Health over career

SPRINTEC TRACK club head coach Maurice Wilson and former Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association president, Dr Warren Blake, say that the decision by Olympian Nesta Carter to call time on his career was the right one, considering the current challenges he has experienced with his health.

The 35-year-old announced his retirement from athletics on August 9 after a decade-long career which included World and Olympic gold success with the 4x100-metre team, as well as finishing as the eighth fastest man in history over 100 metres, in 9.78 seconds.

Wilson said that given the circumstances, Carter made the decision that ultimately will see him better off for his long-term health, as well his own standing in the sport, in which he sees himself as among the best that the nation has produced.

“It is a very thin line in trying to abide by the rules of World Anti-Doping Agency and also based on certain nature of the sport-related illness that athletes may have where they require certain medication that may have banned substances,” Wilson told The Gleaner. “So it’s a very thin line to walk, but at the end of the day he made the best decision not only for himself, but for Jamaica and also for his legacy.”

Dr Blake also acknowledged the difficulty in trying for other options, but ultimately said that it was not a surprise that Carter decided to choose his health over his career.

“A lot of times when you have to take medication that is prohibited, you can get a therapeutic use exemption. But sometimes the alternatives are not as good. It is not unusual that he chose to step away rather than continue to try,” Dr Blake said.

In a statement, Carter said that his decision to walk away from the sport now was a mixture of both not being able to deliver his best as a competitor, as well as being hampered by an undisclosed injury, which has prevented him from competing since March.

“My ultimate decision to retire from athletics was also precipitated by a private medical condition which has been getting worse. A medication prescribed by my doctor to address this medical issue breaches existing anti-doping rules,” Carter said. “As such, I had to make a choice between my health and athletics and I chose my health.”

Among the many highlights of Carter’s career included his role in helping Jamaica to break the 4x100m world record along with Michael Frater, world champion Yohan Blake and multiple Olympic and world champion, Usain Bolt, at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Wilson said that the country has been blessed to see Carter perform during the country’s period of dominance of men’s sprinting from 2008 to 2016.

“We have been fortunate to get the services of Nesta. He would have come at a time where Jamaica’s sprinting was being revolutionised in terms of numbers where we had numerous athletes running below 10 seconds,” Wilson said. “And so in my opinion, he now must be looked at as one of your greatest short sprinters ever.”

Dr Blake says that Carter’s departure highlights the work needed by the younger set of male sprinters in Jamaica.

“They have to be the next crop of runners to take over where Nesta and others of his era have left off because it’s really now a time where a lot of people in the Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter era are stepping away from track and field and looking to other endeavours,” Dr Blake said.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com