Let's be reasonable in our expectations

Saturday, November 21, 2009 3:38 PM

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Editorials

Saturday, June 27, 2009

After the heroics of the Beijing Olympics, it is surely asking too much to expect a repeat performance from Jamaican athletes at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August.

For those who recall the essence and the good vibes but not the details, Jamaican athletes captured 11 medals in Beijing last year - a record six Gold, three Silver and two Bronze.

Injuries and ailments have pushed back preparation time for a number of Beijing's stars. Ms Melaine Walker, the Olympic Gold medallist in the 400m hurdles, has had hamstring problems; Ms Shelly-Ann Fraser, the 100m Gold medallist, is on her way back to form having done an appendix operation; Mrs Veronica Campbell-Brown, who conquered the 200m field in Beijing, has struggled with an injured toe; Ms Sherone Simpson, who tied with compatriot Ms Kerron Stewart for the 100m silver medal, has had a knee operation; and Mr Asafa Powell, a sprint relay gold medallist in Beijing, has had ankle problems.

The situation is worse for Mr Nesta Carter, another sprint relay gold medallist, who has had to withdraw from competition because of a hamstring tear.

Thankfully, Mr Usain Bolt, the megastar of world track who took three Gold medals at Beijing, has been free of injury despite picking up thorns in his feet in that frightening motor vehicle accident earlier this year. But even he is a little late in his preparations for Berlin. It is against that background that track and field lovers are closely watching the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships which enters its second of three days today.

The established stars apart, a number of up-and-coming athletes - a few of whom have done very well at the international junior level - are under the microscope.

Bottom line though, it is important that expectations remain reasonable as we approach the World Championships. Such is the talent of our athletes that they may well astound the world yet again in Berlin. But it seems to this newspaper that once they have done their very best we should be satisfied.

Do better than that

We are in hard times economically and yesterday was a working day. Also, it's very late in the season to be playing international cricket in Jamaica, and the attention of Jamaican sports lovers will have been more than distracted by the National track and field championships at the National Stadium.

So we probably shouldn't be surprised by the small crowd at Sabina Park for the opening game of the four-match Digicel ODI series between West Indies and India.

But there is a strong feeling among those who closely follow cricket in Jamaica that not enough effort is consistently made by organisers to see to the comfort and welfare of spectators.

That feeling was reinforced before the start of play yesterday. Motorists who had become used to specific parking arrangements behind the Sabina Park North Stand for international games over the last two years, found to their chagrin that arrangements had been altered without warning. Worse, not all gate keepers seemed in sync with the new situation.

Had cricket lovers turned out in numbers, there could easily have been chaos. It may seem a small thing. But those in charge of Jamaica's cricket should bear in mind that on such small things perceptions are built.

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