As Jamaica enters into battle in the post-Usain Bolt era at the 17th edition of the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Head Coach Maurice Wilson believes this team is possibly the best one assembled of all time.

However, Wilson, who has been head coach of Jamaica’s World Championships teams since 2011, does not think this team will surpass the country’s record haul of 13 medals, inclusive of seven gold, mainly because of the searing heat in the Middle East State.

“This team, in my mind, is one of the most balanced teams that we have seen for a very long time. We are evenly spread in what I would say world-class performers — from the sprints, the jumps, the throws — and so I believe once we are able to replicate the sort of performances that we would have seen throughout the season, then we should do extremely well,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“Initially I had said that we would have got 13 medals, but having looked at the climate and so on, I will be very comfortable with anything over or close to 10 medals — but it is not impossible for us to get 13 medals,” he added.

At the inception of the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, in 1983, Bert Cameron struck gold in the 400m, but Jamaica could only muster two other medals in a silver and a bronze for a total of three.

Since then, Jamaica has grown in stature to be one of the leading countries, despite the island’s small size. Jamaican teams have garnered 32 gold, 44 silver and 39 bronze, for a total of 115 medals, and are ranked fifth in the world.

The United States of America lead with 155 gold and 352 medals overall, followed by Germany, Russia and Kenya.

Jamaica will be hoping to rebound from a poor 2017, where they gained four medals.

“I think a good start is important because normally we would have got a good start in the early days from our sprinters. The 100m final is normally one of the first individual finals and I think that this year will be one of those years. So, the platform will be set for greater performances to come,” said Wilson.

It is left to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who will be hunting her fourth 100m title, and Olympic Games 100m champion Elaine Thompson, seeking her first, along with sprinter Yohan Blake, to get things rolling for Jamaica.

“But overall it’s a group of youngsters, and we are showing that we are a track and field power spreading over most of the events, and it is a good platform for Jamaica’s track and field,” Wilson noted.

“I am indeed very happy with what I have seen so far and very encouraged, very motivated; and I think the team feel the same way and they know they have a commitment to our Jamaican people, so I expect for us to do very well,” he ended.

—Howard Walker