Exceptional athletes, incredible performances
THE ISSA/GRACE-Kennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships did not serve up the nail-biting grand finale, as did its edition of the previous year. There was no cliffedge scenario leading up to the last race, which in 2017 had perennial rivals, Kingston College and Calabar locked in a struggle at the death, for the Mortimer Geddes Trophy - a slim three point margin seeing the Red Hills Road squad safely home.
On Saturday last, it was their seventh hold on the title on the trot. This time, the distance between the two was huge — 368.50 to 278 points. On the girls’ side, the space separating five-straighters Edwin Allen and second-placers, Holmwood was a more modest 326 to 287 points.
Whatever the five - day event lacked in end-to-end excitement was more than made up for by the performances of two athletes from rural Jamaica. Kevona Davis, the Edwin Allen standout, and Sachin Dennis of St Elizabeth Technical High with a similar label of qualit y, were supreme.
Davis’ sprint records as a first-year Class
Two athlete, of 11.16 (100m) and 22.72 (200m) at Champs 2018 were sensational, bringing back memories of the Veronica Campbell Brown era.
Bear in mind that the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games 200m champion was all of three years older then, than Davis presently is, with her world youth best at the shorter distance. The sheer magnificence of her two efforts should certainly deserve the term “the special one of track and field.”
Having said all this, the question remains as to how that which is now being seen from this young rising star can be nurtured and further developed to ensure the natural progression to heights of greatness. There are no guarantees. Already, so-called experts are talking about a challenging and improvement-restrictive body structure, which could shatter all the illustrious dreams which are being mentioned as if they are bound to reality.
Coach Michael Dyke, in a post-Champs interview, spoke about his plans to take care not to overwork the budding world beater, while she remains under his care.
As much as Dyke’s promises are respected, they do not tell the full story. It should not be left to the coach alone.
One hopes that an advisory team is assembled and efforts made to bring the Government on board to lend support to this athlete and others of that pedigree, who have demonstrated the ability to bring additional glory to and respect for this already blessed nation.
As Dyke, so appropriately said, “she is a national treasure”, and this column replicates the thought and adds, “so should she be appreciated.”
Dennis gave his fans a startling 10.20 in his 100m sprint to set a new record in Class Two. He has been noted for his nonappearance in events that could earn him national junior team selection. Stories circulated that his handlers were prepping him to go off and compete for a foreign nation. Although admitting hearing those rumours, his principal, Keith Wellington, in response, has dismissed them as untrue.
Instead, he cited cases where athletes who showed similar prowess at a young age went missing at the senior global level. That concern drove his people to restrict his race load to avoid the burnout of which many speak. On the face of it, that is a reasonable explanation, but it is hoped that it can withstand the stern test of time. Jamaica cannot afford to lose its most promising stars to oil-rich countries.
Davis and Dennis are only two of the ones for the future, who showed up at Champs 2018. There were many more as it is a pleasing part of the country’s culture and it is not an unfounded guess to say that the trend will continue.
Foster ’s Fairplay keeps asking that systems be put in place to prolong this model of excellence and take it to its rightful resting place at the top of the world. At this point in time, the nation should congratulate and commend the dedicated coaches who face great odds in bringing these athletes to the fore.
They need help and it ought to be afforded them.