JAMAICA'S PERFORMANCE at the 11th IAAF World Championships remains the big talking point on most people's lips.

In many of these discussions, many question Asafa Powell's failure to win the men's 100m and the coaches' decisions not to use Danny McFarlane and Aleen Bailey on the men's 4x400m and women's 4x100m relays, respectively.

While many observers and so-called experts don't care to know what was going on behind the scenes, they make their accusations based on what was seen on the track.

The Jamaica Amateur Ath-letics Association (JAAA) sent coaches Raymond 'KC' Graham, Maurice Wilson, Fitz Coleman, Michael Clarke, Bertland Cameron and Glen Mills - all reporting to technical leader Donald Quarrie - to the Championships.

All these men worked tirelessly with the athletes during that three-week period and, in the end, received little or no respect from the public and even some of the athletes themselves.

One of these coaches, who shall remain nameless, was verbally abused by a top athlete on the penultimate day of the nine-day Championships in Osaka, Japan. In the men's 4x400m final, the quartet of Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, Leford Green and Sanjay Ayre finished fourth in 3:00.76, behind the United States (2:55.56), the Bahamas (2:59.18) and Poland (3:00.05). Many believe Ayre should not have run.

In the relay heats, Ayre, who suffered cramps in the 400m quarter-finals, was the best runner. While it was said that some people the Jamaica camp wanted coach Cameron and technical leader Quarrie to replace Green with McFarlane, Green was the best performer in the final.

Decision of coaches

This decision, in my opinion, was the best move by the coaches, especially since McFarlane had earlierindicated that this would be his last year representing Jamaica and Green is the future.

In the women's sprint relay final, Graham, with advice from Quarrie, decided they would only replace Shelley-Ann Fraser with Veronica Campbell to run with Sheri-Ann Brooks, Kerron Stewart and Simone Facey. However, the coaching staff was criticised for not using Bailey. All of the 4x100m final team finished ahead of Bailey at the National Championships in June. While the injection of Bailey could have proven a good move, it also could have failed and seen the coaches criticised even more.

I honestly don't think, Bailey or no Bailey, Jamaica could have beaten that U.S. team, which included four girls, Lauryn Williams (11.01 season best), Allyson Felix (11.01), Mikele Barber (11.02) and Torri Edwards (10.90), who have run under 11.02. The U.S.'s third-place finisher in the 100m final, Carmelita Jeter, could not even make their team!

As for Jamaica, only Campbell has a faster time than these athletes (10.89).

All I am saying is, the coaches made their decisions ... let's move on to 2008 - the year of the Olympics.

And for all those who are still talking, while the athletes will benefit big time (the second-place relay teams will get US$40,000, third US$20,000 and fourth US$16,000), I am sure the coaches who made the decisions as to who runs will not get a cent of that money.

Feedback: anthony.foster@gleanerjm.com