Jamaica Sprints Ahead as Usain Bolt Leads

Jamaica, a tiny island nestled in the south Caribbean Sea, holds 9 of the 10 fastest times ever recorded in the 100m sprint! Wow! Despite the island's relatively small size - the population is a little over 2 million, although the popular belief is that another 2 plus million Jamaicans live abroad - and yes you can find Jamaicans in just about every country and may even have Jamaican Eskimos - Jamaica has made its mark on the world, currently boasting the fastest man of all times: Usain Bolt.

The country has always produced good talents and some rotten eggs, and has always endeavored to showcase its greats. You may recall when Trevor Berbic won the Heavyweight Title how quickly he was given a heroes, welcome home. And we remember Mike McCallum who had several victories in the ring. Jamaica was also quick to recognize Colin Powell, who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush, even though Powell was not born in Jamaica - but his parents were and that made him a Jamaican hero. Colin Powell was invited to the island where he met and dined with top level government officials, who recognized and lauded his rise to prominence.

Jamaica has produced famous cricketers in Rowe, Michael Holding and Courtney Walsh and has sent a football team, the Reggae Boys, to the World Cup Championships where they won 1 game, drew 1 and lost the third. The little island has done itself proud and today it celebrates its world-class sprinters in Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. But even as the country honors these two greats, one cannot forget those who blazed the trail before them.

If you race back to 1948 at the London Olympic Games you will find Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley placing first and second respectively in the 400m. Wint went on to win the silver medal in the 800m at that same championship. And then four years later at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Wint joined the historic team that set a world record in the 4 x 400m relay.

When we jump ahead we run into Donald Quarrie, who participated in five Olympics and became the first man to retain the 100m and 200m titles in back to back championships. At age 19 Donald Quarrie won both the 100m and 200m sprints at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Quarrie repeated his outstanding feat at the following Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in 1974.

Quarrie's accomplishments on and off the track inspired many aspiring athletes, such as Merlene Ottey. Despite being dubbed the Bronze Queen due to her many third place finishes, Merlene Ottey holds a collection of great accomplishments: she ranks in the top ten all time athletes in the 100m and 200m; she has 57 consecutive wins in the 100m, the most for a female; and at the 1995 World Champions, she won gold in the 200m and became the oldest ever female medalist at 35. Merlene Ottey and many others have paved the way for two of the world's fastest men who happen to be Jamaican, Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt.

Asafa Powell dominated the 100m in the years leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Despite being plagued by injuries and the criticism of many that he does not possess what it takes to perform on the big stage, Powell has held his own. He finished 5th in the 100m at the Olympics, later anchored the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to a new world record. Powell's leg was an amazing 8.70s.

Asafa Powell left the 2008 Beijing Games and quickly recorded 7 consecutive 100m races under 9.90s. When he joined fellow teammate Usain Powell and the US sprint star, Tyson Gay, in the 2009 World Championship Games in Berlin, Powell was dubbed "one of the 3 fastest men in the world." Asafa seems to have had his time and now shares the world stage with the fastest sprinter the world has ever seen, Usain Bolt.

Just before the 2008 Beijing Games, Usain Bolt surprised many experts by beating Powell's best time in the 100m. Bolt then marched into Beijing, China and into the record books. He decimated 2 world records in the 100m and 200m, 9.69s and 19.30s respectively. Many agree that if Bolt had not slowed down to beat his chest, he could have easily run the 100m under 9.6s. Well, the world did not have to wait long.

In the Berlin 2009 World Championship Games, Usain Bolt did it again. He wiped out his own records in the 100m and 200m sprints, clocking 9.58s and 19.19s respectively. What a phenomenon! Can Bolt be stopped?

The world waits in great anticipation to see the accomplishments of Usain Bolt. Jamaica beams with pride and great admiration as it watches it flags flown high around the world.

Jamaica sprints ahead and Usain Bolt leads the way.

Source:

www.wikipedia.com