Lest we forget ASAFA POWELL !

Congratulations to Usain Bolt! He has renewed our nation’s confidence, and reclaimed respect for Jamaica’s long and proud history of achievement in World Athletics, and our historical place and presence among the global community.

But lest we collectively forget, in our (justified) stampede to crown Usain Bolt our new black King of the track, it was Asafa Powell’s extraordinary talent that first returned glory and pride to Jamaica, after decades of American dominance in track and field, particularly the 100m. While we heap praises on Usain Bolt, let us acknowledge the ambivalent position in which this 100m final placed the country – to support one or the other of our country men while hoping that they both medal.

I, personally, supported Asafa, and naturally felt an enormous surge of sadness when he failed to place. Many Jamaicans, as I did, would have been delayed in their own own joy for Jamaica and for Bolt as a result.

Asafa Powell is to be praised for making the finals, in a race with superlatively strong competitors, and where the World Record holder, the celebrated Tyson Gay, failed to make. The 100m is a high pressure race, more so because of the attention and promotion given to it as the stellar race of the Olympics.

To have had three Jamaicans in the final is a mark of Jamaica’s greatness in athletics, and a mark of the composure and innate mental strength of our athletes. Asafa Powell, plagued over the last few years by injury, loss of form, nerves and anxiety as well as his own self-doubt, managed to retain his composure to the end. That his legs/mind failed to offer him that final push does NOT take away from his prowess as an athlete. When the history of World Sport is written, he shall go down as one of the greatest athletes of his generation.

Records were made to be broken. He broke records, and then broke them again,and finaly had it taken off him. The burden upon him has finally been lifted. Now he can run his true race. God bless Asafa Powell. May God bless his parents, the Reverend and Mrs Powell for giving our nation this gift. Asafa Powell remains MY champion, and ought to remain Jamaica’s other King of the Track.

To my respected friend and colleague journalist, Tony Morrison  who refers to Asafa Powell a “wus”, I say this:

To call Asafa a ‘wuss’ is just DISRESPECTFUL and irrelevant to this discourse.

A ‘wuss’ cannot ‘redefine 100m sprint” as you so articulately put it.

A ‘wuss’ cannot break a world record – albeit his own – 9 times in one season (prior to Athens 2004).

A ‘wuss’ cannot/WILL NEVER make an Olympic final in the 100m consecutively.

Asafa is a wold class athlete! He was and IS a champion. History will more than recall him! It has recalled lessor champions ( Donnovon Bailey, Linford Christie) over the 100m.

Celebrate Usain, but do not undermine the value of  Asafa- the athlete who gave us much to celebrate over the last four years.

Lest we forget, it was Asafa Powell who resusitated Jamaica’s Olympic hopes during the 2004 Athens games when the runner on the third leg of the 4X4 relay stumbled and fell. It was Asafa Powell who met him on the ground, retrieved the baton from his sweaty palms – and just when – we thought our chances of medalling had been lost – sprinted with all his might to catch and surpass some five athletes to secure for Jamaica a medal. It was blessed day in Athens and it was Asafa who gave Jamaica that moment to celebrate.

Maybe Asafa is the sacrficial lamb who was meant to cosmically surrender the 100m in Beijing 08 to pave the way for history to be recorded by Usain Bolt and for Jamaica land we love. 60 years we had waited for this moment. A nation never achieve this kind of glory without giving up something significant. As an early Quaker missionary to Jamaica had declared “Jamaica is destined to exert an influence upon humanity, disporportionate to its territorial extent”.

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Published:
August 16, 2008 / 10:43 pm
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