All hail, Team Ja!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

For many a nation across the globe, the athletic prowess and machismo of their athletes have been a rallying cry and a source of national unity, as the sportsmen and women of these countries have come to represent the modern-day gladiator, battling not just for personal glory, but for national pride in the international arena.

In this respect, sporting competitions such as football, cricket, swimming, cycling, boxing, baseball, tennis, chess championships, etc, now represent the new arena of potential dominance as against political and cultural hegemony that was once the norm in matters international.

In this respect, with each outing by a national team, it is becoming more the norm for their countrymen and women to gather in town and village squares, cafés, sports bars and community centres, to cheer on those representing the country, as these gatherings transform the support from that of just being mere vicarious bystanders to being active participants.

While this has been the phenomenom in the Americas and particularly in Europe for decades, the raw sense of nationalism such competitive events has engendered, has not been part and parcel of the Jamaican experience, until pretty recently. Call it the Bolt, Asafa, Veronica Campbell-Brown or Shelly-Ann Factor(s), but whatever the reason(s), until recently, Jamaica and Jamaicans took what amounted to a hands-off approach to our athletes competing in the international arena. We would claim them whenever they triumphed and we would adorn them with the necessary accolades and accompanying national honours, but the emotional nationalist and patriotic fervour was always kept in check.

One can easily recall the years when Merlene Ottey, et al were our standard bearers. While we loved and applauded them, there was no massive emotional/nationalistic fervour and/or outpouring of love for our athletes. To date, there are many Jamaicans who are firmly convinced that Merlene Ottey, et al, were robbed of many gold medals by doped-up East Europeans and Americans, who not only cheated, but because of their financial clout, power and presence, got away with and influenced decisions in their favour, against us lowly 'Third World' bit players!

Well, my oh my, how the world has changed. For the first time at last, Jamaicans are now competing on an international playing field that is a lot more level than it has ever been; and with the emergence of wunderkind Usain Bolt, and alongside him Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the suspect dominance of track and field by the USA has now been put in perspective and Jamaica, through the diligence of these new sprint stars, has been allowed to take its rightful place as a Track and Field Superpower!

Well, my dears, on the weekend, with Jamaica's star athletes on show after competing in the IAAF Championships in Moscow, Jamaicans at home and abroad were basking in the international limelight brought on by our athletes. And this time, there was no vicarious pleasure being derived, but a sense of national pride.

And so it was that each time a Jamaican athlete took to the track to compete, he or she did not do so with the weight of the country's expectations, but stood on the shoulders of each and every Jamaican, home and abroad, willing him or her on, to do their best. And while we expected gold-mining performances from each and every one of them, when they faltered, they still stood tall on the shoulders of a grateful nation, united in love and support of our modern-day gladiators, saying to the world as they battled - We are Jamaicans, poor and boasy, but not to be disrespected!

And as the world lay claim to Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; and track and field now embrace the unbelievable Mr Bolt and the girlishly fab, Shelly-Ann, pink bouffant and all, as global brand representatives, they are now acknowledging and publicly embracing and espousing what Jamaicans have known all along - from the days of Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley through to Don Quarrie, et al, we are naturally gifted and talented athletes and sportsmen and women, summed up in this saying: "We likkle, but we tallawah". A point made distinctly clear by the teenaged Javon Francis - who ran his heart out to secure a place in the heart of his people and nation, earning a coveted silver medal when all thought it was a lost cause!

To Javon Francis and each and every one of our athletes, your trainers, coaches, families and support staff who nurtured you to the point where you now represent us, this column says a heartfelt thank you, for the tears and moments of exhilaration you gave us, your countrymen and women, as you all gave of your best in service to your nation!

Once again, thank you all!