'Have some faith' in Jamaica's athletes, says Seville

PARIS, FRANCE: Sprinter Oblique Seville is urging Jamaicans to have faith in the country's athletes, even while acknowledging Jamaica's hunger to break the eight year major global men's 100-metre title drought.

He also knows that Jamaicans can get frustrated when results are not in their favour.

But his message to his countrymen and women is to not lose confidence in the athletes' ability to perform.

"Have some faith," he said with a smile.

Seville was finishing his training session at the Complexe sportif de l'île des Vanne today as he prepares for the men's 100 metres.

While he knows of the high expectations, he also wants persons to understand that it is not an easy road, professionally or personally to reach the high standards that those before him have set. 

"Jamaica has a history of track and field, at the Olympics, at the World Championships with Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. So the moment that we don't medal with the amount of medals we have, Jamaicans are going to be a bit harsh. Because they know that we have been on top and to know that we are not on top again, it is going to be harsh for us as young athletes coming up," Seville explained.

"Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake have set the bar so high each time we have to perform we have to be at our best."

Former world champion Yohan Blake recently expressed his disappointment that he has not been given the appreciation due to him.

Seville says that athletes go through their own struggles and grace has to be given.

"I can't blame Jamaican fans, but it is just that [they] don't understand how difficult it is. We athletes go through personal stuff that they don't know about. It's just for us to get it together," Seville said.

- Daniel Wheeler

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