Elton Tucker, Assistant Sports Editor

Assistant Sports Editor Elton Tucker will be off to Beijing, China, today to cover the Olympics. - File

It should be a sizzling summer for Jamaica's athletes at the National Olympic Stadium in Beijing, China, as the nation's stars go for gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Also known as the Bird Nest, the venue will witness some terrific performances by world 100 metres record holder Usain Bolt; former record holder Asafa Powell; new kid on the block, the fast-starting Shelly-Ann Fraser; defending 200-metre champion Veronica Campbell-Brown; national 100-metre champion Kerron Stewart; 2004 400-metre hurdles silver medal winner Danny McFarlane; World Championships decathlon silver medallist Maurice Smith; the fastest woman in the world in 2006 and now back to her best form, Sherone Simpson; world leader in the 400-metre hurdles, Melaine Walker; Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who is in top form in the 100m hurdles; and many others.

Medals won

Local sports fans will have a lot to cheer about. There is every indication that Jamaica will leave China on August 24 with a record haul of medals. The best, so far, was seven at the 2000 Games in Sydney. The conservative prediction for Beijing is 10.

In Sydney, eight years ago, there were no gold medals for Jamaica. Four years ago, in Athens, the tally was five, with two gold. Barring injury to key athletes, the island can win as many as six gold medals in China.

Bolt, Powell can take sprint relay

Bolt is my pick for the sprint double. He is the fastest man in the world over 100 metres and 200 metres this year. If he misses out in the 100 metre, there is every likelihood that Asafa Powell will be the Olympic champion.

With the two fastest men in history, Jamaica should also be the team to beat in the sprint relay. A national record is certain.

Among the women, Walker in the 400 metres hurdles and the 4x100 metres are the best bets for gold. Walker goes into the Games as the world leader in her event, while this year's sprint relay quartet has more quality than the one which bagged gold in 2004. The national record should also be beaten in the women's sprint relay.

There is also every chance that one of Jamaica's women will mine gold in the 100 metres. Only American Torri Edwards has gone faster than the Jamaica trio of Fraser, Stewart and Simpson.

Fraser is a real dark horse in the 100 metres. She will have American Lauryn Williams to contend with, but she has the speed and power to get home.

elton.tucker@gleanerjm.com