Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
Members of the Jamaica Defence Force watch the Olympics women's 4X100 relay in Beijing from the Jamaica Defence Force canteen at Up Park Camp, St Andrew, yesterday.

Michelle-Ann Letman, Staff Reporter

AS THE curtains come down on the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China, members of the Jamaican Defence Force (JDF) yesterday morning gathered around a television set in a canteen at Up Park Camp to watch Jamaica's men's and women's 4x400 relay teams strive for additional medals

When the women's 4x400 metre relay team hit the track, the soldiers sat quietly and focused on the television screen, beating the tables every now and then to cheer on the team.

The running order of the team was individual silver medallist, Shericka Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Rosemarie Whyte and Novlene Williams.

Biggest medal haul

Novlene Williams crossed the finish line to come third, behind the United States and Russia, adding Jamaica's 11th medal at the games, the biggest medal haul for Jamaica in Olympic history. The athletes racked up six gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze.

With the United States team as the favourites to win, the general sentiment among the military group was that the girls did their best and did not disappoint.

"The girls did their best. It is the bronze I was expecting, because it was the US team everybody expected to win," said Lance Corporal Kevin Forbes, when Jamaica came across the finish line.

Oneil Hibbert, though not disappointed, suggested that the team could have done better if they had had a stronger individual athletes

"I think if they took someone from the 200, we could have had a better team, and they may have won the race," he said.

Jamaica's men's 4x400 relay team with Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, Sanjay Ayre and Lansford Spence finished eighth. The US team won and The Bahamas walked away with the silver medal ahead of Russia, who finished third.

Commended efforts

Although the soldiers hoped the men could have medaled, they commended them for their efforts and expressed appreciation for all the athletes who competed.

In a message on the JDF website, Major General Stewart Saunders, chief of defence staff, extends his heartiest congratulations to Usain Bolt and the entire Jamaican Olympic team for their outstanding record-breaking performances in Beijing.

"The entire nation is proud of your tremendous contribution in raising the status of Jamaica internationally, and we stand in salute of you all," the message said in part.

In an article carried on A2 of yesterday’s Sunday Gleaner, it was stated that members of the Jamaica Defence Force had gathered around television sets at Up Park Camp to watch the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams perform at the Olympics. It must be noted that those gathered to watch the races were members of the JDF Reserve. Regular JDF soldiers remained on duty throughout the Games.