Usain Bolt and the Making of Jamaica's Athletes
A Partial Explanation of the Athletic Prowess of Jamaican Sprinters
Sep 2, 2009
One of Jamaica’s favorite sons is Usain Bolt. If his wasn’t a household name from his record runs in the 2008 Beijing Olympics it surely is now. After smashing his own records in the 100-meter and 200-meter races at the 2009 IAAF Championship Berlin, Germany, he has booked a place in history.
The tiny island of Jamaica known for its sun, sand and Reggae has always been true to the Jamaican saying, “Little but Tallawah” meaning small but powerful. The island has produced some of the sporting world’s greatest stars, such as Merlene Ottey, Herb McKinley, Lennox Lewis, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell and of course Usain Bolt – the fastest man on earth.
Sports Day and the Making of a Champion
What is it about this tiny island that continues to produce such spectacular athletes? Research will show that many of our greatest athletes come from humble beginnings, from the rough ghettoes to the deep rural areas that even few Jamaicans know. One thing separates Jamaican athletes from others worldwide, their early interest in track and field nurtured through sports day activities.
As soon as children hit preschool also known as basic school, at age 3 they begin preparing for one of the school year’s most anticipated events, Sports Day. This normally one day event is looked forward to not only by the children but by their parents as well. Here children test their athletic skills against their schoolmates to see which ‘house’ will be victorious.
Usain Bolt and Champs
The tradition of sports day in Jamaica dates back many decades. After preschool and kindergarten, sports day continues into high school and even colleges and university. In fact, Jamaicans’ love of athletics is evident in the number of meets held each year culminating in the athletic event of the year, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championship. This is popularly called Boys and Girls Champs or just simply Champs.
Many of the island’s best athletes including Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell and Shelley-Ann Fraser first took center stage at Champs. In fact, it is at the National Stadium that these talented sportsmen and women are normally scrutinized most. These youngsters know that if they dazzle at Champs they stand a good chance of being selected to represent their country internationally. For many it is also an opportunity to get scholarships to universities overseas.
The History of Champs
Champs has been a fixture on Jamaica’s track and field calendar for 99 years. For the first 46 years only Boys Champs was held, however, in 1957 Girls Champs was born. After the Jamaican team’s impressive performance in Beijing in 2008 many journalists, visitors and coaches from across the globe could be seen in the stands taking in the exciting local event from April 1-4, 2009. They wanted a first hand look at how Jamaican youngsters display their skills at the National Stadium.
Champions such as Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell and Kerron Stewart all made their mark at Champs. Showcasing their speed and abilities on the track at the National Stadium is important to the development of Jamaica’s young athletic champions. Once they are noticed here, the sky is generally the limit after they are called upon to represent Jamaica in the International arena.
Champs is held during the first week of April every year at the National Stadium.
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