Selfish' Ottey cost Jamaica 1980 Olympic medal, say teammate

[Twan]

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Selfishness by a young Merlene Ottey cost Jamaica a medal in the sprint relay at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Russia, according to teammates.

More than three decades later Jamaica's 'Sprint Queen' is still the target of their wrath, as damning accusations of manipulation and diva attitude have been levelled at one of the most decorated athletes in track and field history.

Then 20-year-old Ottey emerged as a force in athletics by winning her first Olympic medal in Moscow. But she also angered 4x100 metres relay teammates Rosie Allwood, Jacqueline Pusey and Lileith Hodges, who claimed she put personal goals ahead of the team.

In separate interviews conducted August 7, Allwood, Pusey and Hodges blamed Ottey for being overly demanding. They also claimed she was coddled by national coaches who ensured she got her way. The three women, at least one admitting that Ottey's alleged conduct in 1980 "still hurts," also accused her of depriving them an Olympic medal, after she had won bronze in the 200 metres, then snubbing the relay team when Jamaica lost.

"We were very happy about Merlene's accomplishment," recalled Allwood, "but we had trouble with Merlene."

Allwood, Pusey and Hodges blamed Ottey for a bungled baton change on the anchor leg in the 4x100 final. But the problems began long before Jamaica's team arrived in Russia, then a part of the now dissolved Soviet Union. Ottey, a fast-rising teenage star, joined Jamaica's team for the 1979 Pan American Games. She won bronze in the 200 metres and was a member of the sprint relay team, which claimed silver in Puerto Rico. By 1980, teammates said, Ottey had carved out turf.

"She declared she can only run the anchor leg," Allwood recalled. "She said she can only receive the baton, not give it."

Jamaica's coaches bowed.

"It was what Merlene wanted, Merlene got," Pusey said. "It wasn't about the team."

Pre-Olympics training camp in England unmasked problems. The original 4x100 running order called for Hodges to start, hand off to Allwood, then Pusey. But Pusey and Ottey, "fierce rivals" according to Allwood, never meshed. Pusey was "insulted" she wasn't anchoring and complained Ottey always took off too soon, refused to slow down, and made it hard for Pusey to hand over the baton.

"There was some difficulty in practice leading up to the Olympics," Allwood acknowledged.

Tempers flared. Pusey threatened to "hit (Ottey) with the baton," recalled Allwood, a charge Pusey didn't deny.

Eventually, Allwood, who along with Hodges were the oldest members at 28, said she, not the coaches, changed the relay order to defuse tension. Pusey would run the second leg. Allwood would link Ottey. Pusey didn't like that either.

"I earned that (anchor) spot," said the 1980 Olympic 200 metres semi-finalist. "... I wasn't very happy."

Allwood understood.

"Jackie had the most killer instinct to anchor," she said. "She was a hell of a finisher."

The first two baton changes in the Olympic final weren't perfect, but Jamaica clung to medal hopes as Allwood barrelled down on Ottey. Then like practice, Allwood, Hodges and Pusey claimed, Ottey mistimed her release.

"Merlene took off a good two strides before Rosie hit her mark," Pusey explained. "She left way too early."

Allwood yelled.

"I said 'Merlene!'"

Ottey, wary of the disqualification zone, checked her speed.

"(But) rather than slow down and take the baton, she stopped," said Allwood. " She got the baton standing up."

Jamaica stalled. East Germany swept to gold in a world record 41.6 seconds, with the Soviet Union second and Great Britain third. Jamaica finished sixth in 43.19, a new national record. It was small consolation.

"The exchange between Merlene and Rosie, that's where it really went bad," said Hodges. " I was disappointed. But I wasn't as mad as Jackie and Rosie, who wanted to go curse (Ottey) out."

Pusey believes Ottey took off in fear.

"She deliberately left early," she said. "She didn't want anyone to run up on her."

Pusey considered confronting Ottey.

"I wanted to run all the way to the finish and hit her with the baton because she had run off and left Rosie," she said.

Allwood, too, was upset. But Ottey's post-race reaction made her furious.

"I saw it as a very selfish act what (Ottey) did in Moscow," said Allwood. "I switched up the relay team to accommodate Merlene and, after she did what she did, she just walked away. She didn't care."

last shot

For Allwood, a three-time Olympian, 1980 was her last shot at a Games medal.

"I was focused on getting an Olympic medal in the 4x100 and we thought we had a good chance," she said. "Merlene messed that up."

Allwood never ran for Jamaica again. Hodges targeted the 1984 Olympics, but got pregnant and missed out. Pusey, almost 21 in 1980, believed she would eventually win a Games medal. It never happened.

"(Ottey) cost us our Olympic medal," said Pusey, "and now we don't have any."

Allwood, Pusey and Hodges said they "embraced" Ottey when she joined Jamaica's team, which was confirmed by other sources. The plan backfired.

"She never focused on the relays," said Hodges. "She was just so obsessed with her own race."

Efforts to contact Ottey were unsuccessful up to press time. No response was received for questions about Moscow 1980 and her team-mates' allegations sent to an email address believed to be Ottey's.

Ottey's take

But in a February interview with Television Jamaica, Ottey offered insight on her approach to relays while discussing her embroilment in another controversial incident, this time at the 2000 Olympics in Australia. Ottey confirmed in the TVJ interview that there were problems with exchanges in practice at those Games, and accused teammate Beverly McDonald of "missing purposely" with the baton so she would have to repeat the drill. Ottey blamed fatigue from the repetition among reasons she "lost that gold medal" in the 100 metres. She also claimed "a lot of jealousy" in Jamaica's team. Years later Ottey competed for Slovenia.

Her relay teammates in Moscow praised her as an outstanding athlete.

"Merlene had an awesome career," said Allwood. "She was great."

They said they decided to speak publicly about Moscow Olympics now because they didn't want to tarnish Ottey's accomplishments while she was in her prime.

"We're just setting the record straight," said Pusey.

The hurt remains.

"It bothers me still," Pusey admitted. "I would not do what (Ottey) did at other people's expense. I have nothing against her. I just hate she cost us a medal and she didn't give a damn."

Allwood didn't speak to Ottey for eight years. She relented at a meet in 1988.

"That was the first time since Moscow," said Allwood.

For Pusey, it's not that simple.

"I haven't spoken to (Ottey) since (Moscow)," she said. "If I see her I will say hello, but that's it."

Hodges didn't avoid Ottey, now 53, but never hid her feelings over Moscow either.

"I tried to make peace," said Hodges. "But I wasn't happy."

Still, Ottey's Moscow team-mates claim they have moved beyond the relay fallout.

"I got past it," said Hodges. "I don't dwell on it at all."

Ottey didn't either. She never won individual Olympic gold, but collected nine medals in six games, became a world champion and ambassador for track.

In her wake, she left three unhappy Jamaican teammates.

[Historian]

Very, Very Interesting....

I certainly never knew this drama took place in 1980!

But doesn’t it remind us of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games? In addition to the fact that “pre-Olympics training camp in (Sydney) unmasked problems” (remember that unfortunate Peta-Gaye Dowdie issue?), the mistimed baton exchange between curve runner Beverley McDonald and anchor Merlene Ottey gave the Bahamas the gold medal.

The ironic thing is that Jamaica had entered that final with the fastest qualifying time by a team that included Merlene Frazer on anchor. To her credit, however, while Ottey was not able to gain any ground on the Bahamas’ anchor Debbie Ferguson, she was able to hold off a fast closing Marion Jones to give Jamaica the silver medal.

(I love history, and I can’t end this anecdote without stating that, in my opinion, the USA gave away an almost sure gold medal after Torri Edwards messed up her baton exchange with Nanceen Perry, and then Perry made an even worse exchange with anchorwoman Marion Jones. If the USA had managed to have decent exchanges such as that between lead-off runner Chryste Gaines and backstretch runner Torri Edwards, the USA would almost certainly have won this race given Marion Jones’ amazing anchor run. She was closing like a freight train!)

Allwood, Pusey and Hodges blamed Ottey for a bungled baton change on the anchor leg in the 4x100 final. But the problems began long before Jamaica's team arrived in Russia, then a part of the now dissolved Soviet Union.

Pre-Olympics training camp in England unmasked problems. The original 4x100 running order called for Hodges to start, hand off to Allwood, then Pusey. But Pusey and Ottey, "fierce rivals" according to Allwood, never meshed. Pusey was "insulted" she wasn't anchoring and complained Ottey always took off too soon, refused to slow down, and made it hard for Pusey to hand over the baton.

But in a February interview with Television Jamaica, Ottey offered insight on her approach to relays while discussing her embroilment in another controversial incident, this time at the 2000 Olympics in Australia. Ottey confirmed in the TVJ interview that there were problems with exchanges in practice at those Games, and accused teammate Beverly McDonald of "missing purposely" with the baton so she would have to repeat the drill. Ottey blamed fatigue from the repetition among reasons she "lost that gold medal" in the 100 metres. She also claimed "a lot of jealousy" in Jamaica's team. Years later Ottey competed for Slovenia.

[MdmeX]

Thirty-three years after the fact - THIS!!

Tension was high with them, as I have read years ago where Merlene said that Allwood was acting like she was her mother. I guess bossing her around!

[Historian]

So True....

Thirty-three years after the fact - THIS!!

Tension was high with them, as I have read years ago where Merlene said that Allwood was acting like she was her mother. I guess bossing her around!

So true, MdmeX. I too am very surprised at the intensity of feeling that remains among the three women after thirty years! Clearly the whole episode hurt them very much.

I had no idea all this drama was going on way back then! (I wonder if Merlene’s young age in 1980 prompted Allwood to act “like she was her mother”?)

[Karl]

Besides a difficulty in understanding -
a) How missing out on an Olympic medal aids personal goals;

b) Jackie claiming not the coaches' or managers' of the relay TEAM decision but her right (she earned the right to anchor);

c) that they have all put this behind them...yet had to set the record straight?

...then in light of 'all other things' - (What the hell could those be?) - it must have been Merlene who caused that poor baton change and the loss of an opportunity to win a medal...

...damn? The the ladies went through for the above interview...after 30+ years? ...now suggesting they were perfect TEAM-players, were poor victims, and had played no part in the 'boo-boo' and are still playing no part in their identified now reported cass-cass

It takes two baby... it takes two... ..at least we now know from the 3 ladies that there was at least one division...three ladies against Merlene...and that they are still resentful of the Queen as they never had their way on order of runners on each leg. Hey...they said it.

The similarity at the 2000 games is...?!
The athletes for a time took over from the managers and were resentful of managers' decision to include Merlene in the 100M over a Peta-Gaye Dowdie who had gone off the boil.

I guess the athletes thought the managers were not needed...they should 'run ting'?

Not buying it! ...as they do not make sense!

btw - Were we ever in the race for a medal?

Not to overlook Merlene's atrocious run-off...but that stuff on about our in with a medal chance is not borne out by the legs previous to Merlene getting the baton. Maybe Merlene could have run-down one more runner and then put us up to challenging for 5th spot if we had an excellent final exchange. When using the below video to judge relative leg speed on the finishers we were well out of medal contention.

We each can review the video and judge where we were relative to the other TEAMs on each leg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHTu9LCKB4A

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHTu9...layer_embedded

Not buying that Merlene was reason we never medaled or that we had 'a problem'. It takes more than one to tango.

[Karl]

Letter of the Day - Peta-Gaye's father speaks



Peta-Gaye Dowdie


THE EDITOR, Madam:
I crave your indulgence on this very personal matter. Sir, philosophy teaches me that; 1) you cannot fight City Hall yet. 2) No lie liveth forever and 3) Truth crushed to the ground will rise again. It is also a fact that the blood, sweat and tears of martyrs water the tree of democracy. There is also virtue in the saying, "if no cup noh bruk then no coffee won't throw away". I am very sorry that the JAAA took away the right to participate in the 100 metres flat race at the 2000 Olympics from Peta-Gaye Dowdie, my daughter. A right she fought very hard for and won. I am even more sorry to see pictures of my daughter in a demonstration at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. If I did not see her and somebody told me so, I would say it is a lie, because that is the very opposite of Peta-Gaye's behavioural pattern.

Coming out of her drug ordeal, the JAAA felt it would be good to have Ottey participate at the maximum athletic event. They were hoping that she would qualify under the 1,2,3 rule and when this did not happen, they thought that the way out to have Beverley McDonald yield her spot in the flat 100 to Ottey as: 1) She is in the flat 200, the flat 100, and 4 x 100 relays, and 2) she was given an opportunity in the 1996 Games even though she did not quality from the 1,2,3 rule to participate. "Today for me tomorrow for you", or, "you owe me one".

I saw trouble coming when Beverley McDonald's connection refuted the suggestion that she will yield her spot to Ottey. Sometimes people put the cart before the horse, as it seems the JAAA did when they promised Ottey this glorious opportunity before they actually had it to offer. Now, they had to create it, and blundered badly in the process. Peta-Gaye Dowdie becomes the victim, and out of frustration and hurt, she along with some of her colleagues angrily take on the JAAA in a head on battle in Australia.

When I speak of frustrated and hurt colleagues, I must divert and share with you my thoughts on the JAAA's and Government treatment to these foreign-based students over the years. What do you think have happened to most of the sprint talent between Ottey's and Dowdie's era? Let me tell you quickly, Madam, they have perished in the system mostly because of lack of support.

I can tell the JAAA that Peta-Gaye is Jamaica's sprint champion, not because of anything special they did to support her focus and effort over the years. If it had not been for family and some friends, she would have perished in the cruel system of a survival game that most athletes find themselves into when they leave this country and take up track scholarships abroad. based on some NCAA rules, which are installed to level the playing field among contesting institutions, these students are only given free tuition, room, board and books in most instances. They also get gears, which they mostly wear as regular clothing. When other family members and I have to find money on a regular basis to support Peta-Gaye abroad, I wonder what happens to those who don't have it.
When she gets her semester breaks and her aunt, uncle or myself have to send her a plane ticket to come home or go elsewhere, I wonder what happens to many who cannot afford that. When an Aunt, Uncle or myself visits Peta-Gaye and replenishes her stock of Jamaican food; milo, horlicks, malta, seasonings, bammy, shrimps, fried fish, breadfruit, bun and cheese, to name a few. I wonder what happens to those who have not been able to taste some real Jamaican food for a year or two. Food that their bodies have known and tasted for their entire lives makes a difference to their strength and performance. When I am paying my telephone bills and see the cost of the calls to Peta-Gaye, I wonder what is happening to an athlete, who cannot speak to a parent for months or years. These students are not ordinary people, they are National Assets.
They keep the Jamaican flag flying high, and must be cared for. When these students grow older and live in the environment of prosperity and need a level of independence to prop up their dignity and improve their standard of living. Laundry and store to go, training and travel facility to go to, in extreme weather conditions and don't have a father who can buy them a car, what do they do?

From my experience with Peta-Gaye and some stories I have heard, it is evident that this Government, through the JAAA, needs to do a lot more for these athletes than they do presently. These demonstrating athletes know what they have been through, over the years, to reach an Olympic and must be hurting to see this snatched from a colleague, by a body that they feel is not doing much to help them. I am now asking your permission to use this medium to agonise with Peta-Gaye and her friends in their cause. I must also hasten to advise them, in the true spirit of an Olympian to apologise to the Nation, for any damage or embarrassment they might have caused. They also need to ask Beverley to do what was anticipated of her by the JAAA and yield her spot in the 100 flat, not to Ottey this time, but to the deserving Peta-Gaye (if it is not too late). They need to do this and get focused on some medals for Jamaica.

I must also use this medium to ask the Government of Jamaica to order a commission of enquiry into the actions of the JAAA, as it relates to the process used to elevate Ottey over Dowdie for the 100m flat race at the 2000 Olympics.

Finally, Madam, about two years, I prepared a draft , as to how the Foreign Based Athletes could form an association to champion their cause. I named it, 'The JAAA Foreign Based Athletes Association'. Ironically, I tried to get Peta-Gaye to start this association, but she felt that she could not manage it. I gave the draft to an Executive of SDF. I think this body should now be organised. One of the things I like and enjoy most about Peta-Gaye, is her laughter, and I know, she is not laughing now. I wanted her to cry at the Olympics, but I needed tears of joy.
I am, etc.,DELANO DOWDIE

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2.../letters1.html

[Karl]

Ottey-Dowdie affair and the JAAA

Ottey-Dowdie affair and the JAAA

A.W. Sangster

THE SELECTION of Merlene Ottey over Peta-Gay Dowdie to run in the 100m at the Sydney Olympics has been a controversial decision. There are pros and cons and it has been the subject of much heated discussion and commentary. The JAAA has been castigated and Mr. Seaga has even called for the resignation of the executive. The issue is not an easy one, and from reports from Sydney, the team management has agonised over this decision. Some of the more important considerations are the following.


1. Picking the best team. It is indisputable that Merlene Ottey has done the best times both in the Grand Prix circuit and in the warm-up meets held in Australia before the games began. In fact she is the only one of the four women who has run under 11 seconds in the lead up to the Olympics. These were 10.91 (wind assisted in Brisbane) and 10.99 (against the wind in Thessaloniki). In terms of possible medalling or even reaching the finals, it is my view that only Merlene had a chance at either of the above. Her performance would therefore be the basis of selecting her to run over Peta-Gay, rather than any emotional leaning to 'give her a last break'. The special arguments which might be advanced, but which cannot be the basis for the selection, are that she lost many months of training time in this Olympic year due to her false suspension by the IAAF.

In addition her times have been steadily improving in the short period that she was training at 100 per cent levels.

2. Peta-Gaye Dowdie's attitude to the team management. It has been stated that her coach had instructed that after her last meet on August 7 (some seven weeks from the Olympics) when she went back to rest in the USA, she was not to participate in any meet prior to the Olympics. This meant that she did not participate in individual events or in the relays in the warm-up meets in Australia. It was in one of these events that Merlene did the time of 10.91 mentioned above. Peta-Gaye's form after the long lay-off of some seven weeks before the games, would therefore have been in doubt.

Clearly at the Olympic village a US based college coach cannot dictate to the National Coaches and team management. That coach must answer to the JAAA and the Jamaican people for messing up Peta-Gaye.

3. Pre-Olympic information and the selection process. On the basis of point No 2, it is well to note the item on the form that all athletes were given at the trials which reads as follows:
"If in a fitness level substantially less than when you participated in the National Championships on July 20-22, or injured and you are unable to return to suitable form/fitness, the management team will have no option but to re-consider your selection".

Clearly Miss Dowdie did herself a disservice by not participating in the pre-Olympic meets and gave the management team no option but to doubt her fitness. Their decision was clearly in the best interests of Jamaica. Mr. Dowdie, Peta-Gaye's father is clearly the hero in the family, for not only supporting the team management decision but also advising Peta-Gaye to stay in Sydney and run for her country. She has wisely taken his advice.

The JAAA does not have any rule that makes it obligatory (like the USA) to choose only the finalists in the trials. It is of interest to note the selection of Beverly McDonald for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics even though she was unable to compete in finals in the trials in Jamaica (after competing in the semi-finals). The caveats listed above were developed after the 1997 World Championships in Athens when Jamaica was unable to field a male sprint relay team as several of the athletes had lost form or were injured and obviously came for the ride. They would apply to all the team.

We turn now to some other issues which may have clouded the discussion.

The so-called Merlene ultimatum. Her manager Mr. Daniel Zimmerman spoke on the Breakfast Club some time ago, and made it clear that Merlene's position was that, of the four athletes who had been entered, the best three should be chosen. When this is understood, then her stance is clear and one that can be defended. While on the subject of ultimatums, members of the team in Australia were engaging in the same process in threatening not to run in various events. We should therefore avoid the obvious hypocrisy in condemning Merlene specifically although she might well have been more diplomatic in her comments to the media.

The role of the media. Some of the media and commentators have adopted an unfortunately biased and judgmental attitude in the whole affair which has done them no credit and certainly stirred the controversy in an unfortunate way.

Politics and sports. Mr. Seaga the Leader of the Opposition has been quoted as saying that the JAAA should resign. The statement is quite inappropriate both in terms of its timing and relevance.

Blocking a road
The Government has quite properly said they are staying out of the issue and leaving the team management to sort out the matter 'down under'. Indications are that sanity has prevailed.

The Athletes' protest. The athletes seemed to have believed that like back in Jamaica, blocking a road and bearing placards would bring everyone flying to solve the problem. The protest was obviously against Merlene who is quoted as saying, "After what I went through with the IAAF ban, I can deal with this". It seems from the happy photos of relay practice that this is the case. Certainly the controversy has brought Merlene into the village with her team-mates, which represents a different approach to previous games and makes her a better team player. Indications are that the protesting athletes are sorry and have apologised for their stupid and inexcusable behaviour. It is now up to all Jamaica to rally round the Jamaican team -athletes and officials in the final stretch of the games.

The JAAA management. We have short memories and have forgotten the struggles that President Adrian Wallace has gone through in the vindication of Miss Ottey, an initiative that might not have been taken by other leaders. In addition, in December 1998 the JAAA hosted a special celebration of excellence function at Vale Royal to recognise Jamaica's Women in Athletics'. That function specially recognised Merlene who had been chosen by the IAAF as their patron for the year of 'Women in Athletics'- 1998 being the United Nations year of women. Mr. Wallace has brought to his incumbency as president of the JAAA, a sense of quiet non-adversarial professionalism. He can also be said to be the 'Athletes President'. Adrian, if you can read this, hang tough and don't be frightened by the adverse publicity. If you bring home medals the waggonists will clamber to congratulate the medal winners. This controversy will be another of our usual nine-day wonders. The Sydney Olympic team management report should also make interesting reading. It will be of interest to compare this one with the management disasters of the Moscow and Los Angeles Olympics, events that have been mostly forgotten.
A.W. Sangster is the former president of the University of Technology.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...cleisure3.html

[Islandman]

What surprises me is that Pusey says she never spoke to Ottey again even though I am quite sure they were both on the 1983 Helsinki relay team which won a bronze at the first World Championship, along with Hodges and Juliet Cuthbert.

I have to wonder if some of the tension between them was due to the fact that Pusey had dominated Merlene and was the star athlete all through school, but then Merlene literally exploded in her year at Vere after Pusey had left school and she became the superstar that many expected Pusey to have become.

I can't say the drama surprises me , it has always been around Jamaican relay teams.

[Historian]

Karl, Thanks for Posting These!

Karl, thanks very much for posting both Mr. Dowdie’s letter and Mr. Sangster’s commentary. These are two published material that I should have added to my personal archive years ago, but failed to do so. Both are very important in terms of getting some sort of balance to that 2000 Olympics fiasco.

Before I go any further, I feel compelled to add that Shelly-Ann Fraser in 2008 was most likely a direct beneficiary of whatever lessons were learnt by the JAAA in 2000. We will no doubt recall the widespread calls by many to remove the then unknown Shelly and replace her with Veronica Campbell.

But back to the Peta-Gaye Dowdie issue. While the JAAA made a decidedly controversial decision in awarding Merlene Ottey a spot on the relay team in place of Peta-Gaye, there is no question in my mind that Jamaican ultimately benefitted. I say this in light of later revelations concerning Peta-Gaye’s fitness (or to be more specific, injury), a matter which the JAAA was unaware of prior to the Olympics.

Also, a year earlier, Peta-Gaye had anchored Jamaica’s 4x100-meter women at the 1999 IAAF World Championships in Seville. Despite getting the baton in a very clear second position, she was easily passed by France’s Christine Arron, thereby relegating Jamaica to the bronze medal position (the Bahamas won and the USA, anchored by Gail Devers, placed fourth).

There is little doubt in my mind that at the Sydney Olympic Games, Marion Jones would have done the same to Peta-Gaye, thus relegating us to bronze (and, who knows, Christine Arron – who anchored France to fourth – might have repeated her 1999 overtaking of Peta-Gaye).

My comments above must not be seen as any form of taking sides, but rather, my opinion based on facts and developments in 1999 and in 2000.

[Time]

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Selfishness by a young Merlene Ottey cost Jamaica a medal in the sprint relay at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Russia, according to teammates.

More than three decades later Jamaica's 'Sprint Queen' is still the target of their wrath, as damning accusations of manipulation and diva attitude have been levelled at one of the most decorated athletes in track and field history.

Then 20-year-old Ottey emerged as a force in athletics by winning her first Olympic medal in Moscow. But she also angered 4x100 metres relay teammates Rosie Allwood, Jacqueline Pusey and Lileith Hodges, who claimed she put personal goals ahead of the team.

In separate interviews conducted August 7, Allwood, Pusey and Hodges blamed Ottey for being overly demanding. They also claimed she was coddled by national coaches who ensured she got her way. The three women, at least one admitting that Ottey's alleged conduct in 1980 "still hurts," also accused her of depriving them an Olympic medal, after she had won bronze in the 200 metres, then snubbing the relay team when Jamaica lost.

"We were very happy about Merlene's accomplishment," recalled Allwood, "but we had trouble with Merlene."

Allwood, Pusey and Hodges blamed Ottey for a bungled baton change on the anchor leg in the 4x100 final. But the problems began long before Jamaica's team arrived in Russia, then a part of the now dissolved Soviet Union. Ottey, a fast-rising teenage star, joined Jamaica's team for the 1979 Pan American Games. She won bronze in the 200 metres and was a member of the sprint relay team, which claimed silver in Puerto Rico. By 1980, teammates said, Ottey had carved out turf.

"She declared she can only run the anchor leg," Allwood recalled. "She said she can only receive the baton, not give it."

Jamaica's coaches bowed.

"It was what Merlene wanted, Merlene got," Pusey said. "It wasn't about the team."

Pre-Olympics training camp in England unmasked problems. The original 4x100 running order called for Hodges to start, hand off to Allwood, then Pusey. But Pusey and Ottey, "fierce rivals" according to Allwood, never meshed. Pusey was "insulted" she wasn't anchoring and complained Ottey always took off too soon, refused to slow down, and made it hard for Pusey to hand over the baton.

"There was some difficulty in practice leading up to the Olympics," Allwood acknowledged.

Tempers flared. Pusey threatened to "hit (Ottey) with the baton," recalled Allwood, a charge Pusey didn't deny.

Eventually, Allwood, who along with Hodges were the oldest members at 28, said she, not the coaches, changed the relay order to defuse tension. Pusey would run the second leg. Allwood would link Ottey. Pusey didn't like that either.

"I earned that (anchor) spot," said the 1980 Olympic 200 metres semi-finalist. "... I wasn't very happy."

Allwood understood.

"Jackie had the most killer instinct to anchor," she said. "She was a hell of a finisher."

The first two baton changes in the Olympic final weren't perfect, but Jamaica clung to medal hopes as Allwood barrelled down on Ottey. Then like practice, Allwood, Hodges and Pusey claimed, Ottey mistimed her release.

"Merlene took off a good two strides before Rosie hit her mark," Pusey explained. "She left way too early."

Allwood yelled.

"I said 'Merlene!'"

Ottey, wary of the disqualification zone, checked her speed.

"(But) rather than slow down and take the baton, she stopped," said Allwood. " She got the baton standing up."

Jamaica stalled. East Germany swept to gold in a world record 41.6 seconds, with the Soviet Union second and Great Britain third. Jamaica finished sixth in 43.19, a new national record. It was small consolation.

"The exchange between Merlene and Rosie, that's where it really went bad," said Hodges. " I was disappointed. But I wasn't as mad as Jackie and Rosie, who wanted to go curse (Ottey) out."

Pusey believes Ottey took off in fear.

"She deliberately left early," she said. "She didn't want anyone to run up on her."

Pusey considered confronting Ottey.

"I wanted to run all the way to the finish and hit her with the baton because she had run off and left Rosie," she said.

Allwood, too, was upset. But Ottey's post-race reaction made her furious.

"I saw it as a very selfish act what (Ottey) did in Moscow," said Allwood. "I switched up the relay team to accommodate Merlene and, after she did what she did, she just walked away. She didn't care."

last shot

For Allwood, a three-time Olympian, 1980 was her last shot at a Games medal.

"I was focused on getting an Olympic medal in the 4x100 and we thought we had a good chance," she said. "Merlene messed that up."

Allwood never ran for Jamaica again. Hodges targeted the 1984 Olympics, but got pregnant and missed out. Pusey, almost 21 in 1980, believed she would eventually win a Games medal. It never happened.

"(Ottey) cost us our Olympic medal," said Pusey, "and now we don't have any."

Allwood, Pusey and Hodges said they "embraced" Ottey when she joined Jamaica's team, which was confirmed by other sources. The plan backfired.

"She never focused on the relays," said Hodges. "She was just so obsessed with her own race."

Efforts to contact Ottey were unsuccessful up to press time. No response was received for questions about Moscow 1980 and her team-mates' allegations sent to an email address believed to be Ottey's.

Ottey's take

But in a February interview with Television Jamaica, Ottey offered insight on her approach to relays while discussing her embroilment in another controversial incident, this time at the 2000 Olympics in Australia. Ottey confirmed in the TVJ interview that there were problems with exchanges in practice at those Games, and accused teammate Beverly McDonald of "missing purposely" with the baton so she would have to repeat the drill. Ottey blamed fatigue from the repetition among reasons she "lost that gold medal" in the 100 metres. She also claimed "a lot of jealousy" in Jamaica's team. Years later Ottey competed for Slovenia.

Her relay teammates in Moscow praised her as an outstanding athlete.

"Merlene had an awesome career," said Allwood. "She was great."

They said they decided to speak publicly about Moscow Olympics now because they didn't want to tarnish Ottey's accomplishments while she was in her prime.

"We're just setting the record straight," said Pusey.

The hurt remains.

"It bothers me still," Pusey admitted. "I would not do what (Ottey) did at other people's expense. I have nothing against her. I just hate she cost us a medal and she didn't give a damn."

Allwood didn't speak to Ottey for eight years. She relented at a meet in 1988.

"That was the first time since Moscow," said Allwood.

For Pusey, it's not that simple.

"I haven't spoken to (Ottey) since (Moscow)," she said. "If I see her I will say hello, but that's it."

Hodges didn't avoid Ottey, now 53, but never hid her feelings over Moscow either.

"I tried to make peace," said Hodges. "But I wasn't happy."

Still, Ottey's Moscow team-mates claim they have moved beyond the relay fallout.

"I got past it," said Hodges. "I don't dwell on it at all."

Ottey didn't either. She never won individual Olympic gold, but collected nine medals in six games, became a world champion and ambassador for track.

In her wake, she left three unhappy Jamaican teammates.

Ottey was 20!!!!!!!! It's time to let it go now that the ladies have gotten their piece in the public domain. .Let its go. Let it go.

[TDowl]

Why is it those three did not have Merlene replace with another team member?

[Historian]

You Are So Right!

So true on all counts, I’man.

By the way, your point about that 1983 Helsinki 4x100-meter relay team is an interesting one. Surely, like you stated, it would be surprising if Pusey really hadn’t spoken to Ottey again after 1980 (as Pusey claimed), and for the reason you gave (both members of our 4x100 team in 1983). That 1983 team, as you also correctly indicated, was made up of Hodges, Pusey, Cuthbert and Ottey.

Incidentally, as a matter of minor historical interest, the 1983 bronze medal time by Jamaica (42.73 seconds) in Helsinki was exactly one second slower than the 2004 gold medal time by Lawrence, Simpson, Bailey and Campbell (41.73 seconds) in Athens.

If the three ladies are correct about attitude, then diva Merlene is simply an older version of diva Veronica (lol).

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Kerron Stewart, with their humble willingness to run at any spot on the team advised by the coaches, are both surely a welcome breath of fresh air! (Kerron, for example, ran anchor on the 2009 IAAF World Championships gold medal team, yet she seemingly had no problem in running the decidedly less glamorous backstretch position on this year’s team in Moscow.)

What surprises me is that Pusey says she never spoke to Ottey again even though I am quite sure they were both on the 1983 Helsinki relay team which won a bronze at the first World Championship, along with Hodges and Juliet Cuthbert.

I have to wonder if some of the tension between them was due to the fact that Pusey had dominated Merlene and was the star athlete all through school, but then Merlene literally exploded in her year at Vere after Pusey had left school and she became the superstar that many expected Pusey to have become.

I can't say the drama surprises me , it has always been around Jamaican relay teams.

[MdmeX]

Nice observation Islandman. Plus the fact that Ottey won an individual medal in her first outing.

Let me dedicate this Tina Turner song to them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFPUv4LPhbI

To foster such bitterness for 33 years -- DAMN so much stress on the body!

[MdmeX]

Don't want to hear CRAP about that Peta Gaye fiasco.

Fact is that Peta Gaye was hurt and lied about it!

End of story or nightmare!!

[MdmeX]

Agree with you Time!