It’s uncanny that just when the country needed a boost on the international stage, especially after the theatrics involving security and politics, and the negative publicity that subsequently followed in the international media, the cathartic power of sport has again come to the fore.

And as it has been the case for the longest while, track and field has been Jamaica’s saving grace, stealing the spotlight over the past week in the fledgling form of Dexter Lee, who executed an heroic performance in snatching the 100-metre gold medal on Wednesday at the 13th IAAF World Junior Championships being held in Moncton, Canada.

Jamaica’s status as a world force in the sport of athletics has long been established — ever since the 1948 London Olympics when we garnered our first gold medal in the form of Mr Arthur Wint — and wonderfully perpetuated four years later at Helsinki with Messrs Wint, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden and Leslie Laing establishing a solid platform for the new stars like Mr Usain Bolt, Mrs Veronica Campbell Brown, Miss Shelly Ann Fraser and Miss Melaine Walker to shine.

However, as legendary as our performance has been over the years, it should by no means be taken for granted. For, it takes a special kind of individual to shine when it matters most, and moreso when one has been tagged as favourite in his or her respective events — as Mr Lee was leading up to the meet in Canada — and when the lights of the international media is solidly trained on you.

In winning the short dash at successive championships, Mr Lee has again proved that he is one for the big occasion, and that he has the mental strength and psychological wherewithal to ensure longevity and success in the sport.

While we note that there is a big difference between breaking records and winning medals, with Mr Bolt being one of the athletes who has managed to bestride both areas, Mr Lee is proving to be a master tactician when it comes to winning at big meets.

It is also noteworthy that Mr Lee is now in the same camp as the darling of local track and field, Mrs Campbell Brown. This is obviously a master move by his handlers who were also responsible for his early foray into the professional arena, and in the process, foregoing his final year at Boys’ Champs.

As the athletic aficionado will always declare, it matters not how many records one breaks during one’s career; what one will ultimately be judged by is his or her achievement at the world level. For, while records will come and go, a gold medal at this lofty level will not only be a lasting legacy, but also a testimony to true greatness.

At this juncture, this space also acknowledges the feats of Messrs Jermaine Gonzales and Yohan Blake in achieving personal milestones on the Grand Prix circuit two days ago.

Mr Gonzales virtually blazed the track in racing to a new Jamaica 400 metres record of 44.40 seconds in Monaco, Monte Carlo, while Mr Blake, who is still not yet 20 years old, chased Mr Tyson Gay to the wire to become the second fastest Jamaican over 200 metres with a fascinating run of 19.78 seconds.

The implications of this triple treat for Jamaican athletics is undoubtedly a positive one. While it is a manifestation of our continued status as giants on the world athletic stage, it also augurs well for a nation that is only too familiar with financial and economic hardships, and which is determined to prove to all and sundry how tenacious Jamaicans can really be.