Los Angeles Games in 1984 was bittersweet for Cameron

AFTER A brilliant run for gold in the 400 metres at the inaugural staging of the World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, in 1983, Jamaica’s Bertland Cameron was the hot favourite to win the event the following year at the Los Angeles Olympics.

An injury in the semi-finals, however, ruined his chances of winning the event at his first Olympic Games.

“Going into the Olympics in Los Angeles I was on cloud nine as I was the favourite to win the gold medal in the 400m and I was having the best time of my life”, Cameron told The Gleaner.

“All my competitors were familiar to me and I knew I had the beating of them, and that’s why I was extremely confident,” he added.

According to Cameron, it was smooth sailing for him in the early rounds.

“For the first two rounds I was taking things very easy. I knew I was ready, as I was in fantastic shape and was looking forward to the semi-finals and final, as in those days we had four rounds,” he stated.

Cameron, however, admitted that after a slow start, he ran too fast in the latter stages of his semi-final.

“I was cruising in my semi-final and allowed most of my competitors to be ahead of me. I then decided to make a big move and I picked up the pace, as I wanted to run a fast time because I was aiming at getting a good lane in the final,” he said.

“In a bid to catch and pass the other competitors I really went very fast, and in the process I felt a pain in my leg and I knew something was wrong; and after I went past the finish line I was in severe pain; but I was happy to be in the final,” Cameron said.

“The following morning when I got up I was in serious pain, and I knew that I was in trouble, as I could hardly walk,” he said. The injury forced Cameron to miss the final.

“That Olympic Games was bittersweet for me, knowing that it was the best performance and also the worst of my career. But based on the pain I was feeling (during the semi-final) and knowing that I was able to reach the final of the event, it was awesome.”

According to Cameron, he used that moment to inspire young athletes in the event.

“It was really an awesome feeling for me being at the Olympics, as I was the flag-bearer at the time for the team; and I have used that experience to try and motivate young and upcoming athletes in the event,” said Cameron.