Fearless and valiant

TOKYO, Japan:

Nine medals on paper show Jamaica’s lowest haul at the Olympic Games since the 2004 installment in Athens, but, in reality, it represented significant success for a transitioning Jamaican team, highlighted by the coronation of Elaine Thompson-Herah and the coming of age of tomorrow’s champions.

Jamaica closed its final day of competition with a bronze medal in the Women’s 4x400m relay yesterday, their ninth medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, where four gold, one silver and four bronze medals were handed out to Jamaican athletes.

President of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Christopher Samuda, hailed the efforts of the athletes, despite what he described as a challenging situation in Tokyo.

“I must commend the team for their exceptional performances,” said Samuda.

“They were able to weather the storm related to the cancellation of the event, and just generally the fear of contracting COVID-19. We must commend them because they came here fearlessly and delivered tremendous results.”

WELL-DESERVED BRONZE MEDAL

Since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Jamaica’s women have always won a medal in the 4x400m relay event.

It was no different inside the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, as the team of Roneisha McGregor, Janieve Russell, Shericka Jackson and Candice McLeod crossed the line in 3:21.24 to take home a predictable and well-deserved bronze medal.

As expected, the event was dominated by the United States, who called on 400m hurdles duopoly Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad, 800m gold medal winner Athing Mu and the legendary Allyson Felix, who led the Americans to a 3:16.85 win, with Poland taking the silver medal in 3:20.53.

In the male equivalent, the team of Demish Gaye, Christopher Taylor, Jaheel Hyde and Nathon Allen failed to get on the podium, after finishing sixth in 2:58.76.

The event was won by the United States, 2:55.70 ahead of the Netherlands, 2:57.18 and Botswana, 2:57.27.

President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, was also satisfied with the athletes’ performances.

“I am very pleased with the performances of our athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. These performances have come about during the pandemic and some of our athletes are not as sharp as I know they would have loved to have been. The association did its best for them and, coming out of this, we have learnt a lot and we will continue to do our best for our athletes,” Gayle said.

SEVERAL PERSONAL BESTS

“Several of our athletes have attained personal bests, national records have been set in several events, and we are very proud of that,” Gayle added.

“Some of our expectations were not realised as well, and I know it affects some of our athletes, in particular some of the field events that we have grown recently accustomed to having good performances from. But that in stride will be remedied, I’m sure, as the coaches now begin to work with the various athletes to ensure their performances improve leading into next year’s World Championships.”

Thompson-Herah climbed several rungs up the ladder of Olympic greatness, after securing a second consecutive sprint double, while adding the 4x100m gold to become the first Jamaican woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games.

Her 100m victory, which arrived with a 10.61 seconds clocking – the second fastest time in history and an Olympic record – led a Jamaican sweep of the podium positions in that event, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, 10.74, and Shericka Jackson, 10.76, taking silver and bronze, respectively.

That silver was Fraser-Pryce’s seventh Olympic medal. She would secure her eighth as a member of the gold medal-winning Women’s 4x100m relay team.

Hansle Parchment’s 13.04 seconds gold medal run in the 110m hurdles event was another major highlight for the Jamaicans, who also celebrated the bronze medal won by Ronald Levy, 13.10, with pre-Olympics favourite Grant Halloway getting his first defeat in a year.

Megan Tapper became the first Jamaican to win an Olympic medal in the 100m hurdles, after clocking 12.55 seconds to take the bronze medal behind gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico), 12.37 and world record holder Kendra Harrison, 12.52.

Jamaica’s final medal was delivered by the Women’s 4x400m relay team.

It was Jamaica’s sixth straight medal in the Women’s 4x400m at the Olympic Games, which makes them the third most successful team in the history of the event.

THE EMERGING STARS

Several young athletes have also raised their hands at these Games, with 100m hurdles finalist Britany Anderson, who lowered her personal best to 12.40 to become the second fastest Jamaican of all time in the event. 400m finalist Christopher Williams also lowered his best to 44.79 seconds. 4x100m relay lead-off leg runner Briana Williams, 110m hurdles semi-finalist Damion Thomas and 100m semi-finalist and 4x100m anchor Oblique Seville led the way for former junior level standout.

400m finalist and relay bronze medal winner Candice McLeod, who also chopped her time to 49.51 seconds, will also leave Tokyo as one of Jamaica’s emerging stars in the sport.

“The younger of our charges at the Games have done themselves proud; they have acquitted themselves and have shown that they are now ready to step up among the seniors. Britany Anderson, Damion Thomas, Christopher Taylor, and Briana Williams, who was a member of the champion 4x100 national record-breaking team – all of these athletes are young athletes who themselves had acquitted themselves well when they were in the junior ranks and are the future face of Jamaican athletics,” added Gayle.

SETBACKS AND PAINFUL MOMENTS

There were some setbacks and painful moments.

Tajay Gayle’s brave decision to push for a medal despite suffering a serious knee injury and Stephenie-Ann McPherson’s reported injury during the Women’s 400m final come to mind.

The performance of the male athletes remains a concern, with only two of the nine medals coming from the men’s team.

Comparatively, at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Jamaica’s men landed five of the team’s 11 medals, while at the London 2012 Games, the men secured seven of the team’s 12 medals.

“The results of our males this time around are not what we are accustomed to or would have expected. We will have to begin to do some more work with our coaches because I believe that is also critical,” added Gayle, who highlighted greater monitoring of athletes, both locally and internationally, as well as providing greater support for gifted youngsters.

Jamaica finished fourth in the medal standing for track and field at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

With the next four years delivering consecutive World Championships and Olympic Games, the island’s track and field stars will have many opportunities to continue confirming the island as a global powerhouse in the sport of athletics.

SIX DISCIPLINES WERE JAMAICA’S MOST AT OLYMPICS

Other competitors for Jamaica at the Tokyo 2020 Games include diver Yona Knight-Wisdom, who barely missed out on a spot in the Men’s 3m springboard event; Ebony Drysdale-Daley who featured in judo; boxer Ricardo Brown; and swimmers Alia Atkinson and Keanan Dols, who did not progress beyond the first round in their respective competitions.

Gymnast Danusia Francis also competed in the uneven bars, despite suffering a major knee injury.

The six disciplines were Jamaica’s most at an Olympic Games and Samuda says the aim is to qualify for no less than 10 sports for the Paris 2024 installment.

“Six disciplines, this is more than any other Olympic Games, and that in itself is historic. We would have received 10 had it not been for the pandemic. Karate was on stream, skateboarding was on stream and certainly rugby was on stream but the ladies had a mishap,” said Samuda.

“What we are going for in Paris, of course, is no less than 10. We have three years to ensure that this is achieved and we will be going very aggressively towards that target.”

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will come to a close today.

andre.lowe@gleanerjm.com