Saturday, August 11, 2012

Jamaica America and Canada show the world real athletic pride

We all knew Jamaica was going to complete their dominance in mens sprinting gold there in London like they did in Beijing, as Bolt took off with the 100m and 200m for the double triple, but that the United States of America had been shut out as much, as they were in both, led many to believe America was due to shock the world and help make an Olympic and world record happen in the 4x100m relay across the pond in the Big Smoke. Indeed they did, but big brother America only pressured the small yet proud nation of Jamaica, as their next closest sprinting peers and rivals, to be the ones to do it on the international elite stage with 36.84s to the USAs 37.04s, being from Blake to Bolt the best relay group since the last world record 37.10 relay crew of lead Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, anchor Usain Bolt and the alternate Dwight Thomas in 2008.

But some wonder if the current squad of lead Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, anchor Usain Bolt and the alternate Kemar Bailey-Cole would have beat the past group which had no challenge from the 2008 Team America of lead Darvis Patton, Rodney Martin, Travis Padgett, anchor Tyson Gay with its alternates  Walter Dix and Leroy Dixon, which became disqualified in the heats after dropping their baton in Beijing. The current 2012 Team America of lead Tyson Gay, Trell Kimmons, Ryan Bailey and anchor Justin Gatlin with its alternates Darvis Patton and Jeff Demps itself made a national record with 37.04s, but had changed its game and pieces so drastically in London, unlike the very consistent Rastasquad from the Caribbean that changed very little since their last Olympic showing. America will continue to tool their Team USA from a Redeem Team into a Dream Team, but watching a deep and young Jamaica team become even deeper and younger will force America into a search across the Deep Gulf South for more lasting talent in the future.

In other news, Canada used the American baton fumble in Beijing to get into the 2008 final, where lead Hank Palmer, Anson Henry, Jared Connaughton and anchor Pierre Browne created a season best 38.66s for a 6th place finish. Fast forward futuristically to today in London, where a crossover infringement disqualification by the 6th ranked Team Great Britain in the heats for lane got the 11th ranked Team Canada of lead Gavin Smellie, Oluseyi Smith, Jared Connaughton and anchor Justyn Warner into the 2012 final, once there however after apparently acing the bronze medal with a 38.07s that allowed the Atlanta Gold Medal 1996 Team Canada mark of 37.69s to stand on, that they too committed a lane violation through veteran Connaughton and would be disqualified, allowing a Richard Thompson anchored Trinidad and Tobago to move from fourth to third. Canada will continue to grow, but perhaps the best that comes from this, not just for Canada but the world, is a change that rule from stepping on the line to crossing it and return the double false start for good measure.