BY COREY ROBINSON

Sunday Observer staff reporter

robinsonc@jamaicaobserver.com

HALF-Way-Tree, St Andrew erupted in a cacophony of sound as Jamaicans celebrated victory and a new world record by the men’s 4×100 metre relay team yesterday.

The coup brought the curtains down on Jamaican’s participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games, and secured the last of Jamaica’s 12 Olympic medals; four gold, four silver, and four bronze.

Whistles, vuvuzelas, car horns, screams, and clanging pot covers pushed the decibels to ear-splitting levels as sprint legend Usain Bolt anchored his team, consisting of fast starter Nesta Carter, veteran Michael Frater on the second leg, and sprint sensation Yohan Blake — to a record 36.84 second victory.

The time shattered the previous record of 37.10 seconds also set by the Jamaican team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.

Some persons cried, others looked on in awe, but the majority danced, jumped, and shook those beside them in celebration.

As has been the case since the start of the Olympics, when the jumbo-screens in the square started streaming the live feed from London during key races — the excitement brought traffic to a standstill, but most motorists seemed unperturbed. Many left their vehicles to catch a glance of the athletes’ victory lap on the two huge screens.

“Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Jamaica to the world!” shouted Hyacinth Soares, a middle-aged Omara Road resident armed with two pot covers, which she clanged repeatedly.

“I feel great to be a Jamaican, I am so proud. Jamaica, number one!” screamed Pamela White from White Marl, Spanish Town, St Catherine. “It was expected, I knew we were going to do well; I told them (other supporters). We are always proud of Jamaicans; they are always putting out the best,” she continued, bursting into another round of celebrations as a replay of the race came on.

Nadine Christie, a Jamaican-born Canadian clung to her nine-month-old baby, Paige Moulton, with one hand as she jumped in the air with excitement following the race. Christie and ten of her relatives ventured from the North American country to participate in Jamaica’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations, the festivities in Half-Way-Tree included, she noted.

“I am just so happy, I am so happy for my country,” said Christie, breathing heavily. “I couldn’t miss this for the world.”

The men’s relay followed a third place finish by Jamaica’s female athletes in the 4×400 metre relays, which saw supporters converging on the Half-Way-Tree from as early as 2:00 pm. Even before that race, jubilation filled the air as spectators prepared for an exciting evening.

The female team comprised members: Chritsine Day, Rosemarie Whyte, Shericka Williams and Novelene Williams-Mills, whose bronze medal did not dampen spectators’ spirits.

“It is remarkable! For them (ladies) to even come out and medal in that race, I am very happy with it. I am proud of them; every one of them,” said a beaming Bruce Donaldson.

“We got a medal; whether bronze, gold or silver, we still comfortable with that. The girls dem run good, I’m proud of them,” interjected ‘Plumber’, a taxi operator on the Half-Way-Tree to Papine route. Plummer was disappointed that the Jamaica men’s 4×400 team did not qualify for the finals due to injury. But consoled himself with, “a so dem things deh guh.”

In the meantime, Fiona Godfrey, who migrated from Ireland to Jamaica more than 20 years ago, said the athletes’ performance at this year’s games was testament to Jamaica’s strengths.

“Jamaica is an amazing country and we have the ability to produce top stars, the best in all fields, if we all come together and aim for the stars,” she said.

Captions 0992:

Sandra Richards, a Half-Way-Tree vendor, takes to a ‘bike back’ as she clangs pot covers in celebration of Jamaica’s victory and world record in the men’s 4×100 metre relays, yesterday.

Captions 0998:

Fiona Godfrey, who migrated to Jamaica from Ireland more than 20 years ago, waves a Jamaica flag amidst a crowd of supporters who yesterday filled the intersection of Constant Spring Road and South Odeon Avenue in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew, to watch the men’s 4×100 metre and women’s 4×400 metre relay finals.

Captions 0945:

Hyacinth Soares raises her pot covers to the heavens as she claps them together in celebration of the men’s 4×100 metre relay victory and world record yesterday. (Photos: Jermaine Barnaby)