As the euphoria from another extraordinary athletics saga, the Rio Olympics, dissipates, we turn our attention to the future.

Some level of uncertainty will understandably arise among Jamaicans and well-wishers as to our future prospects because it is quite clear that we are beginning the inevitable process of transition from the golden generation of athletes, with father time beckoning.

Their spectacular performances, from 2004, have left an unforgettable impact on world athletics, especially in the sprints, lighting up the Olympics and World Championships well beyond what the size of our country and population would suggest.

Already the incomparable Mr Usain Bolt has indicated that he will be doing only the 100 metres and probably the 4×100 metres at next year’s World Championships in London.

Naturally, our two principal stars who inspired the golden generation, Mr Bolt and Mrs Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, are the main concern, as Jamaicans ponder their likely successors and the probable fallout in our future fortunes.

Although Mrs Fraser-Pryce has not indicated any inclination to hang up her spikes, and despite her courageous performances, notwithstanding an injured toe, the worry over whether she is still capable of reproducing her fine form which has endeared her to us is understandable, even after embracing the new sprint queen Miss Elaine Thompson.

Yet, as we contemplate the future of our athletics journey, we, thankfully, have reason to keep the faith. We need only look at the promising performances of our outstanding crop of young athletes, a number of whom made their Olympic debut in Rio.

We refer, for example to gold medallist Mr Omar McLeod, other hurdlers, our quarter-milers, both men and women, who already promise a bright future of Jamaican excellence.

We also note, with mounting appreciation, the welcome stirrings of Jamaica moving into the hitherto ignored territory of non-traditional events, reflecting what we see as perhaps a belated evolution of a fitting superstructure on the base of our solid track tradition, nurtured especially through Boys’ and Girls’ Championships.

Additionally, Jamaica, for the first time, was able to parade diver Mr Yona Knight-Wisdom and gymnast Miss Toni-Ann Williams. They did not win medals, but we believe their pioneering venture will inspire Jamaicans to emulate them.

We also note the fact that they spring from our Diaspora, which excites us about the future involvement of athletes from Jamaica’s evolving status as a nation without borders, in much the same way as we have seen them in other sports, notably soccer.

When we reflect on the myriad infrastructure — from institutions starting from the primary and prep school level through to colleges and universities, as well as the coaches and medical personnel who have been at the heart of our wonderful athletics success story — we cannot but be optimistic about the future.

Jamaicans worried about the future need only reassess our history as world beaters, as we continue to learn from our experiences and build on our successes. Truth be told, we have reaped far more from our athletics than what we have sown.

Our experienced and savvy leader of the technical team in Rio, Mr Maurice Wilson, understands this well. In post-Olympics comments he advises that we continue to build and invest in the athletics programme, saying simply but profoundly: “We cannot sit back.”