Dear Editor,

We have just seen in the past two weeks what must have been one of the, if not the greatest performances by a Jamaican team at a sporting event.

Now the world has grown to expect phenomenal performances from our athletes, and by the same token the world has come to expect only the “bridesmaid” status from our netballers, destined never to be a bride. So entrenched has been that expectation that I, myself, having said a silent prayer for them, forgot to listen to, or look out for, the live showing of the encounter.

So, imagine my joy when being driven to work this morning, I came upon the news of our victory over England in their “backyard”. My reaction was so loud that I suspect passing motorists must have felt I’d been stung by a wasp. To me, notwithstanding the tremendous achievements of our gold medal winners, Jamaicans have a reputation for “marking hard”. So, now we are more likely to be seething when our expectant gold medallist does not achieve our grade. But our hearts soar when the unexpected medal is produced.

So this “third place”, to me, was the greatest achievement by my country at the Glasgow Games as it embodied all the attributes of a sports champion — belief in self, refusal to accept loss, the determination to win and, most importantly, never to waver from that purpose though the heavens may fall. All this makes this ‘victory’, under unfamiliar conditions, the sweetest victory that

they have ever given to themselves and their country.

On behalf of all Jamaicans everywhere, I say, thank you, Sunshine Girls, may your sun never set.

Howard Hamilton, CD,

QC, JP

Duke Street

Kingston