Jamaican sprinters dominate as Shelly-Ann Fraser heads clean sweep in Beijing

From left: Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson

Monday August 18th, 2008: Beijing, China - Jamaicans celebrations continue as 21-year-old Shelly-Ann Fraser won gold in the 100 metres at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday in a time of 10.78 seconds. She was followed by teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart (both tied for second place). It took a photograph to determine that Simpson and Stewart had dead-heated for silver medals in 10.98 seconds.

Yesterday's historic race marks the first time in Olympic history that a single country has swept the gold, silver and bronze medals in the 100metre. Not since the US Olympic team of 1912 has any one country dominated in this event.

Jamaican celebrations had already began only 24 hours prior, when Usain Bolt broke his own world record to take Jamaica's first gold in the men's 100metre in unique style. Fraser's win, along with her fellow Jamaican teammates, brings the Jamaican medal tally to four overall (two gold, two silver) so far.

Bolt celebrates, it's dancing time!

Olympic 100 metre champion and world record holder, Usain Bolt has made dancing a hobby. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Bolt rarely missed a party at the popular Quad nightclub in Kingston, Jamaica and introduced the world to the sweep version of 'Nuh Linga', just after his world and Olympic record run of 9.69 seconds.

'Nuh Linga' in Standard English means 'don't waste time', and is a popular Jamaican dance created by a dance group called Ravers Clavers

Bolt, who has celebrated his wins with dances, also gave a glimpse of 'To the World', a dance, composed by RDX. He later told journalists, "I just like to have fun. I like dancing."

In his first Olympic outing in Athens, 2004, Bolt gave a glimpse of Bogle's dance, 'Oh So Badly'.

A Video clip of Bolt's 'Nuh Linga' dance is available on youtube at... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Snu0zgE3s

Jamaica's Usain Bolt shatters 100-metre record to win Olympic gold

Jamaica's Usain Bolt (right) & Trinidadian Silver Medalist Richard Thompson (left)

Sunday August 17th, 2008: Beijing, China - Jamaica's Usain Bolt annihilated the field, running an amazing 9.69 seconds in the 100-metre sprint to set a new world record and take Olympic gold at Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing on Saturday night.

Bolt, who turns 22 on Thursday, exploded ahead of the pack and even took time to celebrate with his arms out with several metres left.

Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago won silver at 9.89, with Walter Dix of the United States taking bronze. Dix, an NCAA champion just out of school at Florida State, ran 9.91. Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles was fourth at 9.93.

Canadian Donovan Bailey's long-standing Olympic record fell as a result of the race in front of over 90,000. Bailey of Oakville, Ont., ran to gold in 9.84 at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Bailey symbolically placed an imaginary crown on Bolt's head after the race. Bailey said the sky's the limit for the sprinter, who gave Jamaica its first ever gold in the event. "He can absolutely run sub 9.6," said Bailey.

"I never knew how fast I was going," said Bolt. "One aim was just to win and do what I have to do." When asked about his celebration before the finish line, which may have cost him some time, Bolt said he was concerned about winning more than running the fastest possible. "Better to break it smaller than bigger, I would say," he said. "[Then] you have a next time to break it."
The other men competing in the final, in order of finish were: Michael Frater of Jamaica, Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago, and Darvis Patton of the U.S.

Bolt is expected to capture yet another gold in the 200metre race on Wednesday.

Brian Lara retires after 17 record-breaking years

April 20 '07 - West Indies captain Brian Lara (the greatest batsman ever), shocked the cricket world when he announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of his team’s World Cup 2007 campaign. "I have given this extensive consideration. I just want everybody to know that on Saturday I am bidding farewell to international cricket as a player" said Lara, during a post-match press conference following his team's victory over Bangladesh on Thursday.

The 37 year old Lara, holds a string of world records in international cricket at the test and the first class level. These include the world record for most runs in a test match, which he broke twice. In 1994 he broke a 27-year-old record held by Bajan legend, Sir Garfield Sobers, with 375. The following year he scored 501 runs in a first class game in England. In 2004 he scored 400 runs not out to re-claim the record in test cricket (Australian Matthew Hayden scored 380 in 2003).

Careeer Highlights
1990: Debuts against Pakistan in a One Day International
1994: Breaks Sir Garry Sobers test record of 365 runs in posting 375.
1994: Scores 501 not out, and sets a new record for the highest number of runs in First Class cricket.
1997: Assumes the captaincy for the first time. He would go on to hold the position on two more occasions.
2003: Breaks Sir Viv Richard's record for the highest run scorer for the West Indies (8,540 runs)
2004: Reclaim his title (from Matthew Hayden) as the highest run scorer in a test match (400 not out), the only batsman to score that many runs in a single inning.
2005: Joins an elite club of batsmen to reach 11,000 runs in test cricket.