BOLT STEALS THE SHOW (and this report)Munro College Track and Field performed its last relay event for the 2008 season at the Jamaica International Invitational last night at the National Stadium. We fielded a team of Andrene "Petrol" Nelson, Shawn Manboard, Jodirae Blackwood and Rolando "Midnight" Reid in the High School Boys 4x400m and finished 4th in a time of 3:19:32. We commend the team and coaches on a much improved season and wish them the best for 2009 and beyond.
And now for the thunder. Usain Bolt dropped a 9.76 (1.8w) over 100m last night and squarely captured the hearts and minds of a nationalistic Jamaican crowd. It was a performance that left the casual fan elated and the sport's "intelligencia" awe struck. With Asafa Powell sustaining a disturbing early season injury many were left to believe that a particular US sprinter would canter his way through to the gold medal at the Olympic Games later this August. Young Bolt, 21, has quite possibly put that nervous theory to rest. We sincerely hope that Asafa bounces back to full-fitness to face Bolt at this year's trials and the world in Beijing.
THE MYTH BREAKER
Needless to say that this recent phenomenon bodes well for our national sprint relay team as well. We now have the deepest national pool in years, perhaps ever, with Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Michael Frater, Marvin Anderson, Steve Mullings, Nesta Carter, Dwight Thomas, Chris Williams and Clement Campbell all running 10.1x or better. With a group like this one might eschew desire of the August flat final for the one in late June right here at the Stadium. It should be the best National Trials ever.
It was good for the young Munronians to witness such a feat from one of their very own from Western Jamaica. Bolt, the former William Knibb athlete, continues to perpetuate the sport's maxim of "speed begets speed and excellence begets excellence". What the young ones see, the young ones do and will eventually do better. Both Rolando "Midnight" Reid and Adam "Redz" Cummings were in the stadium last night. Reid won last year's Class III 100m final and Cummings this year's in a record time of 10.91. Both should have been duly inspired. On a similar note, Omar Bryan, recent discus bronze medalist at the Penn Relays, performed the role of "Measuring Official" during the shot put event won by national record holder Dorian Scott (20.51m).
Until next time, enjoy the video of Bolt's Bomb above (courtesy of Raffic Shaw). Complete results for the meet can be found here: 2008 Jamaica International Invitational Meet
Photo Source: Trackshark.com
B.C. Hayden ('87)
Team Manager
Bolt Follows with 9.92 at T&T's Hampton Games
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