Posts from — July 2012

In what could be his final appearance at an Olympic Games, a relaxed Asafa Powell declares himself ready to give his all, while vowing to prevent men’s 100m gold medal favourite Usain Bolt from repeating the massive victory he achieved in Beijing, China, four years ago.

At a press conference hosted by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and team kit sponsors Puma in London yesterday, Powell said he was “pumped up” for these Games. “I am not getting any younger and this might be my last one.” Read more on Jamaica Observer.

OTHER TRACKNEWS 

• Bolt looking to possibly run four events in London 
• Partying in Birmingham 
• Jamaicans ready to celebrate
• Bolt is ready to go
• Billions spent on ads at Olympics 
• Malaysian Olympic shooter 8 months pregnant 
• Olympic flag bearers 
• Opening ceremony highlights
• Blind man sets first world record at Olympics 
• The stars come out for Olympic opening ceremony 
• Olympic security staff arrested 
• Is Yohan Blake as marketable as Usain Bolt?
• Mark Wignall on Jamaican athletes 

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Hundreds of media representatives from all over the world, children from area schools and Jamaicans who turned out at the Munrow College Sports Centre to see sprinting super star Usain Bolt work out with his Jamaican team mates left disappointed today, as once again the athlete failed to make a public appearance.

The special media day had been arranged to give members of the media a chance to see the athletes going through a light workout under the eyes of their coaches.

A number of the athletes showed up including 400m-hurdler Melanie Walker and Kaliese Spencer but Bolt and training partner Yohan Blake, as well as female sprinters Veronica Campbell Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were all no shows.

Read more on Jamaica Observer.

OTHER TRACK NEWS

• Bells will ring to welcome Olympics 
• Cedella packs for London 
• Asafa expected in camp today
• Frater bets on Bolt
• Bidding for Bolt’s boots 
• Olympic opener will be spectacular 
• Bolt, Jamaica will deliver says Quarrie
• Yohan Blake – The Real Deal 
• Andre Lowe on Athlete Accessibility
• Bolt’s fan page hits 7+ million fans

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Manager Ludlow Watts has expressed concern over the team’s level of preparation, with some of Jamaica’s biggest track and field stars absent from the pre-Olympic training camp at the University of Birmingham up to yesterday evening – less than a week before the start of the Olympic Games in London.

Asafa Powell, who is expected to feature in the 100m and 4x100m, defending 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who will also double for the first time at this level – with a 200m assignment – plus her expected 4x100m leg, Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker and training partner Kaliese Spencer, along with former 100m hurdles World Champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton, are all now expected to join up with the rest of the team today.

The group has been training out of the MVP Track Club’s training base in Italy. It should be noted, however, that other MVP athletes Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Shericka Williams are already in camp.

Read more on Jamaica Gleaner.

OTHER TRACKNEWS

• Top Olympic athletes missing from camp
• 67,000 phones will be lost or stolen at Olympics  
• London prostitutes ’cleaned from the streets’odes
• Challenge issued for Bolt in car race
• Quarrie expects relay fireworks 
• All eyes on Bolt’s dodgy hamstring 
• Athletic missteps and likability 
• Andre Lowe’s London diary
• Olympic team leaders shine at international reggae fest 
• Jamaica’s Olympic teams named
• U.S motivated for Special Olympics, says team manager 
• Pope’s Olympic message
• Has Asafa dropped the baton?
• 60 Years on, Helsinki Olympic legal endures 
• London mayor reassures London is ready
• Athletes, managers excited about food at camp
• Athletes pleased as weather improves
• 10 Things you didn’t know about Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
• Mark Wignall On Usain Bolt’s Kryptonite 
• Gay: Olympic 100m An Open Affair 

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• Bad luck haunts Jamaica’s medal hopefuls at World Juniors 
• Fraser-Pryce stumbles at Diamond League in London
• The Voice denied access to Olympic stadium
• Carl Lewis doesn’t think Bolt will retain 100m title 
• U.S. sprinter Debbie Dunn out of Olympics due to excessive testosterone 
• Julian Robinson – More than just a coach
• Will Asafa’s sore groin cause him to miss the Olympics?
• Eco-friendly Olympics 
• Can Jamaica’s 4x400m women’s team win gold in London?
• Gay win 100m at London Grand Prix
• Blake: It’s not over!
• Rosemarie Whyte places third in Diamond League 400m 
• Robles hoping to keep Liu at arms length
• Beckham doesn’t think he should light the Olympic torch
• Coe drums up Olympic fever for London Games
• Semenya draws inspiration from Mandela and Mutola 
• Coe defends Olympic security plans 
• Nothing like healing at the Olympics with “JAM” Kinesiology Tape (KT)
• U.S. Olympic team’s apparel not ‘Made-in-USA’
• London stadium on track for fast times 
• Richards-Ross on quest for individual gold 
• Qatar shooter to be flag bearer at Olympics 
• U.S. dead heat controversy simply will  not die 

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“Leaving high school in 2009, I said I had a vision. I called it Vision 2012. I wanted to make the team but at that time I wanted to hurdle not knowing eventually that in 2012 I would be running the 200 metres,” said Weir, who admitted he wanted to make the team from 2009 while still in high school.

“It is an honour to be representing Jamaica at the Olympics. This was my first senior games. To know that I am coming from the hurdles to a flat sprint event, for a sprinting country, it feels very good.” Read more>>

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

OTHER TRACKNEWS

• Fox Sports: Bolt’s biggest opponent still himself
• Bolt, Blake National Treasures
• Letter: Bolt may have  a ‘Beast’
• Blade Runner added to SA Olympic team
• 18 countries set to compete at the IAAF World Junior Championships 
• Olympic sponsors go for the young 
• Team GB athletes announced 

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1. Yohan ‘The Beast’ Blake is the real deal
2. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce knows how to win championships
3. Beware of Warren Weir
4. Look out for Dane Hyatt
5. Field events are growing in popularity
6. Sherone Simpson is a trooper
7. Big things could be ahead for Foster-Hylton
8. Welcome back Kenia Sinclair
9. Williams-Mills is back to business
10. There isn’t enough space for everyone

• Close to 50 athletes already on list for London 
• Foster-Hylton Flying High 
• The story behind Yohan’s ‘The Beast’ nickname 
• Olympics: Blake ready to lead all-out sprint assault 
• Jamaicans urged not to pressure athletes for London
• Bolt goes back to work after two surprising losses 
• Powell, gay showdown in London on July 13 
• Too many egos on Team Jamaica for relay domination? 
• Motivation needed for long distances, says Quarrie 
• Jamaican coaches know their roles, says Wilson 

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