The Observer sought the opinion of Arnold Betram, noted sports historian and author of a recent book which chronicles the history and development of the country’s now legendary status in sprining about his thoughts on the 14th World Championships which recently concluded in Moscow, Russia.

OBSERVER: What in your opinion were Jamaica’s most outstanding achievements at the recently held IAAF World Championships?

AB: Before the start of the World Championships, the stories of positive drug tests by leading athletes had cast a shadow over the Games, and there was considerable doubt as to whether these Championships would be a success. It was to Usain Bolt and the Jamaican team that the IAAF turned to save the Games. Once again the schedule was arranged to ensure that the events in which Bolt participated were the final events of the day, and on the days that he was scheduled to perform the attendance peaked.

History provides instances of athletes carrying the hopes and aspirations of their countries by their performance in a particular sport. In cricket, Bradman for Australia and Headley for the West Indies come to mind. However the extent to which Bolt has carrying global track and field athletics since 2008 has no precedent. His interaction with the crowd together with his and Shelly-Ann’s successes on the track were the major contributing factor to whatever degree of success the Games achieved.

OBSERVER: Who were the other outstanding athletes for Jamaica?

AB: The arrival of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as Jamaica’s most dynamic ambassador was as important as her phenomenal success on the track. Where Bolt was the ‘king’, she was certainly the ‘queen’. She justified her selection as team captain and her conversations with the Jamaican public through the media throughout the Games identified sponsors, family, church and the Jamaican people into one extended track and field family. I hope it won’t be long before she is officially confirmed in the ambassadorial role she plays so well for Jamaica.

OBSERVER: Do you think Jamaica retained its superpower status?

AB: Definitely. In the four sprint races – 100 & 200 (men and women), the Jamaicans accounted for 10 out of 32 finalists, and won all 4 gold medals. When you add the 2 gold medals in the sprint relays, it reflects a level of dominance that would have exceeded all expectations.

OBSERVER: What were some of the other great moments for Jamaica?

AB: Jevon Francis’ 44 sec in the men’s 4×400 relay to give Jamaica the silver medal ranks with McKenley’s 44.6 in Helsinki as two of the greatest relay legs ever run by Jamaicans. Of the newcomers – Kimberley Williams (triple Jump) and Stephanie McPherson’s sub-50sec 400m were the most impressive.

OBSERVER: Looking ahead, what are your thoughts?

AB: The renewal process among the men is alive and well with Kemar Bailey-Cole, Warren Weir, Jason Young and Nikel Ashmeade ready and waiting. However, among the women the situation is not as comforting. Not one new world-class female sprinter has emerged since 2008. In my view, the major contributing factor is that the mentoring roles played by Carl March, Noel White, Howard Jackson, Keith Noel, Pat Anderson, Charlie Fuller, Neville Myton, Bradford Gayle and Ben Francis in the successes of our most successful female athletes is no longer a part of our track and field athletics. Among our women mentoring is as important as coaching and while the technical coaching continues to be of a high standard, the super mentors mentioned earlier are not being replaced.

OBSERVER: Can Jamaica extend its area of dominance in world class athletics?

AB: Jamaica should set its sights on achieving the same level of dominance in the sprint hurdles…after all, the rhythm, speed and coordination comes naturally. At the championships, our two top male hurdlers – Hansle Parchment and Andrew Riley – were right up there with the leaders when they suffered a mishap in their respective races. Yanique Thompson of Holmwood is the outstanding junior female hurdler this year, having established a new record for the event at the World Youth Championships. Jaheel Hyde of Wolmers also leads in this event after recording an outstanding win over the Americans at the World Youth Championships. The depth of Jamaica’s talent in this event is reflected in the fact that Hyde lost to Michael O’Hara of Calabar at Champs. At both Boys & Girls Champs, the number of entries for hurdles continues to increase, and there are winners from an increasing number of schools. However, to dominate the world we need more specialist hurdles coaches at the national level.

OBSERVER: How can Jamaican society benefit more from the success of its athletes?

AB: We need to do more to project our successful athletes as role models. Not enough is being said to make the co-relation between their investment of time and effort with the success they have achieved. More private sector companies need to follow Grace Kennedy’s lead in this regard. Far too much publicity is being given to young people whose record of crime and anti-social behaviour should make them persons to be more avoided than projected. In a country where the official statistics tell us that there are some 500,000 young people between the ages of 14-29 who are “neither working nor looking for work”, and who are responsible for 75 per cent of the homicides, our successful young athletes could be incorporated in a programme that would help our unattached youth to listen to the better angels of their nature.

OBSERVER: Final word?

AB: The West Indies dominated test cricket for 15 years – the longest period of dominance in any team sport. At the end of the period, Carribbean entrepreneurs had not used the opportunity to create a globally competitive product. We cannot allow Jamaica’s superpower status in sprinting to pass without finding creative ways of integrating this success in the national economy.

Arnold Bertram is the author of “The Making of a Sprinting Superpower – Jamaica on the Track”

Email address: redev.atb@gmail.com