Go time!
Ja’s athletics team bows into action as hunt for Olympic medals ramps up
Published:Friday | August 2, 2024 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler/Gleaner Writer
Paris, France:
Jamaica’s chase for 100 Olympic medals begins in earnest today as the athletics programme of the 33rd Olympiad gets under way at the Stade De France.
According to team manager Ludlow Watts, the Jamaican team will be looking forward to continuing its recent trend of double-digit success at the Games.
The athletics campaign was set to start early this morning with the women’s high jump qualification, held at 3:15 Jamaica time, when national champion and record holder Lamara Distin was to make her Olympic debut. The women’s 100m was scheduled to conclude the morning session, with five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce looking to lead the charge for glory along with Olympic debutant Tia Clayton and late addition Shashalee Forbes, who replaced world 200m champion Shericka Jackson as she opted to only focus on the 200m for this Olympics.
Jamaica accumulated nine medals at the Tokyo Games in 2021 but have accumulated an average of 11 since 2008. Watts said he did not see why this trend could not continue with the current group of performers.
“I think everything else is working well. I am not making any predictions, but we have been getting double -digit medals over the past 12 years, and I think that we are expecting that,” Watts told The Gleaner.
Jamaica currently has 88 medals in total, including an upgraded bronze medal awarded to Kaliese Spencer Carter from the London 2012 Games.
The evening session for Jamaica will have two key field events, with the women’s triple jump qualification leading the way at 11:15 a.m. Jamaica time. Two-time World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts, along with Kimberly Williams, will be in Group B. and Ackelia Smith, who will be making her Olympic debut, will be in Group A. Ricketts barely missed out on a medal in Tokyo and hopes to see better fortune in Paris, knowing how stacked the field is this year even without reigning Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas.
“Yulimar Rojas is not here, but I think that there are so many women who are doing exceptionally well, and I feel blessed to be a part of that,” Ricketts said.
National champion shot putter and record holder Rajindra Campbell will make his debut today in the men’s shot put qualification, which starts at 1:10 p.m. Jamaica time. Campbell feels that he is in a position not just to make the final, but to battle for a medal.
“I think I am in a very good position now. I think I am one of the athletes they expect to be fighting for a medal, and definitely, that is a mindset I am going in with, and hopefully, the results will be in my favour,” Campbell said.
Samantha Hall will contest the women’s discus qualification round at 11:55 a.m., and Jamaica will compete in the Mixed 4x400m relay qualification round at 12:10 a.m. Natoya Goule-Toppin and Adelle Tracey will begin their campaigns in the women’s 800m heats at 12:45 p.m. Jamaica time.
At the same time as the athletics morning session, Jamaica’s swimmers were set to begin their campaign in the pool at Paris La Défence Arena with Josh Kirlew in heat one of the men’s 100m butterfly this morning. Kirlew, who is making his Olympic debut, is expected to help usher in Jamaica’s young talent at the games.