Title: SPRINTING INTO HISTORY - Jamaica and the 2008 Olympic Games

Author: Delano Franklyn

Publisher: Wilson Franklyn Barnes

Reviewer: A.W. Sangster

This interesting book, published by the firm of Wilson Franklyn Barnes, was launched at a special function on April 29, 2009, at the Mona Visitors' Lodge with a wide- ranging representation of the athletics and supporting fraternity. Ryland Campbell, in commenting on the book, noted that sprinting is a process and not a one-off event, but success comes with sustained effort.

The book of some 500 pages concentrates largely on the performance of the Jamaican athletes at the Beijing Olympics, though the first chapter - Winning Medals at the Olympic Games 1948-2008 - records the performances of the Jamaicans who, over the years, have won medals at the Olympic Games. The chapter highlights some of the special events of those years - the Helsinki relay and Herb McKenley's run and some of the medal winners. The book will add to the list of titles that have catalogued Jamaica's achievements in athletics.

It would be well to note the concerns expressed by JAAA President Howard Aris at the function who, while noting that the Beijing Games provided the best-ever medal haul, there could be no room for relaxation as in many of the in-between years there was a medal drought. The table of medals won (Table 4) covers all the years from 1948 to 2008. However, in the period of nine Olympiads - 1956 to 1988, in which Jamaica earned fewer than four medals - Jamaica won a total of 14 medals at an average of 1.6 medals per Olympiad, and in two cases - Tokyo and Melbourne - the country won none at all.

Chapter two gives an overview of the members of the team and their performance in Beijing, noting some of the highlights, the disappointment of Asafa Powell in the 100m in contrast to the unique clean medal sweep in the women's 100m.

chapters on usain

Chapters three, four and five are dedicated to Usain Bolt. They trace the early precocious youngster growing up in Sherwood Content in the hills of Trelawny, with a loving and caring mother, and a father who was not afraid to use the strap on an erring boy. The story lists a literal army of teachers, family members, coaches and advisers who saw in the young man great potential. But their efforts were often thwarted by bouts of indiscipline which often threatened the young man's career. Bouts of injury added to the question marks that hung over his career.

The switch of coach to the veteran Glen Mills represented a turning point in his career. For Mills recognised the potential of this irrepressible young man, but also had to deal with a number of weaknesses in fitness, strength and technique. In the three years that Glen Mills had charge of Usain Bolt, he successfully transformed a potential star to a triple Olympic champion, a multiple record holder and an international star. He had become a national treasure.

Chapter 6, The Critics and Drug Testing, is an analysis and response to the critics of Bolt and the other Jamaicans for their extraordinary performance in Beijing. The comments by Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Association, on Bolt are dismissed as misguided but highlight the point that Bolt and his management team will have to be prepared to expect criticism of their every action. The hypocritical insinuations of Carl Lewis that Jamaican athletes were drug cheats, while he himself was clearly one, is dismissed as being extremely condescending and disrespectful to the drug-testing programme that exists in Jamaica.

Chapter 7, Jamaican Athletes: Why they Run so Fast, examines some of the factors that are tending to make Jamaica the sprint capital of the world. Some of these factors are:

Boys and Girls' Champs is a national event with all the preparations that go into that event

The coaches who give time effort and commitment to the training of athletes

The MVP Club which, under the leadership of Stephen Francis, has come to a force to be reckoned with in Jamaican athletics

The assertiveness of Jamaicans

The influence of past athletes such as Herb McKenley, Dennis Johnson, Donald Quarrie, and more.

Food and Genetics. The fame of Trelawny yam has spread, and scientific tests are being carried out on various Jamaican foods and genetic make-up to see if there are any factors that could be a part of the making of the Jamaican sprint capital.

In chapter 8: Sport and Nation Building, the author addresses some important issues that are a part of the development of a wide- ranging sports programme. Institutions and facilities provide the support for the development and funding of sporting programmes throughout the length and breadth of the country.

There is a detailed table of Jamaica's women Olympic medalists as the author echoes the need for the establishment of an athletics museum.

The CHASE Fund established to fund sports has over the period 2006 to 2007 provided over $260 million to a variety of projects - fields, courts, facilities, institutional activities etc. (Appendix 3)

Franklyn uses his experience as an attorney and former minister of government to bring into focus aspects of national policy developed during his party's incumbency as the government of the country.

There are three other appendices which provide detailed information on relevant issues. These are:

Appendix 1: The Anti-Doping in Sports Act, 2008

Appendix 2: Jamaican Policy Against Doping in Sports (2005)

Appendix 4: National Sports Policy -1994, Ministry Paper No 17.

In Chapter 9. The Business of Athletics, the author points out that globalisation and the increased earning power of athletes are making a huge difference to the overall athletic scene.

The Athletes Return Home is the final chapter 10, with details of the various events that were staged at both the national and domestic levels to welcome home the victors of Beijing. The organisation of some of the events comes in for criticism, and the question of the funds expended is also questioned in a time of great austerity.

Bolt