Essay On The 200m Final

Twelve years ago, a certain Jamaican athlete became the second Jamaican man to make the 200m final in the history of the IAAF World Championships. The first Jamaican to make the 200m final at the World Championships was Christopher Williams in 2001, who went onto win a silver medal. When this Jamaican ran the 200m final in 2005, he came off the bend into the home stretch, second behind the 100m world champion, at the time, Justin Gatlin. He felt his hamstring tug and shut it down, cruising home in eighth place with an unrespectable time of 26.27 seconds. Several Jamaicans, including a member of my extended family, chastised him. I quickly cautioned her not to.
Years ago, another athlete I know use to compete in the 100m and the 200m. He was a relatively good sprinter, who I recall was only beaten by individuals who have gone on to represent Jamaica at the Olympics and the World Championships.

He warmed up for the final, went out there and flew out of the blocks. Entering the home stretch, he was once again in the lead and pulling away from my competitors. His hamstring gave way. He clattered to the ground and did not finish the race. His handlers came for him and he limped off the field. Years later at university, he made another 100m final. With two metres from the finishing line, his hamstring demons returned. He won the race but he was unable to run the 200m or the 4 x 100m relays. He has not run competitively since. I am that athlete.
The Jamaican athlete that eased down in the 200m final in 2005 was Usain Bolt. Several Jamaicans referred to another Jamaican athlete, Bert Cameron, and how Bolt should have run through the line like Cameron. In 1983, Cameron was the crowned the world champion in the 400m at the inaugural IAAF World Championships. When he won, it had been 31 years since a Jamaican male had won a gold medal in that discipline at any global championship – think George Rhoden in the 1952