19th Century Dreamers
Jamaica has been called that Sprinters and Dreamers of the 19th and 20th Century. This goes back to 1910 when the high school we know call Champs made a great contribution to athletics. Douglas Manley who was ran track and field for Munro College in Jamaica. Douglas ran against Herb McKenley of Calabar High School and Leroy “Coco” Brown of Wolmer’s Boys School Championship in 1941. Jamaica has been call the Land of Sprinters and Dreamers since 1948. During the 1948 Olympics, Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley 1-2 in the 400-meter race. Then they came in second and fourth in the 800-meter race.
Arthur Stanley Wint OD MBE was the first Jamaican Olympic gold medalist
On the July 7, 1948 in Milwaukee, Herbert McKenley won the 400 meter in 45.9sec. In the London, It Arthur Wint that won the 400 meter race. Arthur also won silver in the 800 meter. Two years later another Jamaican Geroge Rhoden a new world record 400m with 45.8sec.
In 1952 Geroge Rhoden won the 400-meter race and Herb McKenley was second. In 1968 Lennox Miller won the silver medal in the 100-meter race and the bronze in the 1972 Olympics. His daughter Inger Miller won gold. They were the first father and daughter to compete in the same Olympics even though she ran for the USA. In addition to adding Leslie Laing, who shock the world by not only winning the 4X400M relay but setting a world record of 3:03.9s.
1976 Montreal Olympic
In 1976 Donald Quarrie first Olympic medals came in the 1976 Montreal Olympic. Overall, Donald Quarrie competed in five Olympic Games and won 4 medals. He won 1 gold and 1 bronze medal in the 200m. He also won 1 silver in the 100m and another in the 4x100m. Bertland Cameron was a member of Jamaica’s 4×400 team that won a silver medal in the 1988 Olympics in South Korea.
Deon Hemmings 1996 claims the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles in Atlanta. In the man’s race James Beckford taking silver in the long jump.
Merlene Ottey, the “Queen of Track” , She has the record with 14 World Championship medals and 46 in total of which 29 medals. Ottey ran the 100m under 11 sec for a record 65 times. Her extraordinary career was appreciated by her many fans. She received a three-minute standing ovation at the 1993 Stuttgart World Championships after winning 200m gold medal.
20th Century
Asafa Powell is a Jamaican track & field sprinter. He specializes in the 100 m marquee match. Powell is a five-time winner at the IAAF World Athletes Final. Asapha was the 100 m World Record holder from 2005 – 2007 with times of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds.
Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB) is the 5x winner of the “Jamaica Sportswoman of the Year” Award. Yohn Blake won gold at the 2011 World Athletics Championships and silver medal in the 2012 Olympics game. Yohn won gold in the 4×100 relay in 2012 London and along with two silver medals 100- and 200-meter race. In the 2016 4×100 relay in Rio de Janeiro he won gold.
Elaine Thompson-Herah won gold in the 2016 Olympic in Rio de Janeiro 100 meter and gold 4 x 200 meter and silver 4 x 100-meter race. At the Tokyo game in 2020 Elaine won three 3 gold medals. One in the 100 and 200 meters and in the 4 x 100 race.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the 2008 Olympic Beijing in China, she became the first Caribbean woman to with the gold. This was done at the age of 21 year. It 2013 Shelly-Ann won three gold medals. She did it in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100 race.
Usain Bolt hold the title as the World Fastest Man 9.58. Bolt is only person it wins Six Olympics. He won back-to-back in the 100m and 200m it two consecutive Olympics in 2008 in and 2012
Next up are the twins Tina and Tic Clayton along Kerrica Hill and Serena Cole to keep Jamaica Sprinters