Jamaicans born to run fast? Oh-oh this one opens

[Me]

As I said it is more about Geographic than it is about genetics.

How comes the ghanian them can't run fast? Are we from the same bloodline?

The average Ghanian footballer seems pretty quick to me and their male sprinters have also been pretty good. Three men at 10 seconds or below.

[Islandman]

When I used to do a little bit of algebra them used to teach me about neccesary and sufficient conditions.

Genetic predisposition is a necessary condition to be a world class sprinter but it is not a sufficient condition.

[Islandman]

You make it sound like there is not a relationship between the two.

Also remember genetics is not soley determined by race. If you notice the article did not say anything about dark-skinned people as a whole running fast, but they mention West Africa.

Regarding Ghana and sprinters, see my post below about necessary and sufficient conditions.

[Assasin]

there sprinters are not world beaters.
When last a Ghanian win an important race?

[Assasin]

they didn't have to mention black when they spoke about "West Africa" heritage.

Sometimes we discredit the environment we grow up in. There is no other country I know that put such energy in track at such a young age and have such rivalry as champs etc.

[Time]

The Cheetah and the Antelope evolution

the can of worms again.
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Genetic research provides answer to Jamaicans' speed


Jamaicans are born to run fast. It's in our blood.

At least, so say preliminary findings of research being conducted by the University of Glasgow and the University of the West Indies (UWI) that has been going on for more than two years now.

Over that time, more than 200 Jamaican athletes were tested and found to possess the Actinen component in their fast-twitch muscle fibres - the rapidly contracting muscle fibres that enable sprinters to run really fast.

Early data

"Jamaica (and) Scotland, through the University of Glasgow, have been studying athletes from around the world, those of West African origin, east Africa and elsewhere. The early data is that for the fast-twitch fibres in the muscles, there is a special component called the Actinen A, of which the gene was identified in the fast-twitch fibres has been found in 70 per cent of the athletes from Jamaica," reveals an excited Professor Errol Morrison, president of the University of Technology (UTech).

More to come

"This compared to only 30 per cent in an Australian group that is being tested. What it says to us is what is happening is not a flash in the pan, but there will be many potential Asafa Powells, Sherone Simpsons and Sherikas (Williams), because the genetic predisposition is there."

Professor Morrison was understandably excited when he released the information to The Gleaner recently, because he was partially responsible for initiating the research that unearthed these findings.

He explained that the Univer-sity of Glasgow and a few Japanese universities had for some time been conducting research on athletes in Kenya, apparently trying to unlock the secrets to their prowess at long-distance running. Then, just over two years ago, while he wasemployed by the Department of Biochemistry at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Morrison wrote an article that caught the researchers' eyes.

"I had published an article about what seemed to be the underlying principles behind the high performance in sprint among Jamaican athletes," he said. "And when they saw that article, they contacted me and said they would like to set up a link to look at athletes of a West African origin because that is where Caribbean athletes come from."

The University of Technology became involved when Professor Morrison assumed duties as president and eventually tests were conducted on the athletes there, including those from the MVP track club that has as its members some of the world's best sprinters.

Tests were not only conducted on UTech and MVP athletes, but on some of Jamaica's greats like the late Herb McKenley and Olympic 200 metre silver medallist Grace Jackson, who now runs the sports programme at the UWI, Mona Campus.

Blessed sprinters

The early results, according to Professor Morrison, are not only exciting, but it gives cause to create the environment to nurture this genetic predisposition with which Jamaica's sprinters have been blessed.

"It is quite clear that there are a lot of people with this potential to be good performers who, by nurturing the environment for them, the nutrition, training, focusing the whole psychological competitiveness, we can remain at the forefront for many years to come," Professor Morrison said.

Definitive answer

The results could go a long way in providing a definitive answer as to why Jamaicans continue to compete with the best sprinters in the world and in recent times, take the lead.

"The question is always there. What is it, nature or nurture that makes us so good?" Professor Morrison said in concluding. "The answer seems to be coming that there seems to be a strong underlying genetic or nature predisposition as to why we are able to perform like this."

The Cheetah and the antelope are very fast because they are locked in this daily race for survival

Jamaicans as a people are fast because the favorite Jamaican pastime of is to chase down 'other type of Jamaicans" who as a group are knwon to be fast.... LOL

[Islandman]

LOL, so is only West Africa black people come from?

Come now raise the level as Maudib would say .

[Me]

The Americans with a West African background seem pretty fast
The Candians with that background seem pretty fast
The Brits with that Background seem pretty fast
The folks over in Ghana seem pretty quick
The Nigerians are pretty quick
All the West African football teams always seem pretty fast

Seem like there might be a link.

[Islandman]

And your point about champs , etc as well as gammas about scholarship opportunity is exactly what completes the "sufficient" conditions consistently in Jamaica as opposed to say Barbados or the Ivory Coast whose citizens also have the necessary condition of genetic predisposition.

[Islandman]

Maybe they all learn to dance at a young age and that develops the muscles that makes you a good sprinter? LOL!

As Mosiah and I have said time and time again, the reason people are uncomfortable with this is because it open up the POSSIBILITY that some people may also be genetically predispositioned to be better at academics, leadership, being financially successful, etc and that scares us.

[Willi]

Wicked iyah!

[Assasin]

So only West African football team seems fast? You never see white football team look fast too?

The Korean teams seems pretty fast to me too.

Tell me how many West African World record holder you have at sprinting or how many has competeted in Olympics or world finals if them so fast.

Fast is relative.

[Me]

Yes I have seen fast European teams, but every West African team I have seen in Big competitions (Youth to Mens) has looked fast. Can't say the same for the European teams.

As for track and records, how many of those top times (100 meter mens) are not by people of West African heritage. 13 top times, 1 man not West African. the rest West African heritage or West African.

[Assasin]

Yes many are of West African decent yet the West African themselves can't do it?

How is it you have so many people of Jamaican decent in places like England not born in Ja and they can't set records either. Remember Christie born in Ja also in Canada Ben Johnson and Donavon Bailey both borned in Ja and not born in Canada of Jamaican parentage?

[Me]

Two of 13 are "West African themselves"

Assassin why are you asking such a stupid question. It does not mean that you are going to have everyone with Jamaican parents over there setting records or everyone in Jamaican being extremely fast.