Surin (far right) was fourth in the 100m in Barcelona in 1992 but the city presented him with his best Olympic experience.
Bruny Surin
Bruny Surin won gold in the 4x100m relay at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996.
Surin was born in Limbe’, Haiti, in 1967 and in 1975 migrated to Canada, where he grew to become a global star in track and field.
He won gold medals in the 60m dash at the World Indoor Championships in 1993 and 1995.
At the World Championships in Sweden in 1995, he won a silver medal in the 100m behind teammate and compatriot Donovan Bailey. However, he would come away from the championships with a gold medal in the 4x100m relay.
At the Atlanta Games, a year later, Surin once again won gold in the 4x100 relay along with teammates Robert Esme, Glenroy Gilbert and Donovan Bailey.
Ironically, his best memory from his Olympic experiences occurred in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, when he just missed out on a medal in the 100m and Canada failed to finish in their heat of the sprint relay.
Surin finished just fourth in the 100m won by Great Britain’s Linford Christie in 9.96. Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks won silver in 10.02 while Dennis Mitchell of the United States won the bronze medal in a time of 10.04.
Surin clocked 10.09, but Barcelona, nonetheless, provided him with his best Olympic experience.
“1996 was special. We won the 4x100m as underdogs. We had that team spirit, that synergy,” Surin said.”
“But for pure Olympic spirit, Barcelona was the whole package.
“!992 went off from the opening ceremony. It was such a good experience. I made great new friends. Barcelona was filled with the Olympic spirit. It was very alive. Everywhere, people were having dinner. There were parties everywhere.”
Now 52, Surin, who has a personal best of 9.84s, has been running his foundation in Canada as well as a successful clothing line. He also has a busy schedule giving motivational speeches across the country.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
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The 43rd staging of the MILO Western Relays that had been scheduled for Saturday, February 13, has been cancelled, organizers said citing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
100m hurdler Williams to make debut at American Track League
2015 World 100m hurdles gold medallist, Danielle Williams, is expected to open her season in the United States, at the American Track League Indoor Series, next month.
The upcoming appearance will be the first for the 28-year-old sprinter since she pulled the plug on her 2020 season, in May, when the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the international track and field schedule.
The American Track League, which is part of the World Athletics Silver Tour, gives professional athletes an opportunity to return to competition as preparations begin for an Olympic year.
The meet, which is staged in four-parts, ran off in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Sunday. 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 110m hurdles, Omar McLeod, who raced in the 60 metres, was one of several Jamaicans who took part on the opening weekend. The list also included the likes of Tyquendo Tracey, Senoj-Jay Givans, and Christopher Taylor. The meet will continue with the next three installments on January 31st, February 7th, and February 14th.
Williams, the 2019 Diamond League champion, is based in South Carolina in the USA where she trains with coach Lennox Graham at Clemson University.
Fit-again Levy sets sights on making Jamaica Olympics team
Jamaica's 4x100m relay World Championship medallist, Jura Levy, has hopes of rehabilitating her career after overcoming a troublesome spell with injury and a recent move to Legacy Athletics Track Club.
The 30-year-old, former outstanding Vere Technical high school sprinter, was part of a bronze medal-winning national team at the 2017 World Championships in London. A double injury blow experienced during the 2018 and 2019 seasons has since interrupted the athlete’s progression.
The sprinter is back to feeling in top shape, however, and the combination of a not-so-busy 2020 season, which was heavily impacted by the pandemic, and the recent move to Legacy has her feeling positive about the future and targeting a return to prominence by securing a spot on the national team for the Tokyo Olympics.
“I would like to make the Olympics team and get my personal medal,” Levy told Talking Sports.
The battle for the top three individual spots will be fierce, with decorated World and Olympic medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah, all things going to plan, all but confirmed spots. Former 2018 double World U20 sprint champion and promising prospect Briana Williams is also expected to figure prominently in the race. Levy, however, refuses to count herself out.
“I don’t think any trials or championships is ever easy, but I’ve been there before and I’m putting in the work to get there. So, come June I hope to secure a spot on the podium,” she added.
“My goal is to finish top three but if I make the Olympic team, I will still be ok, hopefully with a personal best.”
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