CHAMBERS, MULLINGS CAN RESTORE PRIDE TO MEN'S 400 METRES

Jamaica has had a long tradition in the 400 metres, male and female. Fans of track and field world wide are aware of the exploits of Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint, Derrick Rhoden and Les Laing from 1948 at the Olympics in London to the Helsinki Games in 1952.

That tradition continued over the years and gave rise to other talents like Seymour Newman, Bert Cameron, Gregory Haughton, Roxbert Martin, Michael McDonald, and Davian Clarke. On the women’s side Marilyn Neufville, Sandie Richards, Lorraine Graham, Novelene Williams and now Shericka Williams have kept the torch burning bright.

However, the brilliance among the men has dulled just a bit in recent times. Jamaica’s mile relay team has failed the medal in the last two major championships and there really has not been an outstanding 400 metre runner from the Jamaican ranks in very recent history. Well, it would be more accurate to say, not many.

Germaine Gonzales, who has gone below 45 seconds over the distance, has been beset by injury and last season, though he was relatively healthy, looked a shadow of himself. Maybe he needs another season to get back to the shape where he will once again put his hand up as a premier 400 metre runner but we’re hearing him talking about taking up the 400 metre hurdles so maybe he has given up on himself. If that is the case it would be pity if he did because I think he still is still capable of being more than a decent 400-metre runner.

That being said runners like Lansford Spence and Sanjay Ayre are not going to raise any eyebrows with their talent so it comes down to two kids, who I believe could make an impact by 2011.

Two-time national champion, Ricardo Chambers has vowed to go after Roxbert Martin’s national record of 44.49s next season and there is no reason why he will not get there. Chambers, 25, has run as fast as 44.62s but illness derailed his season. He only managed a season’s best of 45.13s in the quarter-finals. However, given that he ran 44.80 in 2008, shows that he has still got it and now under the guidance of Glen Mills, whom he said, has helped him immensely in understanding how to run the 400 metres, 44.30 or faster should not be out of the question for 2010. If he gets there it would be the perfect launching pad for him to contend as a medallist in Daegu come 2011.

Another promising prospect is 23-year-old Dwight Mullings, the younger brother of world championship sprint relay gold medallist Steve Mullings, who was also a finalist in the fastest 200 metres sprint ever run in Berlin last August. Mullings finished fifth in a personal best 19.98s behind Usain Bolt who shattered his own world record.

Dwight clocked a fast 44.98s last season for Mississippi State and only missed the Jamaican national championships because of passport issues that he was unable to resolve in time to participate.

Like his brother, Dwight has good speed, having gone as fast as 20.73 over the 200 metres. There is not much else to go on but having run under 45 seconds suggests that there is talent there that can take him much further and much faster too.

We will see what the future holds but between Chambers and Mullings, Jamaica’s tradition in the quarter-mile run seems set for a resurgence in the very near future.