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?