The American 100m ‘curse’ continues

IN THE mid-1990s, the tension between Jamaica’s top female sprinters and their American counterparts was the strongest ever. There was absolutely no love lost between them.

The fiercest rivalry seemed to have been between Merlene Ottey and Gail Devers, who had no fans here in Jamaica. Ottey was Jamaica’s sprint queen; icon, if you may. But, she was also known as the ‘Bronze Queen’ because of the high number of bronze medals she had got in big competitions. As much as she tried, she could not pass the bronze barrier.

Then the 1996 Atlanta Games ran, hopped, skipped and jumped around. Jamaicans were frustrated, dying to see one of our female athletes on the top of an Olympic podium. Other people were in contention, but Ottey was our main hope. Yet, it was Deon Hemmings in the 400m hurdles who blazed the golden trail at this said Olympics.

In the first semi-final Ottey ran 10.93, the fastest time in that round, while Devers took hers in 11.00. This cemented in the mind, heart, body and soul of Jamaica that Ottey would definitely get the elusive gold. She had previously got bronze in the 200m in Moscow in 1980, in the 100m and 200m in Los Angeles 1884, and in the 200m in Barcelona 1988.

Yet, on July 27, 1996, Ottey and Devers both ran 10.94. But, Devers was given the gold based on some technicality. Shock! Ottey was robbed, the entire Jamaica was convinced, and Devers became ‘public enemy number one’, though she had absolutely nothing to do with the decision. All sorts of unproven conjectures were made as to why Devers was given the edge.

Ottey also bagged a silver in the 200m. She returned to the Olympic podium in Sydney, Australia 2000 for another bronze, in the 100m, and a silver in the 4x100m. Her Olympic gold medal was not to be. Some people, until this day, are still convinced that she was robbed in Atlanta ‘at gunpoint’.

However, the foundation she had laid was not to be in vain, and someone seemed to have ‘cursed’ the Americans. For, since that ‘highway robbery’, it is now 28 years that they have not produced a 100m female Olympic champion. Well, they tried in 2000 in the person of Marion Jones, who turned out to be the real cheat, and was imprisoned for lying about her dishonesty.

In the 2000 Sydney Games, Jones was the first to cross the line. Greek phenomenon Ekaterini Thanou was second, and Jamaica’s upcoming star Tayna Lawrence took Merlene’s bronze medal, reducing the Jamaican legend to fourth place. However, in 2009, Ottey got back her bronze, her name is on it, and Lawrence was upgraded to silver.

This was after the Jones scandal. Thanou, who was also embroiled in her own cheating scandal, was allowed to keep her silver, but nobody has the 2000 Olympic 100m gold medal dangling from her neck. Thanks to Marion Jones, who played basketball for a while.

Jones’ downfall was the beginning of the rise of the Jamaican sprinters, on a level track. From Lawrence’s and Campbell’s silvers at Sydney 2000, the stage was set for Jamaica’s female sprint golden glory. And what a glittery era it was. Until 2024. Twenty years after. What happened? A very long story it is, deserving of ‘chawlit tea’ and ‘grotto’ bread. Tia Clayton tried, but alas. Her mouth is still open wide.

The tears shed for Ottey were placated by Fraser (2008 and 2012) and Thompson (2016 and 2021). On Sunday, Julien Alfred of St Lucia took the baton from Fraser-Pryce and Thompson Herrah, ensuring that the gold medal stays in the Caribbean. It went to Belarus in Athens 2000 when Yuliya Nesterenko, the biggest enigma of the Olympics 100m ever, dashed out of the blue and snatched it. Lauryn Williams of the US secured the silver, while her rival Veronica Campbell earned the bronze.

Now, what really happened in Paris, France 2024? And we will not get into that 100m final. It is just too eerily similar to that 100m in Atlantic 1996, when Merlene Joyce Ottey was allegedly robbed.