the development of our young athletes although, paradoxically, it has destroyed quite a number because of greed and ridiculous workloads. But a local high school national championship is not seen by anyone outside of that nation’s borders as being more important than a regional competition, and a few of our high school coaches need to realize this.

[Assasin]

Do you realise the difference between now and and 1948 and how much meets our locals stars have to compete in, including Penns, Worlds, JA invitation etc. Some are also on the college cuircut.

Sometimes they have to prioritise and give another man a chance to shine. A slight knock or any sign of over exposure and no need to carry them to Carifta.

[Sir X]

But a local high school national championship is not seen by anyone outside of that nation’s borders as being more important than a regional competition, and a few of our high school coaches need to realize this.


A tink yuh lick yuh ead , champs bigger than Carifita and Rivals the Penn relays on the international calender.

To keep it in perspective , Penn has to have elite athlethes competing to market itself for prime time in the USA.Jamaican HS make penns , PENN relays doesnt make champs.Tourist , nationals and international media descend on champs and it will only get better with online media.

My opinion.

BTW dont twist it in anyway as saying Penn relays doesnt play a part in the development of our youths, its has reached the point now , where our HS can debate whether they need Penns because the americal schools come to champs to scout , hence no need to expose themselves to the american college recruitment market which is Penns.

[Peter R]

What are the criteria for the Austin Sealy award?

[Historian]

X - Think About This....

I was not criticizing or trying to belittle the Penn Relays, and neither was I comparing it in importance to the Carifta Games! I simply made a reference, in passing, to the Penn Relays.

CARIFTA vs BOYS/GIRLS CHAMPS
Regarding a comparison of the importance of our high school national championships and the Carifta Games, the latter (Carifta) is a REGIONAL event that involves up to 26 Caribbean countries!! In comparison, Boys & Girls Champs involve high schools within the borders of a single country, Jamaica!

No amount of postulating will change that fact!

CARIFTA NOT RECOGNIZED?
The fact is that the Carifta Games has long been fully recognized by the IAAF, as seen in the fact that a small delegation led by a senior vice president of the IAAF was at this 2013 Carifta Games representing the president, Lamine Diack! This vice president gave opening remarks.

[Historian]

Criteria

What are the criteria for the Austin Sealy award?

Peter, since the late 1970s the Austin Sealy Award has been given to the youngster considered to be the single most outstanding athlete at a particular Carifta Games.

Jamaica has won this award on about 14 occasions. Usain Bolt, for example, got the Austin Sealy Award in two consecutive years: 2003 and 2004. Interestingly, the only other athletes to repeat as Austin Sealy Award winners are not Jamaicans, but rather, a Trinidadian, a Caymanian and two Bahamians: the Bahamas’ javelin specialist LaVerne Eve won it twice in the 1980s and sprinter Anthonique Strachan in 2011 and 2012; the Cayman Islands' Kareem Streete-Thompson at the end of the 1980s, and that once promising Trinidadian 100-meter sprinter Darrel Brown in 1999 and 2000.

It was not difficult to choose this year’s winner, the very graceful Shaunea Miller, because she won three gold medals, in the process setting a Carifta Games record in one (the 200 meters).

(Her three events were, of course, the 400-meter race, the 4x100-meter relay and the 200-meter race.)

[Don1]

CARIFTA is a minor meet which if it disappeared today... after a few years few outside of the "small islands" would miss. Not saying it's not worthwhile but for Jamaica its value is distinctly limited

Champs is a magnificent 100+ year old tradition which has developed into the best of its type in the world... an irreplaceable gem which is a global model for HS track and perhaps ANY HS sport. It is the primary reason for Jamaica's ability to dominate global sprinting

All this is driven by the intense, long standing competition and rivalry among certain high schools ...ah suh di ting set and long may it continue

[Gamma]

I think I agree. If Jamaica decided NOT to participate the CARIFTA would fall of the map in terms of significance. Jamaica is the draw and as such other actions get to be highlighted. Also, the love to hate Jamaica so they bring their A game to take it to us!

[Sir X]

Cant debate the fact its a regional meet of iaaf importance but it is a small meet not on par with champs, where we send our B teams at times,The iaaf president is of little commercial value when compared to our stars who have participated and ventured/photo op champs in support of their schools,the event and themselves.......champs to the world.

Thats why the world wants to be a part of it in terms of media coverage and i am sure carifta doesnt get a fraction of the internatioinal coverage iaaf president and all, when compared to champs.

[Mosiah]

And I agree too!

I don't care which dignitary goes to Carifta, it cannot compare to B&G Champs, at least for me.

Just the televising of Carifta demonstrates its second class stature.

Historian, yuh talking about how many countries attend Carifta? Well, some of our high schools would compete very well against most of those countries. And these would not even be some of our best high schools. I am positive Calabar would have won Carifta if they sent that high school alone to represent Jamaica, at least the boys section!

[Willi]

It is a sheer political award.

Blake running 10.11s was a shoe in, but no....
Ramone McKensie was also overlooked as was Calvert and many others.

[Willi]

The VP was there merely to rep for the inaugural 2014 World Relay Champs and that is what he spent 80% of the time talking about.

[Peter R]

Don1, Gamma and Mo,

I agree with the observations and most of what you guys say, I just don't see that a successful Champs (pleonasm?) means that JA should not look to assist in the building of CARIFTA. The attendance (or lack of ) of JA athletes add presige to many meets and IMO we should look to enhance what we have in the region.

Why would the Penn Relays be considered more prestigious than CARIFTA? Are we again not looking to "Babylon" for validation? Why can't we build our own (regional) super meet?

[Sir X]

In truth the validation of babylon comes from the scholarships they offer when they get exposure , if Carifta comes up with a scholarship system then we will take it seriously.

[Mosiah]

True! Indeed, I am happy that our own world-class athletes run regularly in many minor meets in Jamaica, giving them some prominence. We should be doing the same to Carifta. So I take back my view that we should send a B team!

That said, our best don't always go to Carifta trials for whatever reason. I think we should use our Champs results and select our athletes for Carifta. We can't get rid of Carifta Trials, but we could help them out.

As for Penn Relays, I long for the day when Gibson Relays will surpass that as the relays not to be missed. Yes, I know the history of Penn, but that should not preclude a drive to surpass and replace it with our very own.