Jamaica head into the Beijing Olympics with a team boasting a wealth and depth of sprinting ability of which most countries can only dream.
A staggering 41 sprinters are included in the West Indian island’s 52-strong track and field team and it is well placed to enjoy its best-ever medal haul at an Olympic Games.
Jamaican athletes have claimed a total of 44 Olympic medals, with all but one won in athletics, and the large majority of those in the individual and relay sprint events.
In the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Jamaica gleaned two gold medals to match its achievement in the 1948 Helsinki Games, Veronica Campbell-Brown winning the women’s 200m before going to help claim the 4x100m relay crown. There was also a silver and two bronze medals in the haul.
But the outlook seems much better this time around.
The men’s team, now without reserve sprinter Julien Dunkley after he tested positive for banned drug Boldenone, includes current 100m world record holder Usain Bolt and the sprinter whose time he beat for the milestone, Asafa Powell.
Bolt will arrive in the Chinese capital with a sprint double rightfully at the forefront of his thoughts — the 200m is his preferred event and is somewhat lacking the high-octane competition of the shorter sprint.
Also included in the roster are experienced sprinters Michael Frater and Christopher Williams, who will doubtless help give reigning world champions the US a run for their money in the 4x100m relay.
Arguably, however, it is the women’s team which is stronger.
At the Jamaican national trials, where places for the Beijing Games were decided, defending Olympic 200m champion and reigning world 100m title-holder Campbell-Brown could only finish fourth in the 100m.
The trio ahead of her, Kerron Stewart, the little-known Shelly-Ann Fraser and Sherone Simpson, finished at 10.87 seconds or quicker and will all push for podium places if they can maintain similar world-leading times.
“We have four girls running 10.8 seconds,” said Stewart, who will double up after finishing second in the 200m trials behind Campbell-Brown’s season best of 21.94 seconds. “The times speak for themselves.”
And the future looks equally bright, according to Professor Errol Morrison, president of the island’s University of Technology (UTech), who has been carrying out research into what makes Jamaican sprinters tick.
In a study carried out by the University of Glasgow and the University of the West Indies on more than 200 Jamaican athletes, 70 percent were found to possess the Actinen component which vastly improves fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Those rapidly contracting fibers are the ones that enable athletes to sprint fast, and the research on Jamaican athletes contrasts against a 30 percent response for Actinen from a group of Australian athletes.
“The question is always there. What is it, nature or nurture that makes us so good?” Morrison said.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping