By Michael Bascombe
 |
| Legendary Donald Pierre |
One of the biggest lessons learnt from
Grenada’s campaign at last weekend’s IAAF World Championships in Istanbul,
Turkey is to prepare for disappointments during the careers of our top flight
competitors – Kirani James and Rondell Bartholomew.
James’ failed attempt at the World Indoor
400 metre title last weekend is a clear indication of the ups and downs we must
expect during his career. It’s no different to Bartholomew’s disappointment in
Daegu, South Korea last summer. Bartholomew entered the IAAF World
Championships in Athletics as a favourite with a world leading time of 44.65
seconds. However, he was the victim of a long season and finished outside of
the medals.
He decided to skip the indoor season this
year and concentrate on competition starting in late spring.
James on the other hand, started the
season with a bang, winning permit meets in Boston, Arkansas and Stockholm,
Sweden but missed out on adding a second world title to his short but distinguished
professional career.
Retired quarter-miler Alleyne Francique
won the 2004 edition in Budapest, Hungary and repeated that performance in
Moscow, Russia two years later.
I was particularly impressed with the 19
year-old acceptance of defeat. He displayed great maturity in his post-race
interviews. He has been described as a true ‘champion’.
It was also a disappointed weekend for
Colleen Felix (University of Georgia) and Kurt Felix (Boise State University)
at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Idaho. Colleen, a favourite in the women’s
triple jump, only managed one successful jump while Kurt (DNF) in the men’s
heptathlon after a no height in the pole vault and a (DNS) in the 1,000 metres.
But despite the inclement weather at home
there were the National Athletics Championships at the stadium and the opening
of the “Grenada Super League” organised by the Grenada Football Association in
Grenville, St Andrew.
I was also happy to hear that our
longstanding sports administrator, Veda Bruno-Victor was unanimously re-elected
to the executive committee of the Pan American Sport Organisation (PASO) at
their meeting in Mexico this week.
Founded on August 8, 1948, Pan American
Sports Organization (PASO), comes with the mission to strengthen the bonds of
union and friendship between the peoples of the Americas, to encourage and
promote sports development. PASO, recognised by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC), comprises 42 member countries.
It was announced in the 2012 Budget
Presentation that the Grenada Government has decided that the secondary stands
at the National Cricket Stadium will be named in honour of former West Indies
cricketers Junior Murray and Rawl Lewis.
But except for an increased in the
budgetary allocation for tourism marketing, nothing has been said about sports
tourism. How are we positioning ourselves to benefit from the foundation being
laid by our sportsmen and women?
We are into the track and field season and
the names of Kirani James and Rondell Bartholomew would be highlighted among
world ranked athletes. The Jason Roberts Foundation and the Shalrie Joseph
Soccer Academy are two additional areas of sports tourism interests. What is
the role of the Grenada Board of Tourism to capitalise on this mega-marketing
initiative?
Jason Roberts should be given the role as
a lead spokesman for the Olympics-bound Team Grenada, given his status in the
UK media. He is a true sports ambassador!
While on the Olympics, it’s becoming
clearer that Grenada’s medal hopes will lie in the individual events, particularly
in the men’s 400m. It’s highly unlikely that a 4x400m relay team will qualify
for London.
The uncertainty surrounding Bartholomew
and possible knee surgery for Joel Phillip would certainly hamper chances of a
relay team qualifying. Bartholomew skipped the indoor season and there is no
word as to when he will open his outdoor campaign. Phillip, who has a personal
best of 45.29 seconds, has been in training but up until this month announced
that he has to undergo knee surgery. This leaves James and Joel Redhead as the
only two sureties.
The 2013 World Championships in Athletics
in Moscow, Russia should be on target for the relay team.
Finally, the time has come for the
authorities to start thinking on establishing a National Sports Hall of Fame.
This will certainly put to rest the unnecessary chatter about recognition of
our sports legends who have blazed the trails and paved the way for many of our
current sportsmen and women.
This Hall of Fame, part of an evolving
national sports policy, should be seen as another way to honour the lifetime
achievements of our greatest sportsmen, women and administrators. A Hall of
Fame Selection Panel could be created to administer the process by which these
nominees will be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame.
The likes of Donald Pierre, Maurice “Bull”
Williams, Tyrone “Sampat” Harbin, Victor Joseph, Theophilus “Papitette”
Redhead, James “Ox” Johnson, Oswald Clovey, Evelyn Gresham, Joseph “Joe” Gibbs,
Walter St John, Alston “Heads” George, Raymond Anthony, Kenny Hobson, Veda
Bruno-Victor, Janice Celestine, Harold “Flash” Williams, Bernard “Bunny”
Wilson, among others are certain to have their names etched into the Hall of
Fame.
