The ‘other’ Jamaicans
Mention the Olympic Games to the average Jamaican sports fans and they immediately think track and field, and for good reason.
Jamaican athletes have won 67 medals in 23 summer Olympic Games starting in London in 1948 through to London four years ago, with the exception of 1960 in Rome when they were part of the British West Indies Federation.
Sixty-six of those medals have come in track and field where Jamaica have entered 244 athletes, 141 men and 102 women winning 17 gold, 30 silver and 19 bronze.
The lone medal away from track and field medal came in 1980 when cyclist, David Weller won a bronze in the Men’s 1000m Time Trials.
Merlene Ottey has won the most medals with nine, three silver and six bronze while Usain Bolt has six medals, all gold from his two previous Games.
Between 1948 and 2012 Jamaica, however, has had at least one representative in 16 sports and 89 distinct events in 16 Summer Games in 13 countries, a total of 331 athletes — 218 men and 112 women.
Swimmer Belinda Phillips was youngest at 13 years 361 days in Munich, Germany in 1972 to represent Jamaica at a summer Olympics while Michael Keith Nunes who took part in sailing was 54 years 214 days also in Munich.
Apart from track and field, boxing has supplied the next highest number of Olympians with 21 including former world champions Mike McCallum, the late Trevor Berbick and Alex Stewart who fought Mike Tyson, George Foreman and Evander Holyfield.
Cycling is next in line with 17 Olympians, while swimming and sailing are tied for 12 each.
Listed below are the ‘other’ Olympians who have represented Jamaica since 1948.
Badminton – 1
Nigella Saunders – 2004
Boxing: 21
Ray Edwards – 1948, Johnny Elliot – 1964, Ronald Holmes – 1964, Kenneth Campbell – 1968, Errol West -1968, Oliver Wright – 1968/1972, Trevor Berbick – 1976, Mike McCallum – 1976, Clarence Robinson – 1976, Dwight Frazer – 1984, Anthony Rose – 1984, Alex Stewart, Terry Dixon – 1988, Richard Hamilton – 1988, Mark Kennedy -1988, Gary Smikle – 1988, St Aubyn Hines – 1992, Delroy Leslie -1992, Sean Black -1996, Rowan Donaldson -1996, Tyson Gray 1996
Cycling: 17
Road Race – 1972 – Xavier Mirander, Michael Lecky, Radcliffe Lawrence, Howard Fenton; 1976 – Errol Walters; 1980 – Peter Aldridge; 1984 – Lorenzo Murdoch, Arthur Tenn, 1988 – Arthur Tenn, Raymond Thomas, 1992 – Arthur Tenn, Michael McKay
Men’s Sprint – 1952 – Ken Farnum, 1972- Maurice Hugh-Sam, Honson Chin; 1976 – Xavier Mirander, 1984 – Ian Stanley, 1992 – Andrew Myers
Men’s 1000m Time Trials- 1952- Ken Farnum; 1972- Howard Fenton; 1976/1980/1984- David Weller; 1992- Andrew Myers
Men’s Keirin – 2008- Ricardo Lynch
Men’s Tandem Sprint 2000m – 1972 Howard Fenton and Honson Chin
Men’s individual Pursuit – 1972 Michael Lecky
Men’s team pursuit – 1972- Radcliff Lawrence, Howard Fenton, Maurice Hugh-Sam, Michael Lecky
Men’s points race- 1984 – Ian Stanley, Peter Aldridge, 1988 – Peter Aldridge
Diving: 1
Betsy Sullivan- 16 years old 1972
Equestrian: 1
Samantha Albert 2008 and 2012- Mixed three day eventing
Sailing: 12
Mixed two-person heavyweight dinghy 1968 – Michael Anthony Nunes and William Plant
Mixed Three Person Keelboat – 1964/1968 Steven Henriques, Charles Ogilvie, Barton – Kirkconnell, Earl TaylorDawn Marie Kobayashi in 2004 Women’s air rifle 10m, Tony Bridge 1964 – Men’s free pistol 50mMen’s 50m free – Sion Brinn 1996; Jevon Atkinson 2004/2008Men’s 100m free – Paul Nash 1964 – Gordon Scarlett/Deryk Marks- 1984, Sion Brinn – 1996Men’s 4x100m free – 1984 Gordon Scarlett, Allan Marsh, Deryk Marks, Andrew PhillipsMen’s 100m/200m backstroke – 1984 Allan MarshMen’s 100m butterfly – 1984 Allan Marsh, Deryk MarksMen’s 200m Individual medley – 1984 Andrew Phillips (6th)Men’s 400m Individual Medley – 1984 Andrew PhillipsMen’s 4x100m medley relays 1984 – Gordon Scarlett, Allan Marsh, Deryk Marks, and Andrew PhillipsWomen’s 50m freestyle – 2000 Angella Chuck, 2004 – Alia Atkinson, 2008 Natasha Moodie, 2012 – Alia AtkinsonWomen’s 100m freestyle- 2004 Angella ChuckWomen’s 200m freestyle- 1972 Belinda Phillips, 2004 Janelle AtkinsonWomen’s 400m freestyle 1972- Belinda Phillips, 2000- Janelle Atkinson (4th), 2004 Janelle AtkinsonWomen’s 800m freestyle- 1972 Belinda Phillips, 2004- Janelle AtkinsonWomen’s 100m breaststroke- 2004 Alia Atkinson, 2012 Alia Atkinson (4th)Women’s 200m breaststroke – 2008 Alia Atkinson, 2012 Alia AtkinsonMen’s doubles – 1996- Michael Hyatt and Stephen Hylton2000 Iona Wynter1948 – Simon Williams Featherweight1948 – George Espeut Lightweight1968 – Cedric Demetris- light-heavyweight1984 – Calvin Stamp- heavyweight (9th)1988 – Calvin Stamp- Super-heavyweight (11th)
Mixed Three Person Keelboat – 1964/1968 Steven Henriques, Charles Ogilvie, Barton – Kirkconnell, Earl Taylor
Shooting: 2
Dawn Marie Kobayashi in 2004 Women’s air rifle 10m, Tony Bridge 1964 – Men’s free pistol 50m
Swimming: 12
Men’s 50m free – Sion Brinn 1996; Jevon Atkinson 2004/2008
Men’s 100m free – Paul Nash 1964 – Gordon Scarlett/Deryk Marks- 1984, Sion Brinn – 1996
Men’s 4x100m free – 1984 Gordon Scarlett, Allan Marsh, Deryk Marks, Andrew Phillips
Men’s 100m/200m backstroke – 1984 Allan Marsh
Men’s 100m butterfly – 1984 Allan Marsh, Deryk Marks
Men’s 200m Individual medley – 1984 Andrew Phillips (6th)
Men’s 400m Individual Medley – 1984 Andrew Phillips
Men’s 4x100m medley relays 1984 – Gordon Scarlett, Allan Marsh, Deryk Marks, and Andrew Phillips
Women’s 50m freestyle – 2000 Angella Chuck, 2004 – Alia Atkinson, 2008 Natasha Moodie, 2012 – Alia Atkinson
Women’s 100m freestyle- 2004 Angella Chuck
Women’s 200m freestyle- 1972 Belinda Phillips, 2004 Janelle Atkinson
Women’s 400m freestyle 1972- Belinda Phillips, 2000- Janelle Atkinson (4th), 2004 Janelle Atkinson
Women’s 800m freestyle- 1972 Belinda Phillips, 2004- Janelle Atkinson
Women’s 100m breaststroke- 2004 Alia Atkinson, 2012 Alia Atkinson (4th)
Women’s 200m breaststroke – 2008 Alia Atkinson, 2012 Alia Atkinson
Table Tennis: 3
Men’s singles 1988 Garfield Jones, 1992 Michael Hyatt, 1996- Stephen Hylton, 1996 Michael Hyatt
Men’s doubles – 1996- Michael Hyatt and Stephen Hylton
Taekwondo
2012 Kenneth Edwards
Triathlon
2000 Iona Wynter
Weightlifting 4
1948 – Simon Williams Featherweight
1948 – George Espeut Lightweight
1968 – Cedric Demetris- light-heavyweight
1984 – Calvin Stamp- heavyweight (9th)
1988 – Calvin Stamp- Super-heavyweight (11th)