Sourced Archives - Page 10 of 12

Usain Bolt to be Jamaica’s flag bearer

by admin· July 26, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 61 comments

London – Defending double sprint champion Usain Bolt will be Jamaica’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, an official said Thursday. “I am delighted to announce Mr Usain Bolt as our flag bearer,” said Mike Fennell, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association. The 25-year-old Bolt, one of global sport’s most marketable personalities, transformed the world of athletics when he scorched to victory in both sprint events at the Beijing Games in 2008 in then-world record times. Bolt bettered his Olympic form at the 2009 Berlin worlds, setting current world records in the 100 and 200m of 9.58 and 19.19sec. He defended his world 200m title in Daegu last year but a false start in the final saw compatriot Yohan Blake claim victory in the 100m.
Read More

Jamaican Track & Field Olympic Training Camp

by admin· July 26, 2012· in Images, JO Articles, News, Sourced, Track and Field· 257 comments

[caption id="attachment_3227" align="aligncenter" width="561"]

Dane Hyatt, right, warms up during an open training session in Birmingham, England[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3226" align="aligncenter" width="562"]

Kerron Stewart receives a massage during an open training session in Birmingham, England Photo via AP[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3220" align="aligncenter" width="560"]

Hurdler Andrew Riley carries his starting blocks during a Jamaican track and field training session in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3229" align="aligncenter" width="559"]

Discus thrower Jason "Dadz" Morgan at training session in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3221" align="aligncenter" width="380"]

Women's team captain Novlene Williams-Mills speaks speaks during a news conference in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3222" align="aligncenter" width="342"]

Men's team captain Michael Frater speaks during news conference in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3224" align="aligncenter" width="375"]

Dominique Blake during an open training session in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3223" align="aligncenter" width="560"]

Dominique Blake, left, signs autographs during an open training session in Birmingham, England (AP Photo/Jon Super)[/caption]
Read More

‘This is my time’, says confident Usain Bolt

by admin· July 25, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 460 comments

London: Usain Bolt insisted “this is my time” Tuesday ahead of his bid to become the first man to win back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 100m and 200m — despite the emergence of Jamaican rival Yohan Blake. Olympics 2012 Jamaica Olympics Schedule | SHOP Bolt told the website of Britain’s Guardian newspaper he was ready to cast off an indifferent build-up and make history at London 2012, four years after his show-stopping performance at the Beijing Games. “This will be the moment, and this will be the year, when I set myself apart from other athletes in the world,” he said. “A lot of legends, a lot of people, have come before me. But this is my time.” The 1.96m (six foot five) Jamaican lit up Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium in 2008 when he smashed the 100m world record to claim gold with apparent ease, raising his arms in celebration well before crossing the finish line. Bolt, now 25, also galloped to victory in the 200m, in another world record time, and helped Jamaica win the 4x100m, lining him up for a second successive treble in London. But the world’s fastest man, with the distinctive bow-and-arrow celebration, has had an […]
Read More

Usain Bolt Waxwork Unveiled at Madame Tussauds

by admin· July 23, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 46 comments

The world’s fastest man Usain Bolt appears frozen in time as London’s Madame Tussauds unveils its waxwork of the Jamaican sprinter.
Read More

Jamaica’s Flag-bearer to be Decided Today

by admin· July 22, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 367 comments

BIRMINGHAM, England: The Jamaican Olympic delegation could in the next few hours announce the team’s flag-bearer and official track and field team captains for the London Olympic Games. A meeting has been scheduled to discuss the matter at 9:00pm (3:00 p.m Jamaica time). Team manager Ludlow Watts, who is also the treasurer at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), believes the flag bearer will most likely be one of the 47 track and field athletes, given the prestige of the sport and the size of the team in relation to Jamaica’s 50-member squad, which is completed by swimmer Alia Atkinson, Taekwondo expert Kenneth Edwards and Equestrian Samantha Albert. The JAAA is responsible for naming the male and female track and field team captains but can only make recommendations to the Jamaica Olympic Association as far as a flag bearer is concerned. Likely candidates for the flag-bearer role include triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt, veteran decathlete Maurice Smith and Brigitte Foster-Hylton. In an interview with The Gleaner several weeks ago, JOA president Mike Fennell said Bolt would be a suitable flag-bearer. “The flag bearer is usually determined in camp, we consult with every body, we do a wide consultation and in […]
Read More

Team Jamaica and Team US to go to church this Saturday

by admin· July 19, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 41 comments

Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay may be fierce rivals on the track, representing two of the most respected nations heading to the London Olympic Games. However, the pair and their team-mates on the Jamaican and United States track teams will put their differences aside for a few minutes this Saturday. Both delegations, whose pre-Olympic camps are based a stone’s throw away from each other in the West Midlands city of Birmingham, will be joining one another in worship this Saturday at an Anglican cathedral ahead of the July 27 to August 12 Olympic Games. Bolt, a triple Olympic champion and world record holder is expected to be challenged by Gay among others in his 100m defence, but the two will be joined by the likes of Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown, Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce along with Americans Carmelita Jeter, Justin Gatlin and Allyson Felix at the service. Team manager Ludlow Watts made the revelation this morning. “There will be a combined church service with the US and Jamaican teams,” said Watts. “We will take part in a one hour worship service at a nearby Anglican cathedral.” The Jamaican team, which is based at the University of Birmingham will […]
Read More

Olympics 2012: Get set for fireworks when Jamaicans, Americans meet

by admin· July 17, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 230 comments

The 2008 Beijing Olympics served as a wake-up call to the American sprinters. They returned without a single gold in the blue ribbon sprint events: 100 and 200 metres, an ignominious low-point not seen since the 1976 Montreal Games. Jamaica, a tiny nation of 2.7 million people, were head and shoulders above the Americans. They wrote themselves into history books and became the second nation to stand atop the sprint medal tally. The USA did it thrice: in 1964, 1984 and 1988. Usain Bolt, who awed the Americans, became the first runner in 24 years to win both the men’s 100 and 200 races at the same Summer Games. American Carl Lewis achieved the feat on his way to four gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. ‘Bolt Mania’ floored the Americans. No nation has challenged the might of Track & Field powerhouse like the Jamaicans. Riding on Bolt’s three gold medals and as many world records, Jamaica stole a march over America. Fireworks are expected in London when athletes from both nations collide for the sprint supremacy. For the US, it will be all about vengeance. For Jamaica, it will be repeating Beijing. The advantage tilts in Jamaica’s favour […]
Read More

Jamaican Athletes to Spearhead Road Safety Campaign

by admin· July 12, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 95 comments

Jamaican Olympic sprint champions, set to be some of the stars of the 2012 Games, are making a special visit to London schoolchildren as part of a global road safety campaign. Beijing 2008 winners including 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Nesta Carter, a gold medalist in the men’s 4x100m relay and 100m silver medalist Sherone Simpson are making the personal visit to Dulwich, south east London, for the Zenani campaign launched in memory of former South African president Nelson Mandela’s great-granddaughter. They are joined by team mate 400m hurdler Kaliese Spencer, African javelin champion Sunette Viljoen and African triathlete Gillian Sanders at the Alleyn’s School track. The Jamaicans hope their high-profile support, particularly in the run-up to London 2012, will help shine a spotlight on one of the biggest killers in the world, according to Bruce James president of the elite MVP Track and Field Club. He said: Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people worldwide but these deaths and injuries can be prevented. As we approach the London Olympics the world’s attention is upon us. We are here in London on the world stage so we are taking this opportunity to join the Zenani campaign and to call […]
Read More

Sports Officials urge nation to Support Our Athletes Regardless

by admin· July 12, 2012· in Equestrian, News, Sourced, Swimming, Taekwondo, Track and Field· 65 comments

Sports officials urge nation to be patient with stars even if medals are not won Local senior sports officials are urging Jamaicans to continue supporting the country’s track and field athletes even if they do not equal or better their exploits at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The Beijing Olympics saw Jamaica taking home 11 medals – six gold, three silver and two bronze, including three world records and an Olympic record. Usain Bolt won three gold medals in world record time, including with the men’s 4x100m relay team. Melaine Walker took the 400m hurdles title with an Olympic record. However, according to G.C. Foster College principal Edward Shakes, Jamaica Netball Association President Marva Bernard and Jamaica Cricket Association secretary Fritz Harris, whose organisations send representatives to international competitions on a yearly basis, there are no guarantees in sports and, as such, athletes for one reason or another can fail to perform. They said this, however, is no reason for persons to turn their backs on the athletes. “We have to see our performance of four years ago in China as being extraordinary,” said Shakes, who joined Bernard and Harris as guests at a special Gleaner Editors’ Forum […]
Read More

Team JA Gets $20M Boost From SVF Supreme Ventures

by admin· July 11, 2012· in News, Sourced, Track and Field· 2144 comments

Jamaica’s team to the London Olympics Games received a helping hand yesterday with the Supreme Ventures Foundation’s (SVF) announcement that it will be supporting local sports through a donation of J$20 million to the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA). “This event marks the success for what we outlined a few months ago,” said Dr David McBean, chairman of the SVF, during a press conference held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston yesterday. “Through our efforts we will be able to make a significant contribution to the JOA and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA),” McBean said. The commitment was for $30 million to be donated between the two sports associations. The SVF had previously handed over $10 million to the JAAA, prior to the national trials, in order to assist in ensuring the success of the event. First project The $20 million was raised through the Go For Gold Fundraising Raffle, the SVF’s first project since inception in April 2012. Brian George, president of Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), noted that SVL has been involved in the national trials for the past nine years. George told The Gleaner: “There has been significant growth over this period which reflects the […]
Read More