Veronica Campbell-Brown has the distinction of winning Jamaica’s first medal at the first ever IAAF World Youth Championships held in Poland in 1999.

She won the 100m in 11.49. Interestingly, Omar Brown, who would eventually marry her, won Jamaica’s second medal, finishing third in the 100m in 10.43. Jamaica’s love affair with these championships has continued ever since.

Lisa Sharpe was second in the 100m in 11.52, Melaine Walker was second in the 200m in 23.72, Patricia Hall was third in the 400m hurdles in 58.67 and Jamaica won both 4x100m relays. Interestingly, that was the first and only year the sprint relay was run. Two years later it was replaced by the Swedish relay (100, 200, 300 400m).

Kenya won the most medals (10) with five gold, with Russia second also on 10, but with four gold. Jamaica got an auspicious start finishing seventh overall with eight medals including three gold.

2001

Camile Robinson won the 400m hurdles in 58.72, Kerron Stewart took silver in the 100m in 11.72, Anneisha McLaughlin third in 400 at 53.35, Carlene Robinson third in 800m at 2:06.18, and Jermaine Gonzales won bronze in the 400m in 47.51.

Jamaica finished with six medals, five from the girls. Among them, only Stewart and McLaughlin are still competing, and only Stewart has won a medal at the Olympic or World Championships level.

The United States won with 15 medals including five gold.

2003

In 2003 only Usain Bolt won a medal on the male side, taking the 200m in 20.40, a championship record. McLaughlin won the 200m in 23.26 and Latoya Greaves was second in the 100m hurdles in 13.26 to Sally McLeggan (now Sally Pearson 13.42). These Championships also saw eventual senior international stars like Zuzana Hejnova (400mh), Agustin Choge (3,000m) and Jason Richardson (110m).

Jamaica won four medals, including silver in the medley relay for girls. The United States won with 14 medals, including six gold.

2005

That year was a bust in more ways than one. Overall, none of the winners, either male or female, has become a major star at the senior level. Jamaica won only three medals, all by the girls. Schillonie Calvert (11.44) won bronze in the 100m behind Bianca Knight (11.38), Latoya King was third in the 200m in 23.57, and Natasha Ruddock was second in the 100mh in 13.38.

The USA won with 13 medals, including six gold.

2007

Jamaica achieved great success in 2007. Dexter Lee won the 100m in 10.51 and Ramone McKenzie took the 200m in 20.67 with Nickel Ashmeade third in 20.76. Among the girls, Latoya McDermott was second in the 400m in 54.12 and Shermaine Williams was a close second in the 100mh in 13.48. Misha DaCosta took second in the high jump with 1.84m.

So far, of all the winners, boys or girls, only David Storl of Germany in the shot put, and Christian Taylor in the triple jump have broken out in the senior rank.

The United States won with 14 medals, including seven gold.

2009

Jamaica won only two medals, bronze by Travis Smikle in discus (61.22) and silver by Danielle Dowie in the 400mh in 58.62.

This was the year of Kirani James, who won the 200m (21.05) and the 400m in 45.24. So far he is the only one to have broken out in the senior ranks with a couple of the Kenyan middle-distance runners showing promise.

The United States did not finish on top of the medal table for the second time. They were displaced again by Kenya, who won 14 medals, including six gold. Ironically, the Americans won more medals than Kenya (16) and they also won six gold. However, Kenya won seven silver and the American six, therefore, Kenya topped the table by an extra silver medal.

2011

Jamaica stepped up big time winning eight individual medals, including four gold. Odail Todd won the 100m in 10.51 and silver in the 200m in 21.00. Fredrick Dacres won the discus with 67.05m, Chanice Porter won the long jump with 6.22m and was third in the high jump with 1.82m. Christiania Williams took bronze in the 100m in 11.63, Shericka Jackson bronze in the 200m in 23.62 and Olivia James third in the 400m in 52.14. Jamaica won the girls Swedish medley for the first time.

The United States returned to the top of the medals table with 16 medals, including six gold, Kenya were second with 14, including five gold. Jamaica achieved their best results ever with nine medals, including four gold and finished third overall.

2013

Jamaica outdid themselves, finishing on top of the medal table with eight medals, including six gold. Individually, Yanique Thompson takes pride of place being the first girl to run sub-13 in the 100m hurdles, posting a new World Youth best of 12.94. Jaheel Hyde also posted a new best with 13.12 in the 110m hurdles. Martin Manley ran an impressive 45.89 to win the 400m, while Marvin Williams took the 400m hurdles in 50.39, and Michael O’Hara took the 200m in 20.63. Jamaica also won medals in the high jump and 400m girls from Christoffe Bryan and Tiffany James, respectively.

Interestingly, three countries finished with more medals than Jamaica and two others finished with the same number. The United States finished fifth with 17 medals, but only two gold, Kenya were second with 11 medals, including four gold, China finished sixth with 11 medals, including two gold, Ethiopia were third with eight medals, including three gold, and Germany finished eighth with eight medals, including two gold.

Conclusion: This is not a good event to judge how good the athletes will do in the future. To date, only four Jamaican individual medallists have gone on to get an individual medal at the World Championships or Olympic games, Campbell-Brown, Walker, Stewart and Bolt.

Internationally, only a small percentage of the medallists have been able to get medals as seniors.

Of the record holders, only Bolt, Kirani James and Valrie Adams of New Zealand have gone on to be Olympic or World Champions.

Comments: earlbailey@hotmail.com