The Jamaican team competing in Beijing for the 15th World Athletics Championships from August 22nd-30th, looks similar to the team which steam rolled the 100 and 200 metres at the Bird’s Nest 7 years ago at the Olympics. However, although the usual dream team, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB)are returning to the track where they won their past track successes, things are
shaping up a little different.
The steamroller is showing signs of slowing down….
Star athlete Bolt, who is the current champion holder of 100 and 200 metres, has recovered from various injuries since his double in the 2013 World Championships. Campbell-Brown went to Beijing in 2008, perhaps as the best sprinter in the world and duly ran a personal best to repeat as 200 metre Olympic Champion. Nevertheless, despite being Diamond League winner in the 100 last year, she also suffered from an injury and it’s now debatable because of her age, 33, her great career may soon be over.
When Jamaica blasted Beijing with speed in 2008, Melaine Walker set an Olympic record to win the 400 metre hurdles. In 2009, she won the World Championship. Since then she changed coaches, clubs and events; failing to qualify for her return to China.
That’s the not-so-good news! Here’s the good news….
Fraser Pryce led a historic 1-2-2 finish in the 100 in 2008 and the ‘little speed ball’ looked great at the Jamaican Championships covering the 100 in 10.79 seconds. Her rivals include the fast US pair Tori Bowie and English Gardner, the Ivory Coast standout Muriel Ahoure and Nigeria’s Commonwealth double champion, Blessing Okagbare.
Fraser Pryce’s quick start and ‘big meet focus,’ should put her ahead of the game.
If VCB doesn’t recover top form, new sensation Elaine Thompson may fly the black, green and gold flag in the 200. She easily defeated Beijing veteran Sherone Simpson and VCB in the Jamaican Championships. Both Simpson and Fraser Pryce are coached by maestro Stephen Francis and he claims
Thompson can run 22 seconds flat.
History will draw its own line somewhere in the sands of time to mark the start of the latest golden era in Jamaican athletics.
Perhaps you start with a tearful Veronica Campbell winning gold at the 2004 Olympics. Maybe you go with the 100 metre world record set by Asafa Powell in 2005. Alternately, you could pinpoint Jamaica’s record 10 medal haul at the 2007 World Championships. Any of these milestones would be good choices but, all would be wrong.
The golden era blasted off in 2008, when the Chinese city of Beijing hosted the Olympic Games. Led by Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melanie Walker, Jamaica dominated the sprints and won fans by the score. Bolt took the spotlight with a sprint double, in world record time at 21 years old. It was a truly stupendous performance.
Those who journey to Beijing for the 2015 World Championships won’t be able to escape memories of 2008. Bolt had arrived in China as holder of the 100 metre record Powell had brought to Jamaica in 2005. He breezed through qualifying. In the final, he blasted away from the blocks trailing only Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. Then came an incredible surge and when first place was secured, an open armed gesture of celebration. When he crossed the line, the clock first read – 9 – 6 – 8. Then it settled on a new world record time of 9.69 seconds.
To continue reading , purchase Vol. 8 #1 2015 issue
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The Jamaican team competing in Beijing for the 15th World Athletics Championships from August 22nd-30th, looks similar to the team which steam rolled the 100 and 200 metres at the Bird’s Nest 7 years ago at the Olympics. However, although the usual dream team, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB)are returning to the track where they won their past track successes, things are
shaping up a little different.
The steamroller is showing signs of slowing down….
Star athlete Bolt, who is the current champion holder of 100 and 200 metres, has recovered from various injuries since his double in the 2013 World Championships. Campbell-Brown went to Beijing in 2008, perhaps as the best sprinter in the world and duly ran a personal best to repeat as 200 metre Olympic Champion. Nevertheless, despite being Diamond League winner in the 100 last year, she also suffered from an injury and it’s now debatable because of her age, 33, her great career may soon be over.
When Jamaica blasted Beijing with speed in 2008, Melaine Walker set an Olympic record to win the 400 metre hurdles. In 2009, she won the World Championship. Since then she changed coaches, clubs and events; failing to qualify for her return to China.
That’s the not-so-good news! Here’s the good news….
Fraser Pryce led a historic 1-2-2 finish in the 100 in 2008 and the ‘little speed ball’ looked great at the Jamaican Championships covering the 100 in 10.79 seconds. Her rivals include the fast US pair Tori Bowie and English Gardner, the Ivory Coast standout Muriel Ahoure and Nigeria’s Commonwealth double champion, Blessing Okagbare.
Fraser Pryce’s quick start and ‘big meet focus,’ should put her ahead of the game.
If VCB doesn’t recover top form, new sensation Elaine Thompson may fly the black, green and gold flag in the 200. She easily defeated Beijing veteran Sherone Simpson and VCB in the Jamaican Championships. Both Simpson and Fraser Pryce are coached by maestro Stephen Francis and he claims
Thompson can run 22 seconds flat.
History will draw its own line somewhere in the sands of time to mark the start of the latest golden era in Jamaican athletics.
Perhaps you start with a tearful Veronica Campbell winning gold at the 2004 Olympics. Maybe you go with the 100 metre world record set by Asafa Powell in 2005. Alternately, you could pinpoint Jamaica’s record 10 medal haul at the 2007 World Championships. Any of these milestones would be good choices but, all would be wrong.
The golden era blasted off in 2008, when the Chinese city of Beijing hosted the Olympic Games. Led by Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melanie Walker, Jamaica dominated the sprints and won fans by the score. Bolt took the spotlight with a sprint double, in world record time at 21 years old. It was a truly stupendous performance.
Those who journey to Beijing for the 2015 World Championships won’t be able to escape memories of 2008. Bolt had arrived in China as holder of the 100 metre record Powell had brought to Jamaica in 2005. He breezed through qualifying. In the final, he blasted away from the blocks trailing only Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. Then came an incredible surge and when first place was secured, an open armed gesture of celebration. When he crossed the line, the clock first read – 9 – 6 – 8. Then it settled on a new world record time of 9.69 seconds.
To continue reading , purchase Vol. 8 #1 2015 issue
Share this post: