STEVE MULLINGS’ EARLY SEASON FORM MAKES FOR INTRIGUING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Jamaican sprinter Steve Mullings with times of 9.90 (2.0m/s) and 9.89 (2.0m/s) remains the world leader in the 100 metres this year, but even more significantly, he became the fifth Jamaican since the start of last season to go faster than 9.90 seconds over the short sprint. This presents an interesting situation in this country as the national championships to select Jamaica’s team to the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea comes up in just over a month’s time.

Over the past few years Jamaica has displayed good depth in the men’s short sprint but since last year that depth has developed to almost unprecedented levels. Last year, Jamaica created history when it produced four men who ran better than 9.90s in one season. Nesta Carter 9.78, Bolt 9.82, Powell 9.82, and Yohan Blake 9.89. Mullings now adds himself to that list and also to the list of active Jamaicans who have gone under 10 seconds. In addition to the above-mentioned athletes,  Michael Frater (9.97),  Mario Fosythe (9.95), and Lerone Clarke, the Commonwealth champion (9.99), have gone under 10 seconds in the last two years. Then there are those who are on the cusp of breaking that 10-second barrier – Dexter Lee who clocked a personal best 10.06s in Brazil on May 22, Jacques Harvey 10.09s at the Jamaica Invitational in early May, as well as Kimari Roach and Oshane Bailey both 10.1 athletes.

All this talent on display would suggest that the finals of the 100 metres for men at the championships at the end of June could be as deep as any Olympic of World Championships. All this for five places on the relay squad and three for individual spots on the team to Daegu. Bolt, as defending champion gets an automatic bye to the championships so he does not need to participate in the national championships.

This abundance of talent also makes for interesting debate about who will constitute Jamaica’s relay squad to the world championships. The one thing that can be said with some level of authority is that whoever makes up the squad and the final team, the world record of 37.10s that Jamaica set in Beijing in 2008 will be in jeopardy. If all the key members of this team, that being Bolt and Powell, are healthy with Blake being faster than ever, Carter looking to do the same thing,  Mullings already running personal bests and Frater on his way to  personal bests, the 37-second barrier is also under great threat.

The million-dollar question will be who will make the final cut and what legs will they run. Asafa Powell, who has anchored Jamaica’s all-powerful team over the past few years recently gave the world a taste of what could happen when he ran the lead leg at the Penn Relays at Franklin field and what a leg it was. Should Powell decide to stick with the lead leg it would give Jamaica a significant advantage, one that would almost be impossible to overcome once the stick gets around to the anchor leg.

Some pundits would argue that Powell to Bolt to Mullings to Blake would be unbeatable as by the time the second leg is completed everyone else would be running for the silver medal. There are those though who argue that Carter to Blake to Bolt to Powell would still be the best line up as it is more familiar to all the parties involved and makes for a safer experience.

All that means nothing just now because all the potential candidates first need to make the team and based on what we are seeing so far as the national championships loom closer no one except for Bolt is secured a spot. That’s the most intriguing part of it all.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.
The Gleaner reserves the right not to publish comments that may be deemed libelous, derogatory or indecent.
To respond to The Gleaner please use the feedback form.

7 Responses to “STEVE MULLINGS’ EARLY SEASON FORM MAKES FOR INTRIGUING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS”

  1. navada McNamee says:

    Perhaps you could add to the mix Nichel Ashemeade. He surprised many, myself included, at the Jamaica Invitational by running 19.95 from lane eight! Our national championship promises to be an exciting one. The mens hundred meters promises to be a cracker.

  2. Greg (in Canada) says:

    I am loving it and I am nervous and the race have not started yet.

  3. D. Manhue says:

    Lovely article. However, I have a few question? What about the women competitors? Currently, we (Jamaica) have 3 solid/premier 100m runners. Where is the depth in the women’s sprint as in the men’s? I don’t forsee any up and coming female phenoms!!!

  4. Joseph says:

    “The race is not for the swift but those who can endure it” or in this case, it is for the swift! There can only be three (3) to accompany Usain in the individual 100m at the Worlds. When the dust settles sometime after June 23, where will Powell,Mullings,Blake, Nesta,Frater and others fall? One thing is for sure, it will not be easy cruising!!!! It’s the Jamaican leg of the 100m final.

  5. speedy says:

    That will be so interesting to watch, but if Carter is healthy Mullings will be the reserve. However, it will be a world class relay team, Carter-Blake-Bolt-Powell. Mullings has a better chance in the 200m. Jamaica will have Bolt, Powell and Blake in the 100 and in the 200 it will be Bolt, Mullings and Blake, if he doubles at the nationals. Frater’s days are gone as he is now going to warm the bench.

  6. Pablo says:

    When you look at the quality and quantity of sprinters we(Jamaicans) have to represent at Olympics, man what will the time be for the 4×100(new world record). When i look at at the line up i see Powell to Mullings/Carter to Bolt and Blake anchoring with an impressive 36.75 sec that’s my prediction. Take nothing away from the rest of the team because we have too much who can represent,Lee, Ashmeade, Bailey, Fosythe , Clarke. What we need is to get some youngsters interested in the 400 and 800, work on them and remind them 100 meters in not for everyone.

  7. Bassie says:

    None of these guys have yet qualified for the World Championships. The National Trials could turn up some interesting results. Remember Veronica didn’t qualify for the 2008 Olympics 100m as the world champion in 2007.

Leave a Reply

7 comments so far
levyl Posted by: levyl May 23, 2011 at 3:27 pm