Photo: Yardie Sports writer Chris Lynch (left) poses with Clive Pullen who will make his Olympic debut for Jamaica in Rio next month. Pullen will be the first man to represent Jamaica in the triple jump at the Olympic Games since 1972.
The Jamaica National Senior Trials just came to an end; it has to go down as one of the most exciting championship I have been to over the years. There were a lot of surprises, but that’s what made it entertaining. It was really good to see the youngsters proving they are here to ensure Jamaica will be a force in track and field for many more years to come.
These youngsters are about to hit the world stage to show they are not going to drop the bar as they look to conquer. Although not confirmed as yet, the Olympics squad, based on what happened at the championships, will be a very youthful one and it’s a really good sight for Jamaicans and track and field fans around the world.
We must realize we can’t thank the athletes who have been representing this small but “Tallawah” country over the years enough and they will prove very important in this transition process. Jamaica has been attracting a lot of University coaches from overseas, as they see Jamaica as one of the best places in the world to find talent.
While most people are a bit concerned because this is a very young team, these youngsters have defeated some of the best athletes in the world at the championships. I see no reason to be concerned as the youngsters are now looking to wave the Jamaican flag high and make their families proud.
If you think this Jamaican Olympic team that is going to Brazil is a weak team, you can think again. I see a lot more in the athletes than what they gave at the National Senior Championships and with the Olympic scheduled to start August 5th and end August 21st, they the athletes, have a lot more time to recover from injuries and also correct any flaws they have.
It is said that we don’t have proper equipment here in Jamaica, but we consistently see athletes that have made the use of what they have locally and luckily some of our athletes benefit by going overseas to train with more and better equipment at hand.
The coaches here in Jamaica have been doing a great job with our athletes also. With not having the best facilities to train or the right equipment in some instances, these coaches have proven that they are world class coaches as they use nature and the young talents here and make them into world class athletes. Jamaica has been attracting a lot of journalists and coaches who are so concerned about the small island production of track and field athletes. With such a small population we have certainly made our name in the world among the largest of populated countries.
Get ready to flock Half Way Tree or wherever you watch our athletes go up against the best in the world and make us proud. Put aside your pot covers from now as these athletes compete at their best.
In my estimation. the team to earn 14 medals in total, Six Gold, Five Silver and 3 Bronze.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are solely those of the writer and not necessarily those of Yardie Sports or its associated entities.
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