As the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games beckon, preparations are getting into high gear for Jamaican athletes who will be competing in what is commonly referred to as the “Friendly Games”.

The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) held a press conference earlier this week to name all the athletes from the different sporting disciplines that would be representing Jamaica in the largest multi-sport event outside of the Olympic Games.

In the sport of track and field specifically, a number of familiar names were not on the list, such as the retiree legend Usain Bolt, as well as stalwarts such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Asafa Powell.

Fraser-Pryce has not yet returned to full fitness since giving birth last year, while Campbell Brown has not raced much this season. Powell was recently injured and so he, too, was ineligible for selection.

But there is a new generation of athletes who are set to make their mark on the world and they will be given the perfect platform to do so. Athletes such as sprinter Julian Forte, who many believe is on the cusp of a major breakthrough, Nigel Ellis, formerly of St Elizabeth Technical, quarter-miler Demish Gaye, hurdler Jaheel Hyde and schoolboy Dejour Russell.

Yohan Blake continues to carry the mantle handed to him by Bolt and is expected to lead the “new generation”. Shot put gold medallist from four years ago O’Dayne Richards will be hoping to climb back to the top of the podium once more.

Christania Williams, Shasha Lee Forbes, Natasha Morrison, along with Jamaica’s new sprint queen Elaine Thompson, will be the female speedsters on the track blazing a new path along with the returning veteran Sherone Simpson.

The 400m hurdlers Ristananna Tracey, Janieve Russell and Rhonda White have shown that they are top-class athletes and they, too, are expected to do well in Australia.

Garth Gayle, the director of Commonwealth Games for Jamaica and general secretary for the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) is expecting another strong showing by the Jamaican track and field athletes at the Games.

“That is for sure, we are having high expectations, we always do of our athletes. Our athletes continue to be the shining and the leading ambassadors for sports in Jamaica. We know that this time around they will deliver because many of these athletes will be once again wearing the national colours at the Gold Coast and we are expecting them to do exceptionally well,” he said.

Gayle also noted that things are changing for Jamaica and it will not be as easy in Australia as people might think.

“There has been a changing of the guard in several disciplines in track and field and we anticipate that the young ones will be coming up with their newness and with a level of zeal to do well. But let me state this, it’s not going to be easy, not because the Europeans and the Americans won’t be there,” he noted

Gayle listed the hosts, as well as Canada and Kenya, as real threats to Jamaica’s possible dominance at the games.

“We do have strong competition in some of the disciplines from the hosts Australia, the Canadians… Kenya will also be there. Let me point out that Kenya topped the last Commonwealth Games Athletics medal table (as) they beat us by one gold medal. So, we do have excellent competition that will be on show at the Gold Coast. But Jamaica always rises and I expect nothing less than our athletes rising to the occasion and doing us proud,” he stated.

The Commonwealth Games begins on April 4 with the opening ceremony, and ends on April 15.

— Dwayne Richards