Coach of local track and field club Sprint Tech, Maurice Wilson, admits that he is eager to see local track and field meets return to the island, with the Olympic Games just a few months away.
With the island still firmly in the grips of battling the coronavirus pandemic, local track meets have for the most part remain shuttered. However, following an announcement by prime minister Andrew Holness last week, expectations are high that the situation will be remedied over the next few weeks.
“I’m hoping that it will be four weeks, five weeks, no more than that before we can get back to competition, sooner rather than later,” Wilson told Television Jamaica.
With COVID-19 protocols remaining in effect, however, meets that restart will not be business as usual and several adjustments will have to be made in order to comply with the regulations.
“I’d like to think that the longer we take to get back to regular competition is the more creative we will have to get. We did that in the summer when MVP organized the Velocity Fest meets and we were a part of that…I think that we will have to be creative as well and move forward until things are regularised.”
Penn Relays Meet Director anticipates thrilling High School Boys 4x400m relay showdown: Will Bullis break the Jamaican dominance?
Aaron Robison, the Meet Director of the Penn Relays, is brimming with excitement ahead of the Championship of America 4x400m relays for High School Boys, set to unfold at Franklin Field over the next three days. The 128th staging of the prestigious meet begins on Thursday, April 25 and concludes on Saturday, April 27.
The meet director since 2021, Robison predicts a spectacular display of athletic talent, particularly focusing on the highly anticipated showdown in the high school boys' 4x400m relay on the final day of the meet.
"The high-school boys 4x400m is going to be unbelievable!" exclaimed Robison. "Five teams have run 3:10 or faster, four of those are Jamaican, and then you've got Bullis High School with Quincy Wilson on the anchor; I'm telling you, that story is going to write itself."
Robison highlighted Wilson from Bullis High School, whose outstanding performance at the Florida Relays with a time of 45.19 seconds has created a buzz leading up to the Penn Relays. Wilson's impressive anchor leg last year, clocking a 45.06 split, is a testament to his exceptional talent and determination.
"He is one of those kids that has this fire," Robison remarked. "If he takes the baton as the anchor and he is in third or fourth, we're going to see something special as all four or five of those teams come through. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see three or four teams run 3:05. It's going to be crazy."
Reflecting on the historical dominance of Jamaican high schools in this event, Robison acknowledged the formidable challenge facing USA high schools. The last USA high school to win the 4x400m Championship of America was Long Beach Poly back in 2007. The last 16 years have seen Jamaican schools dominate the event, and that dominance could extend into a 17th year.
Despite this, Bullis High School, boasting a recent time of 3:11.87, is poised to challenge the Jamaican powerhouses. Robison expressed optimism about Wilson's potential impact on the relay's outcome, particularly against strong competitors from schools like Kingston College (3:07.65) and Jamaica College (3:08.79), known for their impressive 4x400m relay performances.
“If he gets a baton in his hand with people to chase, who knows what he can run…whether it’s JC or even Hydel that has run 3:10, with kids that have also run 45-point, so we’re going to see something special.
"We just pray for good weather and good health," Robison concluded.
Elaine Thompson-Herah set for season debut at USATF Bermuda Grand Prix
Excitement is mounting in Bermuda as double-double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is set to make her season debut at the upcoming USATF Bermuda Grand Prix on Sunday, April 28. Thompson-Herah, who trains under Coach Reynaldo Walcott at Elite Performance in Kingston, Jamaica, arrives as the reigning fastest woman alive after clocking a stunning 10.54 seconds in the 100m in Oregon in August 2021.
Thompson-Herah made history at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021 by claiming gold in the 100m and 200m events, becoming the only woman ever to achieve this remarkable feat. Her dominance extended to the relay events, where she secured gold in the 4x100m relay in Tokyo, joining the elite company of Usain Bolt and Florence Griffith-Joyner in completing a triple clean sweep of sprint medals at the Olympics.
Anticipation is palpable among Bermuda's Jamaican community, with Yackeisha Weir, president of the Jamaican Association of Bermuda (JAB), expecting a strong showing of support for Thompson-Herah at the Flora Duffy Stadium. Weir emphasized the significance of Thompson-Herah's presence, particularly with the upcoming Paris Olympics on the horizon.
"The anticipation is high this year, especially as we have the fastest woman alive competing," said Weir in an interview with BerNews. "With the Olympic Games taking place this summer, Bermuda has a chance to see a preview of Paris. It’s an honour to have Elaine on the island."
The USATF Bermuda Grand Prix, slated to be broadcast live on NBC from 5 pm to 7 pm, promises to be a thrilling showcase of world-class athletics, with Elaine Thompson-Herah headlining a star-studded lineup.
On This Day in 2013: Sarah Stevenson ends taekwondo career
Two-time taekwondo world champion Sarah Stevenson announced her retirement on this day in 2013.
The announcement brought to an end a glittering career that also brought her four gold medals at the European Championships.
She also claimed Britain’s first ever Olympic medal in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but was at the centre of controversy after appealing against a contentious ruling during her quarter-final loss to China’s Chen Zhong.
The appeal was successful meaning Stevenson was awarded a spot in the semi-finals and she went on to take bronze.
Stevenson’s first taekwondo world title came in 2001, and she earned her second a decade later in emotional circumstances as both her parents were critically ill.
Her parents died later that year and her career could have been derailed after suffering a serious knee injury, but she recovered in time to compete in her fourth Olympics at London 2012.
She failed to progress beyond the first round and, having not fought since then, reached the decision to retire and take up a role as a high-performance coach with GB Taekwondo.
Stevenson, then aged 30, said: “It has been a hard decision and it has been a long process but I think in just stepping away from the sport and having a break, waiting to seeing if I’m going to miss it or not – I realised I didn’t miss it.
“I didn’t feel in my heart that I wanted to compete again.
“I don’t really do anything half-hearted and I think it would be a mistake for me to continue if my heart isn’t in it.
“But I have no regrets and it feels good to say that. I am 100 per cent happy with my decision.”
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