Bittersweet moment for Jamaicans

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, August 29, 2011

ATHLETICS fans in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, were yesterday stunned and disappointed when a false start pushed the world's fastest man Usain Bolt out of the men's 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

The disappointment expressed by some in New Kingston, Half-Way-Tree, Cross Roads and sections of downtown Kingston was, however, short-lived after Bolt's training partner, 21-year-old Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake, minutes later powered his way to victory in 9.92 secs.

Blake, now one of the youngest to win the world 100m title, defeated Walter Dix of USA who ran 10.08 and Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis who took home bronze in 10.09.

"I felt disappointed that Bolt never get to run the race but at the end of the day Blake come take it; so it is still Jamaica all the way," said Damion Montague, a taxi operator.

Montague was among a small group of people who gathered to watch the event on a large television screen erected at the bus stop at Mandela Park in Half-Way-Tree.

"Take this home. The big man (Bolt) a go bruk [break] the record," one man shouted minutes before the athletes went in the starting blocks.

A few metres away traffic came to a standstill as several motorists anxiously peered through the windows of their vehicles to get a glimpse of the race.

When the cracking sound from the starter's gun echoed, onlookers gathered to watch the race started to shout, but within seconds there was a deafening silence after Bolt was seen throwing up his arms in despair after picking the start.

"Bolt can't false start; a lie them a tell," said Earle Blake, who stood in disbelief in Half-Way-Tree. "Me feel a give Bolt give the youth the race because they are training partners; Bolt know say if him even get a late start him can run them down, so there is no way is a false start that," added Blake, who could not accept the fact that the world champion had picked the start.

Unlike Earle Blake, Tony Edwards, who was seen in Cross Roads, accepted that Bolt had a false start. "Him a big runner but I feel him need to humble [himself]; this will bring him down back to earth," said Edwards.

Andrea Harrison shared similar sentiments. "Bolt needs to cool down a little. I don't hate him, the world know him can run but 'him a gwaan' [showboating] a little too much. "He needs to tell himself he doesn't want to be like American sprinters in the past who were too full of themselves," said Harrison.

Iorie Donaldson, meanwhile, shared disappointment in Bolt's error but was happy that Blake won the big event. "I was always a Blake fan; he was always my athlete," said Donaldson, who was in New Kingston when the Observer spoke with her.

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Bittersweet moment for Jamaicans