Jamaican Athletics: A Model for 2012 Olympics and the World Book

Celebrating an area of excellence in Jamaica that deservedly brings pride to every Jamaican, this book illuminates the country's high-quality performances in global athletics throughout the past 60 years. Seeking to isolate the environment in which athletic excellence thrives, this guide asserts that Jamaica's athletic achievements can be attributed to a rich legacy and history of sport; the spirit that Jamaica is known for; the immense athletic talent that abounds in the country; and, most importantly, the systemic and structural features that underpin the athletic training programs. Jamaica has frequently placed between third and 10th in athletics at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships; at the Beijing Olympics, from a field of 205 countries, Jamaica placed third in track-and-field athletics, and this book offers an explanation and analysis of the Jamaican athletic system. Praising the quality of the coaching and the intensity of training regimens, it is suggested that the Jamaican product is a model for the world—particularly for developing countries in time for the 2012 Olympics—because it illustrates how success in athletics can be achieved at the global level with relatively few resources.