Jamaica’s athletics in good hands
If there was any doubt as to where Jamaica’s next generation of athletes will be coming from, then hopes were renewed by the juniors who, based on their outstanding performances at the recent world under 20 championships in Nairobi, Kenya, showed that the country’s track and field programme is in good hands.
The Jamaicans returned home with 11 medals, which sees a breakdown of 3 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze.
Edwin Allen schoolgirl Tina Clayton, who watched Jamaica dominate the women’s sprints at the Olympics, won the girls under 20 100 meters title in a personal best of 11.09 seconds.
Tina also teamed with twin sister Tia along with Serena Cole and Kerrica Hill to win the 4×100 meters relay in a record time of 42.94 seconds.
On her return to the island, Tina said: “It was a wonderful experience to know I go out there and did my best to make my family and all those who supported me proud, as you can see I ran a personal best and couldn’t have asked for anymore.”
Ackera Nugent was the other gold medalistS she won the women’s 100 metres hurdles in 12.95 seconds.
According to Marlon Gayle, one of the coaches to the championships, the Jamaican performances should not be taken for granted as they had to compete under challenging circumstances.
The athletes had to perform at an altitude of 1.8 meters above sea level in a country that is seeing over 900 positive COVID-19 cases per day.
“Our performance is one which we are very proud of and one which the Jamaican population should be proud of. The circumstances under which we have to travel, our athletes went to a location where they had to perform at an altitude far outside of their comfort zone but they adapted well and they went ahead and did their very best in their respective events,” said Gayle.
There were two medals in the field events for Jamaica. Kavian Kerr got bronze in the men’s long jump and Jaydon Hibbert took silver in the triple jump with a personal best distance of 16.05 meters.
“Hibbert is a special athlete and certainly one who is very focused and who understands his role as an athlete. He is easy to work with, follows instructions and knows his capabilities and limitations,” explained Gayle about the 16-year-old Hibbert.
First vice president of the Jamaica Athletes Administrative Association (JAAA), Ian Forbes, was obviously elated with the performances of the athletes.
“First of all, travel was very rigorous as they travel for over 20 hours and the pandemic just made things more difficult. Of course, you know we would have been affected by some positive cases but the youngsters rose to the occasion and did themselves and their country proud,” said Forbes.
And the positive cases that Forbes mentioned had to do with nine members of the Jamaican delegation who tested positive for COVID-19 and had to remain in Kenya until they returned a negative result.
It is said that four persons tested positive for the virus earlier in the week while five persons returned positive results in the final set of tests that were done before the delegation was due to leave Kenya. The JAAA says all nine members are asymptomatic and in isolation.
They are being monitored by a team of medical staff and a member of the management staff.
Investment funds for Tokyo medalists
Meanwhile, some senior athletes from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were richly rewarded by the Jamaica Olympics Association, Mayberry Investments and Supreme Ventures Foundation as the three have come together to provide an ‘Olympic Rewards Programme’ – an investment package worth $41 million for the country’s athletes who won medals, and those coaches whose athletes won individual medals.
A gold medalist will get a $6 million reward; a silver medal winner a $4 million reward; and a bronze medal winner will receive $2 million.
The $6 million will be shared among members of Jamaica’s first-placed 4×100 metres women’s team that won the gold medal; while the women’s 4×400 metres relay team that placed third will receive $2 million to be shared among the members.
Double sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will be the biggest earner with gold in the 100m, 200m and sprint relay.
Coaches will have their day in the sun as they will be rewarded for their work, with $1 million for an athlete who won a gold medal, $750,000 for an athlete with a silver medal and $500,000 for a third-placed bronze medal finish by their athlete.
This coaching reward is only applicable to individual medalists, and not relays.
The rewards will go towards a funding investment accounts at Mayberry Investments for a period of three years, or until the athlete’s retirement from track and field, whichever is earlier.
At the end of the period, the athlete can decide whether they would like to cash in their investments or maintain their accounts.
