Orville Taylor | Trust me: It’s more than six

He has been tight-lipped when pressed. However, over the next few days, all will be revealed. What intrigue! It was evident that something was wrong when one looked at the means available to the individual which was clearly disproportionate to the results of her labour. Family or conjugal interests almost always run counter to good governance and the national interest.

One female, with a difficult-to-pronounce name, was at the top of the list of suspects. Her name was actually released, because the probing team came with the appropriate warrants, but she allegedly eluded them thrice. She is now cleared, but there is still a sinister shadow.

A young male, from the green camp, whose name featured a few years ago in the beating of another male, amid allegations of cover-up and impunity, has already been found guilty of hiding from the inspectors. There are no indications of him switching allegiance. However, though disappointing for many of us who expected better from him, his invisibility is not a surprise.

Indeed, as we waited with ‘baited’ breaths for the female who wears her orange identity like a wig, the guessing and anticipation is suffocating.

Sorry to disappoint you. But given the difficulty in getting information from the powers that be, regarding those we have elected to represent us, pardon the charade.

After that history-making FIFA Women’s World Cup third-place match between Australian Matildas and Swedish Blågult, surely, we can be excused for choosing to drop everything and bite our nails, as the only number-one ranked Jamaican sporting team takes the field.

RANKED FIRST

Yes, believe it! For all the sports we are involved in, only our female track and field team is ranked first in the world. And no, although it involves testing and multiple whereabouts violations and even false starts; ‘jacket’ giving is not a sport, despite the top ranking in that too.

By the time this column is out, Jamaica would have won its first medal. Yes, I have been on record declaring that Jamaica shall medal in every relay. And for the purpose of probity, let me declare that this commentary was written long before the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, began.

Contrary to experts and naysayers predicting this to be one of the lowest-scoring championships, with our medal count likely to be in single digits, I stick my mouth and my neck out and humbly and respectfully disagree.

The heart of the champion she is will not keep ‘Mommy Rocket’ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from a place on the podium. And while the field really looks stacked with Marie Josee Talou, Sha’Carri Richardson, who is finally putting her mouth and legs in the same place, and neophyte Saint Lucian Julien Alfred, the top two medals should be Shelly and Shericka Jackson. Two medals here.

Unless she reprises her Japan Olympic experience, Jackson is going to bring the house down in the 200 metres. That’s three. Add to that Shaneika Ricketts in the triple jump, the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, and we already have six medals from the women.

There are not three women currently faster than the Jamaican trio of Janeive Russell, Andrenette Knight and Rochelle Clayton. One of these three shall medal. That’s seven.

Young Jaydon Hibbert is going to pick up hardware in the triple jump. The 4x400 has a set of hungry young men and at least one veteran. ‘Big Boy’, Rusheen Mcdonald, wants two medals. In the 110 metres hurdles Rasheed Broadbell has American Grant Holloway’s ticket and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment, the St Thomas native, has a medal written on eponymous paper, which I will be wearing as insole. That’s three from the men.

Finally, in the post-Usain Bolt era, we will return to medal in the 4x100. Added to the females, and the mixed relay, we are already at 11.

WISH LIST

On my wish list, one of the three discus throwers will sail those 69 metres for bronze. Of course, ‘Big Blacks’, Fedrick Dacres, product of the Department of Sociology on the plantation, is my favourite. However, Roje Stona and Traves Smikle are right there too.

And why is it difficult to imagine that Rajindra Campbell, with one of the best shot-put throws in the world this year, will not find form? Only three men have done better than his 22.22 metres. Never count out a hungry finalist.

With Athing Mu either absent or not at 100 per cent, Natoya Goule may finally sneak in like her homophonic character and snatch a dark 800 metres medal. Ask Jaheel Hyde, who will make the 400 hurdles finals, if young Rashawn Clarke is afraid of anyone. A medal here is very likely.

True, Briton Zharnel Hughes, who is trained by Glen Mills, the man who guided Bolt to three 100 metres golds, and also Yohan Blake, still the youngest of any sex to win this race. Hughes looks hard to beat. But Mills knows something about Oblique Seville that the rest of the world doesn’t. The male 100 metres will not be an American victory. Someone from our camp can end the drought.

Perhaps we have forgotten that despite looking like a harmless smurfy character, Megan Tapper is fearless. She knows how to medal in global finals. Either she or Ackera Nugent is going to add to our tally in the 100 metres hurdles.

Thus, I honestly would not be surprised if we bring home 15 medals, but maybe not as many golds as in the past. And if I overlooked anyone; my apologies; because all of our athletes are in Hungary to ‘eat a food’.

But, if the performance of our Reggae Girlz and our Sunshine Girls in improving their global ranking is anything to inspire us, we are going to do very well in Budapest.

Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.