He is the fastest man who has ever lived and on 5th August the world will be watching and expecting Usain Bolt to reclaim the greatest prize in the Olympic Games, the men’s 100 metres title. Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, the current world champion, who is Bolt’s training partner and strongest challenger; Asafa Powell, often the forgotten man of Jamaican sprinting, but still the last man to hold the world record before Bolt; Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin, who lead the American charge hitting top form when it matters most; and Europe’s best hope, the Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, who is proving that white men can sprint and take on the very best. This film follows the fortunes of the world’s best sprinters as they prepare for that ultimate showdown at London 2012, from the supremely confident superstar Bolt to his focused, sometimes shy, rivals, determined to prove that Bolt is just a man. We witness the sacrifice and growing self-belief of these athletes as they push themselves to the limit physically and mentally to claim the greatest prize in sport. All the time obsessed with their quarry, the tall Jamaican who rewrote what was possible in human speed. Can they really […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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The Exclusive Film on USAIN BOLT. Worldwide release in July 2012 Directed by Gaël Leiblang. Produced by Elephant Doc & Leiblang Productions [hr] JAMAICA APPAREL
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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 […]
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Eight of the ten Jamaicans in action on the opening day made progress to the next round of their respective events at the 14th 1AAF world junior championships in Barcelona, Spain. Javon Francis set a personal best 46.31 seconds to move into the semi-finals of the men’s 400 meters by winning his heat. He shaved 45 hundredths of a second off his previous best of 47.16 seconds and will run in semi-final three at 1.14pm on Wednesday. Lennox Williams 47.30 placed 4th in his heat and failed to advance. Jazeel Murphy will run in semi-final one of the men’s 100 meters tomorrow, after winning his heat in 10.45 seconds. Odean Skeen also made progress with a time of 10.50 seconds and will contest semi-final three staring at 12.30pm. Shawnette Lewin who produced 11.78 for 2nd place and Monique Spencer who won her preliminary race also in 11.78 seconds, will run in the women’s semi-finals at 12 noon on Wednesday. Sprint hurdlers Stefan Fennel 13.81 and Yanick Hart 13.87 seconds both placed 2nd in their respective heats and will compete in the semi finals of the men’s 110 meter hurdles. Simoya Campbell will contest semi-final one of the 800 metres at […]
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