It Got Me Thinking

The horror of the Newtown tragedy got me thinking. Not about guns or gun control so much, but about mental illness. The citizens of the USA are guaranteed the right to bear arms by nothing less than the Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution way back in 1791. The debate always flares up after some unspeakable horror such as the killing of twenty (20) six and seven year olds, and six (6) adults. To be clear, as a Jamaican I have no such constitutionally guaranteed right so the debate often leaves me mostly, ambivalent. I do however care deeply about the issue of mental health and I am very clear in my mind that guns and mental illness are a dangerous and often lethal pairing.

A few years ago, my bi-polar cousin came to visit me at my office. He had been on the streets again so was filthy and stink. The guards refused to let him into the building. He got agitated and threatened to return to kill me, so for weeks I was surrounded by security at home in addition to the usual arrangements at work. I didn't know at the time that it was my beloved cousin, until he came back to visit. This time he was cogent, so the guards told me I had a visitor and I went outside to see him. He appeared to have been back on his medication because he was reasonably clean and back to his usual jovial self. His mission was the same as usual, asking for money to do something, but he was also working and seemed to be coping.



Robyn Beck/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The Face of Mental Illness
Jesse Jackson Jr (bipolar disorder)



He also struggled with drug addiction so whenever he asked for money, I always insisted on paying the bill directly; school fees, light bill and once I even gave him my bicycle when he asked for money to buy one.
I loved him a lot, he was smart and funny. He was also graduate of Kingston College and perhaps his life would have been different had he decided to go to college or get a trade. He joined a well known group but soon grew disillusioned with broom sales and the group’s philosophy. Who knows? For sure he was destined to struggle with his mental illness for the rest of his life. He was killed by a stray police bullet on his way home one evening in his neighborhood in Vineyard Town. He died tragically but lived a sad and tortured life too.



The Face of Mental Illness
Jared Lee Lougher
who shot Gabby Giffords
(Schzophrenia)



His mom died recently, she was my youngest aunt but we grew up as though she was my oldest sister. She too lived a very difficult life due to struggles with paranoid schizophrenia. She was a prolific letter writer, but after some time, I had stopped opening her letters, let alone reading them. They were rife with suspicions, conspiracies and things seen that only someone of unsound mind could articulate. She eventually succumbed to cancer but after being in and out of mental health facilities, on and off medications, in and out of love with the family everyone quietly agrees that she's now at peace.

I still recall as a child seeing my uncle, hanging from the breadfruit tree in the front yard early one morning. He too was mentally ill it turned out, but had gone undiagnosed and the impact was devastating. We all agree that our grandmother never really got over and died of a broken heart.



The Face of Mental Illness
Patrick Joseph Kennedy II
son of Edward Kennedy
(bipolar disorder)

If it appears that there's much mental illness in my family, it's relative. My mother's side is large so three (3) is statistically insignificant but socially and emotionally highly impactful. For certain my awareness of mental illness and attitude towards it is much different to that of someone who has never seen it up close and personal. Don't be so sure that you haven't seen it though, you may be staring at in the mirror and not know.

How many of us include our mental health in our annual (if we do one) medical check up? How many of us, with health insurance, refuse to use the insurance to pay for mental health services? How many mental health professionals refuse to accept health insurance so add one more layer to the stigma associated with even the most benign forms of mental health concerns? How many of us harbour deep suspicions that if our employer finds out that we've sought help, we may lose our job? How many of us suffer in silence, burdened by the fear of being labeled mad, and our every word and deed questioned or doubted? How many of us self-diagnose or play doctor and write off antisocial behavior as teenaged angst, or worse “ah so him stay”?

I can’t imagine the feeling of loss and despair being experienced by those who are suffering through the tragedy that is the shooting that took place at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. My heart aches for them, because one never knows, one just never knows. I can say that, for myself, my life was changed when I sought and accepted mental health help as the victim of a horrible crime many years ago. I hope that those who are left behind seek and accept help, now, not tomorrow or next week or next year. Now! The journey will get easier with time, but it will take time.

Back to School - Tight Pants & Short Skirts

The start of the new school year has ushered in another loud and boisterous, for and against, discussion/argument about uniformity conformity; tight pants and short skirts. The Twitter sphere was abuzz with positions on every side of the issue. Here are just a two, in response to Dionne Jackson-Miller's tweeted question this past Thursday.

 

@djmillerJA 9/6/12 6:07 PM Hot topic; do you support schls sending home students for irregular uniforms - tight pants and short skirts - or are they going too far?

@AOneGong 9/6/12 6:21 PM @djmillerJA Tight/baggy pants &short skirts aren't even appropriate for work. Leave casual styles for casual occasions. School is not 1such
 @Chatimout 9/6/12 6:26 PM @AOneGong I suppose that's what I hate about uniforms. Kids aren't 'uniform' in their interests/personalities. Let them be individuals!



St. Hilda’s high school
girls circa 1973

In her article titled, A Week of Mixed Fortunes - Barbara Gloudon wrote in her usual style, "At another school gate, Yute-Man's sister's short skirt was not being made welcome. Her mother expressed the view that it was grudgeful the teacher grudgeful why she was sending home Tanisha-Alisha-Beyoncé-Rihanna. Just because her puffy bloomers were showing, ah nuh nutten." I must admit I laughed out loud at the vision of Tanisha-Alisha-Beyoncé-Rihanna and her mother, taking on the authorities, for as they say; mi tek bad tings mek joke.

 




PJ Patterson (left) and Michael Manley
arriving at Parliament in this
April 7, 1970
Gleaner photograph. – File

Across the way, the newly installed principal of Kingston College, Mr. Dave Myrie; who many know as the force behind the turnaround of Wolmer's Boys' School, was also firm on the issue.  He expressed that it was a matter of discipline and order and as the Gleaner reported on Saturday, September 8th; Mr. Myrie explained that, "it was about more than attire."

www.usainbolt.com image Usain Bolt in
formalwear very similar to that
worn in the 1970s.

The Gleaner in an editorial piece on Sunday, September 9th, opined - "The wearing of uniforms is associated with values such as social order and discipline. Students who are now refusing to conform to their school's dress code are giving a pretty good indication of the kind of citizens they are likely to become." I must declare that I do not agree with the second sentence; correlation and causation are not one and the same. The fact that I stopped eating pork in my twenties did not make me a Seventh Day Adventist or a Rastafarian later in life or, as implied by the statement; condemn me to a life of substandard citizenship.

 

I too share the view that it is about more than attire. It is about many things, of which attire is one obvious element. At its core, this age-old issue is about reducing the number of variables which may detract from the central objective of education. With the help of Google, I was pleasantly surprised and informed by the wealth of research papers and essays on the subject. More importantly, this issue is not unique to Jamaica nor is it new. Quite frankly, the nature of youth is that, regardless of the rule, some will pursue interpretations which the authorities will regard as inconsistent with the rule’s spirit and intent.



Google image of
Jamaican policemen

Uniforms are worn in a variety of circumstances for many reasons which include identity, tradition and even safety. Groups that must be uniformed in their attire or at least adhere to a prescribed dress code include; nurses, police and fire personnel, attorneys (yes them too, those bands/collarettes are required in open court), pilots and flight attendants, chefs, sports teams, laboratory workers (yes a lab coat counts), you get the picture. In some cases how you wear the uniform is as important as what you wear and how you are groomed forms part of the dress code.

Google image of
Jamaican attorneys
wearing bands/collarettes

 



I would guess that for most of us, school is the first place we really learn that not all rules are negotiable. As a teenager in high school, I can safely say that short uniforms were an issue then as they are now even though we were told where the hem should be above the knee. Hair was another issue; I had to choose between "cream hair" and a short Afro because locks-like plaits were not allowed. I was still called to the principal’s office to abide a lecture on being

 difficult because my afro was unusually short. Looking back at pictures of my older sister as a fifth former in the same school, I realise that the hem would be regarded as too high above the knees, by today's standards, although everyone wore them just as short precisely because short was in. The uniformity of the "short" meant that no one really stuck out.

Ricardo Makyn/Staff
Photographer Women's 4x400
Olympics 2012



The current reincarnation of the issue is about being able to draw a line in the sand, for to do so would be to explicitly state, what constitutes too tight; for young men. We would have to clearly state for example that, if your genitals are unusually obvious beneath your pants, then your pants are too tight. Oops, but that would mean as someone colourfully explained to me, “a bag a man a look pon di bwoy dem crotches”, and you know what that means. The majority of teachers are women so, women judging the visibility other women's lady parts is far less threatening or offensive to the wider society. Telling boys exactly what tight means, well that's another matter altogether.

 

Listen, I like school uniforms they make life easier and cheaper too. They remove one distraction from the typical adolescent with enough to challenge short attention spans. I believe that there must be minimum standards which parents must also support (or at least not decry) and help to enforce, for it is indeed about order and discipline. The same order and discipline which makes me insist on clean shoes, a regular haircut and doing homework every day.

 

Men’s Warehouse image

I have no prescription for policing beyond parents getting on board with the rules and schools doing what they must to maintain law and order. For me and mine, I choose to enforce the dress code so that neither teachers nor the principal will have to. Time brings change, let's face it not so long ago cricketers only white.

We Had a Talk

And we'll have many more before long. My twelve year old goes off to high school on September 3, 2012 and life as we know it will inevitably change. One thing that cannot change from my end is the free flow of information, even if it seems to fall on deaf ears. So we had a talk today; about condoms specifically.

Talking to him about sex has been a rolling process, releasing age appropriate details at every stage, building on a foundation of respect for self and responsible behaviour. This was an important installment as we approach the teen years. Although we spoke about waiting and marriage, I'm pragmatic, my parents didn't know about my first time and chances are, I won't know about his. As a mother talking to your son about sex, it may seem more challenging than it needs to be. In the end for me, biology is an important baseline.

We started the talk at home and began the demonstration in our pharmacy, where he asked for the condom himself. It is important to me that he knows that buying condoms is a simple exercise. If you're a prude or very religious in your outlook, you may not approve of my approach; but I don't need your approval so no harm done. Everything up to this point has been much within my control, so I'll use what leverage I still have to drive my message home. At this point it's a simple but critical message - don't ever feel afraid or ashamed to protect yourself; buying condoms should be easy and painless.

To be clear the discussion up to and including now has been about the body as a temple. Temple being a metaphor for respect, reverence, love, pride, cherish, special, wonderful, relationship and personal responsibility. It has included the meaning and significance of "no", in a sexual context. A girl's no means just that; not maybe, not perhaps, not I'm just kidding, just no.  For him, saying no may not be as easy, the male ego is a strange beast, but hopefully the idea that he too can say, no, will stick. 

So we drove home listening to "Watch the Throne", with him giving me side glances when the language was harsh, and me skipping to the songs with fewer swear words. No we don't always listen to "parental advice" music but I won't pretend he doesn't hear them so sometimes I indulge him. He's learned to skillfully navigate the F word because I'm clear that it's not worth getting into trouble over. At home he started the demo with “pinch, leave an inch" and I explained what the inch is for. He opened the packet, removed one of the two condoms and he practiced on three fingers before going to the bathroom to try on the condom. He emerged from the bathroom and advised that it didn't fit because his penis wasn't erect. I replied, “yes, I know” and reminded him that if it doesn't fit he's not ready to have sex. He wondered if it'll ever fit and I assured him that, in time, it will fit just right. 

He asked me why he will need to wear one and I gave him only two reasons; to protect himself and his partner from disease and to prevent pregnancy. He asked, “so what if she wants to get pregnant”, I advised him that the decision to be a father is his to make as well and if she can't wait, she should find someone else to be with. He asked when to put it on and I told him before and that he is always responsible for his own protection. I entertained and answered all his questions, some totally (or apparently) unrelated. I advised him how to dispose of a used condom, and then he washed his hands and asked if dinner was ready.

This was one of those milestone moments and it wasn't easy. It was an acknowledgment that my baby is not a baby anymore and how quickly it all happens. He first asked me what a condom is when he was seven years old and the answer then did not include the details of how to use one or what one looked like. Today was different; today I had to see a man in the making and hope, that when the time comes, his values will guide him.

 

Yes, today we had a talk and, we'll have it many more times before long because this, like everything else so far, is worth repeating.

Olympics 2012 - Letter to a Son

Dearest Usain,

I'm writing to you as a mother would, with the pride and love that comes with seeing you succeed at the thing you are best at and, passionate about. I know it has been incredibly hard work but you are blessed with an amazing gift and we are so proud of how you have taken the nation, indeed the entire world with you on this journey of a lifetime. So here are a few words of advice from a fan and, over the subsequent paragraphs I ask that you imagine me as your mom.

Picture by Ricardo Makyn - Gleaner Staff Photographer

Take care of your health, both physical and emotional; you will not always be young. So when the roar of the crowds subside and father time has has taken your speed you will need to remain, a strong and healthy man. Your history is already written and for many generations to come you will be the subject of discussions, writings and even scientific studies. Do not take your health for granted for old age can be cruel to those who failed to do the right things in their youths.

Manage your money so that you will be able to enjoy the life to which you have grown accustomed and when you make a family of your own, they too will be financially secure. Be mindful that many very wealthy persons have tasted bankruptcy because they were neither prudent nor wise with their money. Always give some away for all the right reasons, there is no shame in generosity but not every cause should be yours to support. Sometimes you'll just have to say no - don't feel guilty.

If you have not already done so, accept with humility that, you are not an ordinary citizen and be cautious with your words and actions. You cannot control what others say or write about you, but you must be certain of your own utterances. Mistakes will be made, our humanity guarantees this. You see, your reputation is as much about you as it is about who people think and say you are; much of which is beyond your control. Your character however is yours to guard and protect, never delegate that job.

Know for certain, that someone in whom you place much trust may disappoint you and it will hurt. Ask Jesus, for as you know, he was both betrayed and nailed to a cross. Do not contain your trust however, but accept that it is never enough and be sure to reinforce it with the the necessary mechanisms for the protection of that which is most important to you. When your trust is breached, be generous with your forgiveness for the burden of other people's evils is not yours to carry.

Never allow your schedule to exclude your parents; if you are too busy to spend time with them, check yourself. Carve out that time and make it non-negotiable. Never allow them to feel as if you no longer need them, even if you think or know you don't. Ask for their advice every now and then and take it sometimes for, as you're probably already noticing, there's really nothing new under the sun. That includes all this advice. Always make time for the youth; many see you as the only real evidence that they can make it. They can be somebody, they can go far.

Remain wide eyed and open minded, that's how you learn and there will be lots of lessons for you. You have travelled the world but much of it has been viewed through the prism of stadia. Your love of people and places is evident so stay alert because as the 1998 Aerosmith song goes you "don't want to miss a thing".  Soak it up, have fun, even take a few risks, but recognise when it's time to move on and go with grace when that time comes.

My son, I know this will take somewhat more than 9.63 seconds of your precious time but take your time. Read a paragraph at a time and know that I believe in you and all you are capable of. The world is your oyster right now but, in time, it will be someone else's. Be sure to carve out that place in it that does not require the roar of the crowd and the adoration of the fans for its sustenance.

You are blessed, you are loved, you are human, and the 'Earth loves you'. Love yourself, respect yourself, and keep your faith. Oh, and one more thing; when this is all over go back to school and finish your education. Do something interesting and fun, not because you have to, but just because you can.

With much love,

One of the many other Moms.

Jamaican Track & Field - How to Silence The Nay-Sayers

In the weeks leading up to the London Olympics the idle chatter from former athletes like Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene has grown louder. For Lewis' part he has not bothered to hide his contempt for Usain Bolt with his tacit suggestions of drug use. Having had is own brush with a doping scandal in the mid 1980s one would have thought Lewis would be less accusing as he had to fight to have his name cleared.

That said however I would like to suggest a programme for Lewis, Greene and others like them who want to understand Jamaica's sprint success for it didn't start with Bolt, Ottey or even Quarry. The failure to understand and appreciate the extent of track and field as a part of our system of education makes it near impossible to understand the outcomes that you see.

Let's therefore invite  Carl Lewis, Maurice Green et al to Jamaica a year leading up to both JISA Prep & Boys & Girls Champs. 

1.  Do some background work, start with Hubert Lawrence' 'CHAMPS' 100 A Century of Jamaican High School Athletics 1910-2010.

2.  Attend sports day for at least 10 of the participating schools, most school's mark the start of the track season this way. 

3. Spend some time with these 10 schools during training to observe both athletes and their coaches as they prepare.

4. Once the season has started, attend all the development meets, from morning to evening. Be a volunteer for at least one of those schools to get a sense of all that goes into organizing the students.

5. Observe at least 10 student athletes preparing for GSAT, CSEC or CAPE examinations, and speak with their parents/guardians to understand the support system at work and how they balance their time.

6. Speak with executives of at least two of the major sponsors of these championships and be sure to ask why they continue to sponsor.

7. Spend at least a few hours with Glen Mills, Steven Francis and a member of the executive of JISA & JAAA to understand why more athletes stay in Jamaican and the role of the associations in the development of track and field.

8. Attend all days of both championships, it is essential that you keenly observe of the 8-12 year olds at Prep Champs and compare them with the high school students to understand attitude, mindset and context.

9. Spend time days after the championships with the top three schools from each level and be sure to speak to students who were not on the team.

10. Arrange a round table with all former Olympians Donald Quarry, Grace Jackson, Deon Hemmings, Juliet Cuthbert, link Merlene Ottey via Skype or FaceTime, Bertland Cameron, Maurice Wignall and any other who is not actively competing. Have them explain the evolution of Jamaica's track and field outcomes over time.

Now, if after you have done all this, you don't get it, repeat the exercise with the Primary and Secondary Schools. Beyond that, there's nothing more to offer, for if you remain unconvinced don't waste our time any further. You see, as Mike Wise of the Washington Post  (http://wapo.st/QyWtob), so aptly wrote, "Usain Bolt deserves awe, not suspicions".

Olympics 2012 – History in the 100 metres Sprints

In a year when, for the first time, the Olympic Games saw female athletes from every participating country; the results of the women's 100 metres was particularly sweet for Jamaica. And as if to repeat Helen Reddy's refrain, "I am woman hear me roar, in numbers too big to ignore", Malaysian shooter Nur Suryani Mohamad Taibi competed eight months pregnant.

The women's 100 metres was, by any reasonable measure, historic. Let's start with the winner, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; not only did she become the first Jamaican woman to win a 100 metres in Beijing, she is only the third woman to repeat the feat and with improved time. Our bronze medalist, Veronica Campbell-Brown with a 10.81 seconds season's best ran 0.16 seconds faster than she did in the Athens Olympics to win that bronze medal. By the way, she's eight years older and this was the fastest 3rd place finish ever.



Picture by Ricardo Makyn - Gleaner Staff Photographer

So what else made this race historic? Six of the eight finalists ran sub-11 seconds.  The London final gave us the fastest times ever in 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th places. Carmelita Jeter's 10.78 seconds would have won gold in every prior year of female Olympic 100 metres, including 2008.  VCB's 3rd place time would have won her a gold medal in every prior Olympic 100 metres meeting except 2008 or a medal in all. 

 

The men's 100 metres in London produced both incredible history and heart rending drama for Jamaica. It was for starters, overall the fastest 100 metres ever. Not since Americans Archie Hahn (1904 and 1906) and Carl Lewis (1984 and 1988) has any man repeated a gold medal run in the Olympic final of this short sprint. Indeed we can proudly declare that it is the first time in this century, it was done outright. Recall that Lewis' 9.92 seconds (upgraded) gold medal in 1988 came as a result of Ben Johnson's disqualification for doping offense and no record was broken. It is also the first time it is being done by someone who is not an American.



Picture from The Gleaner

Let's face it though, our own Usain Bolt doesn't merely win big championship races, he has this little habit of setting records along the way; this time lowering his own Olympic record to 9.63 seconds. As if to make it beyond clear that ownership should never be in question. It is on record that I wasn't prepared to "bet good money" on Bolt taking the 100 metres, but that was on July 3^rd. At the beginning of his heat in London, all doubts vanished as though waved away by a magician’s wand. I saw his face, the fun was back and I saw no signs of the worried and pained look I saw on his face in July at the National Stadium.

 

Yohan Blake, in his first Olympic appearance ran his best, his very best for his well deserved silver medal; we know it because he did it at the national trials to beat Usain. Can't ask for more than your best at 9.75 seconds, for you see, this would have won gold and the record in every year of the Olympic Games since 1896; except those won by Usain Bolt.

Picture from The Gleaner

Our collective Jamaican heart ached as we watched Asafa fall out of the race in agony from his persistent and aggravated groin injury. We'll never know but his chances were as good as any, and better than most of the other men who jostled behind Bolt for a podium spot. Don't forget that Tyson Gay too, who ran a season's best of 9.80 seconds for 4th place, has never won an Olympic medal; both men to this day remain two of the fastest in the history of recorded 100 metres results.



Like the women, the men produced a historic race with the fastest recorded times by 3rd, 4th and 5th place finishers; all from the USA with 4th and 5th having to run season's or personal bests just to place. Not entirely unfamiliar really, when losing to Usain Bolt. In Berlin, Tyson Gay set a national record to take 2nd and Asafa Powell ran a season's best for 3rd as did the 5th, 6th and 7th place finishers.

The history doesn't stop there though, if you exclude Asafa who was injured down the track, every man in that race ran sub-10 seconds. Think about it, just think about it and the one man who didn't has done in at least 78 times; more than any other. In fact, Beijing’s silver and bronze medalists would have placed 6th and 7th in this race, and one of them; Richard Thompson did.

The high tides that are Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce raised all ships in the 100 metres harbour. Every milestone deserves to be marked, and what a way to punctuate 50 years of our nation's independence.

I remain a very proud and hopeful Jamaican.

Drug Cheats

After seeing today's article in the Gleaner, "US Sprinter Dunn Out Of Olympics After Doping Test" http://bit.ly/Mu9cCN, I was reminded of a piece I wrote last year and posted to another blog. I've decided to re-post to my blog with the approach of the London Olympics. My sentiments are no less strident and I expect Dunn will not be the only (alleged) drug cheat unearthed before long. Since then Mullings has been slapped with a lifetime ban from athletics.

___________________________________________________________________

Doping in Athletics

August 14, 2011

When athletes take banned performance enhancing substances, they cheat. They cheat those athletes who work hard and endure the tough and, sometimes painful journey. They cheat the families of those who rely on good old fashioned blood, sweat and tears to find success. They cheat communities of the pride and joy of seeing their sons and daughters compete among the very best. They cheat nations of the positive representation on the world stage. They cheat themselves.

In the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, the world watched in awe as one Marion Jones won the women's 100 metres sprint, with a most convincing lead. Jamaica was represented by the pair of Merlene Ottey and young Tayna Lawrence. As it turned out both Jones and the silver medalist Ekaterini "Katerina" Thanou of Greece, were stripped of their medals for doping offenses; which later landed Jones in jail. 

Sure, Tayna and Merlene later had their medals "upgraded" to silver and bronze respectively, a decision that came nine years after the event. Those two cheats not only robbed Tayna Lawrence and Merlene Ottey of their well earned medals at the time; they robbed our athletes of the grand honour of standing on the podium. They robbed Tayna Lawrence of her place in history as the gold medal, which she should have won, was not awarded to anyone in that “upgrade”. She would, at the time, have been the first Jamaican woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres sprint; a distinction that later went to Shelly-Ann Fraser. They robbed Jamaica of the joy of victory that we all proudly share when our very best are on show for the entire world to see and the emotional charge of hearing our national anthem played.

For his sake I hope Mr. Mullings' name is cleared very quickly. Observers and enthusiasts are less generous in extending the benefit of the doubt the second time around, and will wonder if he’s stupid or just barefaced having already served a two-year ban for doping. He knows firsthand that Jamaica has no shortage of qualified, disciplined and clean replacements. Yes, when athletes take banned performance enhancing substances, they cheat themselves and everyone else who cares about their sport.

Olympics 2012 - Jamaica's Sprint Prospects Part 2

In my last blogpost I shared my thoughts on our prospects in London and would like to return to the subject now that we have the results from the National Championships.

 

My observation that Usain Bolt "will have no room for antics before the finish line", was demonstrated in the 100 metres final in which Yohan Blake stole the lead from Asafa Powell and refused to be caught by Bolt. Of Bolt, who returned a 9.86 seconds finish, behind Blake's personal best and stadium record of 9.75 seconds, Glen Mills said "(Bolt) is not 100 per cent but he is good enough to compete". I trust Glen Mills, he knows his athletes and I believe him when he says that "we have four weeks and we'll take it in stride. Everything will fall into place and we know what to do." Since those assurances from Mills were published in the Sunday Gleaner, Yohan Blake again claimed victory, this time in Bolt's pet event, the 200 metres. The next time we see them will be in London, and for me, Bolt is still the man to beat in the 200 metres, but I wouldn't bet good money on him winning then 100 metres.  With only a month or so to go, I am guessing that Mills will have to focus Usain on one good race; the 200 metres.

In the meanwhile the stakes have been inched up a few notches and, perhaps for the first time since Beijing 2008, we can imagine another Jamaican man, besides Bolt, winning Olympic gold; how blessed are we. Will Asafa be healthy enough to aggressively compete? Only time will tell, but Gatlin isn't losing sleep over it and Gay is too focused on his own ground game to care.  Both Nesta Carter and Lerone Clarke are predictably outside of the threesome for the individual events, but what a step up by Michael Frater. Keep this little nugget in mind though; all eight finalists in the 100 metres sprint ran times faster than the Olympic qualifying A standard with +1.1 m/sec wind. Now compare that to the Americans with six and +1.8 m/sec wind speed.

In the women's 100 metres, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce did not surprise me with her win but did delight us with a big 10.70 seconds. Veronica Campbell-Brown performed as expected in this short sprint and Kerron Stewart undid my prediction; a very welcome and pleasant outcome as she dragged Sherone Simpson with her into a possible relay spot. How fortuitous that our 4x100 metres women's relay team will be given as second chance to make a first impression. I still believe that our medal prospects in this short sprint will be no more than two from Pocket Rocket Fraser-Pryce and VCB, with Jeter as the persistent interloper. Admittedly, after seeing Shelly-Ann's 100 metres run I could see her taking the 200 metres, and she did in fine style. VCB has a big heart and is more determined than the rest to cop the gold, but realism tells me that both Shelly-Ann and Allyson Felix will challenge that dream in a big way. I am not discounting Sherone Simpson's amazing run on Sunday; it was a sight for sore eyes, but I am not prepared to assign coloured medals at this point.

There were other notable performances that got lost in the wake of the short sprint outcomes. Our 800 metres, men and women, failed to meet the qualifying B standards, I had hoped for a better time from Kenia Sinclair. Melaine Walker and Kaleise Spencer predictably booked their places, Nickiesha Wilson met the A standard for the third spot and Ristananna will continue to grow. Novlene Williams-Mills delivered, Rosemarie Whyte came through, but Shericka Williams was edged out by Christine Day. All four women ran faster times than the A standard which holds grand promise for the women's 4x400 metres relay.

Dwight Thomas failed to make the top three under the weight of a bold and smart run from Hansle Parchment and Brigitte Foster-Hylton won with a healthy +1.3 seconds/metre breeze. Note that five of eight female hurdlers met the A standard and the others met the B standard. A fact, which bodes very well for our women’s 100 metres hurdles pipeline.  A quick glance at the times from Oslo just a few weeks ago shows five of eight female hurdlers returning times faster than Brigitte's at a +0.7 wind speed so she will need to at least repeat her 12.51 seconds season’s best to be in medal contention.

I maintain that the men's 400 metres needs work, for while Dane Hyatt returned a healthy 44.83 seconds, Jermaine Gonzales could only manage third place. The good news is perhaps that we are seeing the makings of a good, not great, but good 4x400 metres relay team as the top four finishers cleared the A standard of 45.30 seconds. The men's 400 metres hurdles saw Leford Green take the top spot and make the A standard with a 48.88 seconds run. The next three hurdlers, which included the irascible Danny McFarlane who ran fourth, mustered the B standard. I would have been pleasantly surprised if Isa Phillips were among the top three, but let's not kid ourselves though any hope of a medal hinges on a time closer to very low or sub-48.00 seconds.

As for the Championships, I enjoyed the three days I went and, like many other Jamaican's this is as close as I'll get to London. I am impatient for the start of the games but tempered in my expectations. I am proud of all our athletes and inspired by their commitment to their craft. Now, go forth and represent.

Olympics 2012 - Jamaica's Sprint Prospects

My future Olympian

Anyone who is paying attention will conclude that Jamaica's medal prospects this year are not nearly as good as they were in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  In fact, I can safely say we are hanging our hopes on a few good men and a handful of super-women. My opinions have been formed based on events to date, and I am open to changes after the national trials. I don’t like surprises and dark-horses but they go with the territory. I am a life-long fan of track and field and hope to see my son; who has just completed the Prep School season, in the talent pool of Jamaican athletes in the future.

So then, unless he falters with a false start, the world expects Usain Bolt to win the sprint double; a record or two would be icing on the cake. The field for the men's 100 metres remains crowded, though and Asafa Powell is as anxious for that gold as Yohan Blake is greedy. The race in Olso on June 7th, was the clearest evidence I've seen that Bolt will have no room for antics before the finish line. Without a doubt, that was the best race I have seen 'Safa run, even compared to those he has won. He competed from start to finish; Bolt will therefore have to compete with Asafa and the rest of the field this time around and not just with the clock.



Bolt & Powell at the UTECH Classics 2012



Tyson Gay sees no other competitor but Bolt, and Justin Gatlin is desperate to erase his sordid past. Oh, and let's not forget Nesta Carter and Lerone Clarke who, if either makes it past the National Trials would like to prove their big-stage-individual-events sprint bona fides. Beyond the Jamaicans and the Americans, the Frenchman Christophe Lamaitre, my favourite spoiler, will not be ignored. The fierceness of the competition notwithstanding, I can now see at least two Jamaicans on the podium for the men’s 100 metres, and I am willing Asafa to get nothing less than a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Yohan Blake at the Gibson Relays 2012



For the men's 200 metres sprint, I am slightly less bullish but see gold and (a possible) silver for Bolt and Blake respectively. I’ll stick my neck out to say that Walter Dix cannot beat Yohan Blake on the stretch to the finish but Blake will have to overcome the affable and experienced Wallace Spearmon. Gatlin will want to assert himself but will have to tussle with Dix for fourth or fifth. I can only hope our Nickel Ashmeade improves on his New York 19.94 seconds to keep the Dutchman Churandy Martina at bay as the bronze medal is anyone’s hunk of metal. Marvin Anderson has a tough road among this lot for although his SB of 20.21 seconds in New York on June 9^th was encouraging I do not expect the top three to run over 20.00 seconds on the day.

 

VCB



Shelly-Ann

We may not be so fortunate with the Jamaican women in the sprint double as we are likely to be with the men. Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce hold our best prospects for a medal of any colour in the sprint double. Jamaica's 100 metres medal sweep in the 2008 Beijing Olympics will not be repeated; neither Kerron Stewart nor Sherone Simpson has shown form worthy of the medal podium to this point. We have seen neither hide nor hair of Jura Levy and although Schillonie Calvert is in a form which may well earn her a spot on the national team, the 11.25 secs for the 100 metres produced in Oslo is unlikely to take her very far into the rounds. There’s Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast showing very competitive form and Carmelita Jeter has never been more hungry or determined. I predict VCB, Fraser-Pryce and Schillonie Calvert to be the ones to get through the national trials. I'm rooting for Sheri-Ann Brooks but alas, the bus may be full for the individual events and 11.44 seconds for the 100 metres will need sharpening. Let’s not kid ourselves though, Allyson Felix is on fire and is unrelenting for gold in the 200 metres, whilst showing surprisingly good form in the 100 metres.

Gonzales

Our prospects in the men's 400 metres are no better than they were four years ago and although I hold a special place in my heart for Jermaine Gonzales, Lashawn Merritt remains formidable along with his fiercely competitive countryman Jeremy Wariner. Just as we're getting used to the young Grenadian Kirani James, here comes another teenager, Luguelín Santos of the Dominican Republic with a season's best of 44.45 seconds. Gonzales will need to drop his 45.53 seconds season’s best in New York on June 9^th by a second or more and draw a useful lane in the finals in London to earn a spot on the podium.



Novlene



Our pool of 400 metres women remains shallow, with Novlene Williams-Mills as the standard bearer. Patricia Hall seems to be improving well and Rosemarie Whyte is, well running but the “Jamerican” Sanya Richards-Ross and Amantle Montsho of Botswana are Novlene's strongest competitors. If Williams-Mills holds her form and runs a smart race, she has a good shot at a medal but she doesn't have the luxury of underestimating any competitor; especially not Francena McCorory of the US who could well elbow her way into the top three. This may be Christie Ohuruogu’s last hurrah for Great Britain and she must not be discounted; she has nothing to lose and will find a herculean effort.



Kaliese

Melaine

The women’s 400 metres hurdles will be a scorcher and I fully expect two medals from Melaine Walker; my personal favourite, and Kaliese Spencer. Admittedly, Walker’s less than impressive 56.26 seconds was as disappointing as Spencer’s 54.39 seconds, was gratifying; both in Rome. Lashinda Demus of the US is all grit at this point but will have to drop that 54.80 seconds SB ran in Rome to cop the top spot. T’Erea Brown also from the US produced a 54.85 seconds meet record in New York ahead of Spencer, but will need to drop below 54.60 seconds to contend on a good day in London. I can see Ristananna Tracey adding value and I expect her to make the finals. If she remains healthy and fit, with time and experience, she will be called upon to carry the torch in 2016. Nickiesha Wilson has work to do to improve her 56.29 seconds SB as I fully expect the medalists to deliver times closer to 54.00 seconds on the day.

I have no grand expectations for the men’s 400 metres hurdles, this pipeline needs urgent replenishment. Isa Phillips has produced a personal best so far of 50.59 seconds but I anticipate that the London final will see at least the top five finishers at sub-50.00 seconds. The lanky Puerto Rican, Javier Culson will not allow either, Bershawn Jackson or Angelo Taylor of the US, to steal his thunder. The crop thins out at the 800 metres mark so it's all hope and pray from here.  Not sure what the circumstances are with Kenia Sinclair but I miss her tenacity. 

A medal in the men’s 110 metres hurdles is highly unlikely, although when you jump over obstacles the risk of error increases exponentially. Dwight Thomas has to compete with Liu Xiang of China and the American duo David Oliver and Jason Richardson. The young Cuban Orlando Ortega seems set to be a spoiler while his countryman, Dayron Robles, recovers from a leg inflammation which kept him out of the NY leg of the Diamond League on June 9, 2012. Thomas’ SB of 13.36 seconds if it was repeated, would have put him in 4^th at that ill-fated New York race; a race that did not include either Robles or Xiang. He will need to find the 13.15 seconds he ran in Oslo last June to contend. Xiang sounded the warning and produced 12.97 seconds before his home crowd in Shanghai.

I for one am extremely pleased with Brigitte Foster-Hylton's performance/recovery post-surgery, which has so far exceeded my expectations. I'm a pragmatist though and the petite Australian Sally Pearson is still the thorn in every female 100 metres hurdler's flesh.  Brigitte will need to deliver a coup de grâce on the day; Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, Dawn Harper and Lolo Jones remain just as convinced of their title to a medal.

Let’s be clear, baton dropping, running out of boxes/lanes and even false starts are the great equalizers so we can ignore those risks as qualifiers for any given team. That said, we can expect magic in the relays, as we will go through the full range of human emotions; that’s what relays evoke. Without Powell, our men produced a record breaking 37.04 seconds, 4x100 metres run in Daegu last year. With or without him a sub- 37.00 seconds run is entirely possible. Our women are capable of delivering medal but the USA’s talent pool is deep and wide so a gold is ambitiously doable. Our women’s 4x400 metres medal hopes are vastly more realistic than that our men’s; indeed I expect at least a silver for our women.

The Olympic Games are sure to deliver manic responses and for all Jamaicans, everywhere, the London games; like all others before will be a deep and richly pride filled time. I fully expect to see my flag flying on a few occasions and will stand at attention to the National Anthem, wherever the moments find me.

 

Let’s see what highs and lows the trials throw up, more anon.