The Beijing 'Olympendence'!
published:
Sunday | August 10, 2008
Orville Taylor
Ni hao! What a spectacle! The Chinese certainly know how to put on a show. And they did. Of course, they are the inventors of gunpowder, although it was the Europeans who took it and made it into weapons, which they eventually used to conquer Asia. Still, nobody can beat this most populous country when it comes to fireworks and pageantry.
Having seen the proud return of our own street parade and Grand Gala last week, one could not help but feel a strong sense of patriotism after more than a decade of its absence. We had discarded our ethnic street parades and Grand Gala for the imported un-Jamaican carnival. Our gala was great, the armed forces marched in sync and our dancers and floats were a sight to behold. Yet, despite its colour and significance, it was child's play in comparison with the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
Beyond the pyrotechnics, the ceremony was a masterful display of technology and choreography. One presentation involved a large globe. Looking something like the Earth, it had acrobats running on the top, along the middle and on the bottom, defying laws of gravity like an embattled Jamaican politician. On the final lap of the torch relay, Olympic gymnastics gold medallist, Li Ning, leaning to the inside, ran horizontally along a tapestry for one full lap of the bird-nest-designed stadium. Of course, it was hidden strings that were being pulled to keep them from falling. I can think of at least one politician and several policemen who would love to learn to do that.
virtually perfect coordination
Very outstanding were the dance-type routines, where the coordination was virtually perfect and certainly, it did help that all the performers did indeed look alike. That level of similarity and consensus we only can hope for in a country such as ours, even though our motto says "Out of Many One People." But we try, and in the sea of 205 nations, this week, there is reason to be proud.
Doubtless, the Chinese are eons ahead of us in technology. In fact, they are so far advanced, it is already tomorrow in China. However, with a population of 1.3 billion compared to our 2.8 million and a GDP of US$3.3 trillion, which dwarfs our US$11 billion at the official exchange rate, it should be expected to eclipse our achievements.
Track-and-field athletics is the core of the Games. And it is here that the gold of the 'black, green and gold' shines brilliantly. China, with a fifth of the world's population, cannot field a relay team that can run as fast as our junior men's 4x100 team's 39.02 seconds. Our challenge comes from the United States, a country with a population more than a 100 times larger. On the female side, we have four of the six-fastest women this year, and our national finals in June produced the quickest female 100-metres race in history. Imagine, the defending world champion at 100 metres, Veronica Campbell-Brown, who would be a sure pick for a medal and a favourite to win, is only the fourth-fastest Jamaican woman this year.
Then of course there is the 'crowdoholic' Usain Bolt, and 'Afasta' Powell, the only men to run below 9.80 more than once; Powell having done it an incredible five times and Bolt twice. The Chinese might be able to duplicate a range of products and may even make the gear that they are wearing. However, on their abdominals, near their navels, you will find the trademark, 'Made in Jamaica'. That cannot be replicated by the Chinese.
The track should provide us some real medals this year. Doubtless, it is the men's 100 metres that is the most anticipated race. Punters predict that it should be between Bolt, Powell and American Tyson Gay. I can guarantee that the Yardmen will run their hearts out because none will want to play number two to Gay. We should go one-two.
expecting medals from females
Whichever three of the four women run, there is reason to expect at least two medals in the female race. Add to those the 'sure' podium finish of Veronica in the 200 metres, Bolt's favourite status in the absence of Gay in the men's equivalent, the growing invincibility of Melaine Walker in the 400 metres hurdles, and the ageless Danny McFarlane, and we are ready for the jewellery shop.
All four relays should medal and if our baton changes are decent, we should win both 4x100s. A fit Bridgitte Foster-Hylton could take it all in the sprint hurdles, or at least a minor medal. Decathlete Maurice Smith has only himself to beat and if he stays injury-free, he could win gold; and we should never count out the 400-metres trio of Novlene and Shericka Williams, and national champion Rosemarie 'Longy' Whyte. A dozen medals are well within our grasp. On a per capita basis, China cannot match that.
True, we are underrepresented in other sports because there are 28 and we are only competing in swimming, esquestrian and cycling. We are a naturally aggressive nation, so why don't we have a boxing delegation? Our undefeated Busta Fighters have not lost a martial arts tournament in three years and have won 24 in the USA, Europe, Latin America, Japan and yes, China! We could win medals in tae kwon do. With all the police and civilian shootings and the love affair with guns, shouldn't we have a shooting team as well?
Furthermore, we are an island with many rivers. How come our canoeists or yachtsmen do not make it?
We do so much with so little, Jamaica land we love. Good luck athletes! Proud to be Jamaican!
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at University of the West Indies, Mona. Feedback may be sent to orville.taylor@uwimona.edu.jm.
