The Changing of the Guards

The National Senior Championships of 2013 may not have brought out the crowds of 2012, but the die-hards probably didn't notice or care. Our minds were fiercely concentrated on the highs and lows of each moment. This die-hard could only afford one day at the National Stadium, Saturday, but the television coverage was pretty decent so I only missed the vibes of the crowd. I would guess that most persons saw the obvious victories and the noticeable absences of those “big-names”.  

 

Natoya Goule
Photo by Ricardo Makyn Gleaner Staff Photographer
 

For many, I suspect it was enough that Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce predictably delivered in the sprints, and they joyously celebrated Kerron Stewart’s big 100 metres win. They were as pumped as young Warren Weir was feisty. They rose to their feet en bloc as Natoya Goule chased the finish line against the clock. They moaned in disappointment as the talented schoolboy jumper from Wolmer's, Christoff Bryan, fell shy of the qualifying height, even whilst at seventeen years old, he is our National Senior High Jump Champion. A cloud of injuries has overshadowed this year’s championships which couldn’t go unnoticed and we dug deep in the ranks to produce what I regard as a fair team. 

 

What struck me most intensely was the very smooth changing of the female guards, the woman constables. Some we can expect to continue running on the European circuit for the rest of the season just as others, I suspect, may see these trials as the final curtain call on their athletic careers.

 

We crossed our fingers and toes for soldier-girl Aleen Bailey but knew in our hearts that these National Championships may well be her swan song.  This constant of Jamaica's track and field ran 7th in women's 100 metres final but don't be fooled, she did so at the IAAF 'A' standard. Aileen's 200 metres 6th place was however just outside the 'B' standard. 

 

We watched as the women's 100 metres hurdles gave us our own Williams sisters and at the same time Delloreen Ennis-London, at thirty-eight, just missed out on a spot in 4th place. Note well, the top four women in this event made the IAAF 'A' standard, so Deloreen's 12.94 seconds is commendable.

 

My personal favourite was the women’s 400 metres final which had everything I could hope for in the one lap sprint. It demonstrated that we have the talent to go forth and build, but build with ardor we must. Novlene Williams-Mills sent a bold message that the young team will need experience and leadership to take on the world, so she went commandingly to the head of the line. What a finish, what a talent.

Novlene Williams-Mills
Photo by Ricardo Makyn Gleaner Staff Photographer

Of great significance is the performance of Stephanie McPherson, who ran a season’s best of 50.16 seconds behind Novlene, and who in her own words is “getting faster and stronger” ('I'm getting faster and stronger' - McPherson targeting 49.10 by Ryan Jones Gleaner Staff Reporter May 6,013). It certainly wasn’t lost on me that Novlene was the only one of the Bronze winning 4x400 metres quartet from the 2012 Olympics that made the team for Moscow. Whilst there are more races left in the likes of Rosemarie Whyte, Shericka Williams and Christine Day, it also wasn’t lost on me that the average age of the final eight was/is 26.75 years old. We therefore have much work to do to maintain balance between youth and experience going into 2015/2016/2017. Novlene is thirty-one years old, and this win was as sweet for her as it was tough.

 

In June 2012 I wrote of Ristananna Tracey, “If she remains healthy and fit, with time and experience, she will be called upon to carry the torch in 2016”. I continue to believe this and I am delighted to see her steady progress. The top three 400 metres hurdles finalists all surpassed the IAAF ‘A’ standard of 55.40 seconds, with 4^th, 5^th and 6^th places comfortably meeting the ‘B’ standard of 56.55 seconds. If you didn’t notice, Kaliese Spencer’s 51.65 seconds 6^th place in the 400 metres was only 0.10 seconds below the ‘A’ standard, a very positive indicator for the 400 metres hurdles. Let me not fail to point out that the average age of the eight finalists plus Kaliese is 23 years old. Stay healthy and navigate injuries judiciously then watch the ride down the road.

 

I continue to bemoan the shallow pool of talent after 400 metres. I was among those cheering boisterously on my feet for Natoya Goule as she not just made the IAAF ‘A’ standard but a sub-2 minutes personal best at 1:59.93 in the 800 metres. Even more striking than the absence of the event’s standard bearer, Kenia Sinclair, is the fact that of the (only) three others in the race none made the IAAF ‘B’ standard.

 

I am not at this stage making any comparisons to any other country’s results, especially not the USA. My intent was to draw attention to the subtle changing of the guards in the ranks of our female athletes. We have work to do JAAA’s, in shoring up the bench for the short sprints. Beyond 400 metres we need to dump or get off the pot, it’s inconceivable to me that we cannot produce more than one or two middle distance runners per generation. In the last 20 years only two names have stood out at 800 metres, Kenia Sinclair and Inez Turner, now we hang our hopes on Natoya Goule.

 

With a few short weeks to go to the World Championships in Moscow, much work will take place away from the eyes of the very demanding local and global publics. Jamaica will be called upon to deliver both entertainment and results.

 

Heads high, Team Jamaica, we’ve got your backs.

What Now, 'Safa?

That Asafa Powell is one of the greatest at the 100 metres sprint is not in question. We know the history, he's known affectionately as the 'sub10 king’ and even his twitter profile claims these distinctions; "Ran the most sub10 100M runs in history, 3rd fastest man in world..." That he remains loved, blessed and highly favoured is also not in question.

 

Asafa Powell
Ricardo Makyn
Gleaner Staff Photographer

The question is, are we out of patience? 

Maybe, but there are still those among us however, who believe that when he's in the lineup, he will finish; strong, healthy and confidently among the top three. Do we cross our fingers and say a quiet prayer? Sure we do but that's the nature of faith. Asafa is not the first, nor will he be the last athlete to struggle with injuries. It's par for the course as they say.

 

 

In recent months we've seen Usain Bolt nurse a hamstring injury, ever mindful of a tricky back. We're disappointed that Yohan Blake is not yet race ready also working through hamstring drama, and will not line up in Moscow for the 200 metres. We know that in recent times Tyson Gay, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Sherone Simpson and Jermaine Gonzalez worked hard to recover from hip and knee surgeries. We miss the affable and hardworking relay warrior Michael Frater, himself recovering from knee surgery. We're disappointed that Melaine Walker is also working through a calf injury and, as reported by the Gleaner, doubtful for the national trials, now on in full force at the National Stadium.  

 

Even the most sedentary among us is aware of the fact that injuries suffered by top class athletes, take time to heal, and if not properly managed can end an athlete's career with brutal suddenness, or even result in long-term damage. So, although most of us remain dedicated fans of 'Safa, we are running out of patience and he's running out of time. The arc of a sprinter's career tracks remarkably closely to that of a supermodel; relatively short. Unlike golfers or distance runners sprinters need to get there quickly or they're done before we count to 10 (seconds), corny pun intended.

 

The next big track year is 2015 and Jamaica's sprint pipeline is constantly being replenished by the "Champs" and juniors feeders. Let's be frank, the Jamaican quartet lowered the 4x100 meters relay record to a mind numbing 36.84 seconds at the 2012 summer Olympics, without Asafa. And last evening, Nesta Carter might have managed only to inch in as an alternate on the relay team as Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade, booked their individual tickets to Moscow. Kemar is 21 years old, Nickel is 23 years old and both are injury free at this time.

 

Of note is that one commentator pointed out that Asafa was finishing his first races in the rounds at this year's National Trials. We know he suffered a hamstring injury at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) All-Comers Meet back in May. We know he suffered a hamstring injury at the Stawell Gift in Australia in late March. Our hearts fell as we watched him fall out of the 2012 Olympic 100 metres final due to an old groin injury. We know too that he missed the 2011 World Athletics Championship in Daegu because of a groin injury. 

 

Asafa does not need our sympathy, like the rest of our athletes, he needs our support but logic tells us that it is foolish to expect different outcomes from the same actions. What now, Asafa? That's the other critical question you must answer before fickle fans move on to the next bright, shiny, speedy object.

 

What now, Asafa Powell, what now?

VCB and the Hopes of a Nation

Like so many Jamaicans I am a huge fan of Veronica Campbell-Brown. I have always felt that she represents an exemplary blend of fight and grace. Her confidence is worthy of emulation and her commitment to her craft is as real as her faith. My feelings about her and my vehement opposition to drugs in sports are not however, mutually exclusive. 

Photo by Ricardo Makyn
Gleaner Staff Photographer

For my entire adult life and most of my childhood, I have known my Aunty Vashnie to be a diabetic. As an adult I've spent time with her and have always been in awe of the incredible discipline that she brings to living with, and managing this chronic and life threatening illness. The constraints on her life, which appear deeply burdensome to me, are for her, normal and routine. I have watched her self-inject, prepare food, order from a restaurant menu and do all the other things that most of us take for granted but which, for a diabetic requires second thought. My aunt is now 72 years old and healthy.

 

My former housekeeper, Sislyn, is hypertensive, asthmatic and afflicted with a terrible case of sinusitis. She doesn't have the luxury of simply taking something over the counter when a benign cold threatens. She must at least have a conversation with the pharmacist and even her physician. I, on the other hand, can simply grab my preferred OTC medicine and follow the instructions on the box. Take one teaspoon every eight hours, if symptoms persist see a doctor.

 

My mother is hypertensive and has managed her condition with relative ease. If she's traveling or going out for a long period, she'll hold out on taking the diuretic which is part of her medication protocol. She's averse to using public toilets and manages her fluid intake to prevent frequent bathroom trips on any given day. When she's visiting, I change my own diet to accommodate her, though these days I don't find that adjustment as troublesome as I used to.

 

Elite and even not so elite athletes are constrained in exactly the same manner as persons living with certain chronic illnesses. What they eat, how much sleep they get and how they train are central to their performance on any given day. Most female athletes have the added burden of monthly menstrual cycles which are often accompanied by the cursed retention of fluid; that awful bloating which fattens even nose and toes. Most of us can simply pop a few Midols or any OTC medicine for relief. Like my aunt with sugar and my mother with salt, athletes like VCB have no such ease. They must consult if they don't already know, and must be more mindful than the rest of us for the much needed relief.

 

The reports are that VCB’s A and B samples tested positive for a banned substance, a diuretic called furosemide (VCB's fate hangs in the balance by Kwesi Mugisa), so I did some checking. First I spoke at length with a registered pharmacist then I took to Google to read from a few sites, two of which are http://www.drugs.com/furosemide.html and http://www.rxlist.com/lasix-drug.htm. All that I have learnt so far points to the primary use of this substance for managing serious conditions, "Furosemide treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, liver disease, or a kidney disorder such as nephrotic syndrome. This medication is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension)." www.dugs.com. 

 

Veronica Campbell-Brown is a treasured daughter of Jamaica who has carried the flag along with the hopes of a nation, with absolute pride and joy. At thirty-one she remains one of the best in the world at the short sprints but is arguably in the sunset of her extraordinary athletic career. A blot on her otherwise stellar career is beyond undesirable, at this stage, when time to insert distance is not on her side. I await her side of the events but have no excuses to offer on her behalf nor would I wish to. She will be sanctioned, and one can only hope that what Dr. Paul Wright refers to in the aforementioned Gleaner article by Mugisa as, “mitigating circumstances” will indeed result in a “diminution of the sanction that must come”.

 

The nation and indeed the world await the outcome.