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Usain Bolt proved Johnson wrong by breaking the 200-metres world record in 19.19s

Hitlers Reaction to Usain Bolt’s World Record - 9.58s

Sherwood Content delirious after Usain Bolt’s exploits

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, August 21, 2009

SHERWOOD CONTENT, Trelawny - Unlike last year’s Olympic Games when Usain Bolt was breaking new grounds and taking his legion of family members and fans by surprise with his every victory, this year the only question, at least in the minds of some, was how fast he would run.

After lowering his 100m world record to 9.58 seconds on Sunday’s second day of the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, many in the small farming community of Sherwood Content, from which Bolt hails, were taking bets as to how fast he would run in the 200m final yesterday.

Usain Bolt’s aunt, Lillian Bolt-Smith (in yellow hat), neighours and friends cheer on her nephew and the community’s world-famous son during the running of the Men’s 200 metres final at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. (Photo: Paul Reid)

Despite protests over the lack of water in their pipes and several roadblocks that slowed traffic which snaked through the hills leading to the small community Trelawny, the prevailing mood yesterday was celebratory as the 200m final approached just after 1:30 pm local time.

Several family members, led by aunts Lillian Bolt-Smith and Annette Davis, jostled with journalists and other well-wishers, some from as far away as the United States, for space in Bolt-Smith’s smal living room as the athletes lined up.

On the road to the family home, there were several pockets of people getting ready for the celebrations, and at one shop a young man was seen fine-tuning his sound system for what was expected to be a late night of celebrations.

Back at Bolt-Smith’s home, there was a small cheer when Steve Mullings, the other Jamaican in the race, came on the screen and a big one when Bolt’s father, Wellesley, was shown in the stands. But the loudest cheer was reserved for the man of the moment himself, and the small room felt ready to burst from the nervous energy being generated.

The noise rose with the crack of the starter’s gun and did not relent until at least a full minute after the race was over and all that was left to confirm was the new world record of 19.19 seconds.

The celebrations spilled out into the yard and on the roads and Davis, Bolt’s mother’s sister who was by now hoarse from screaming, said she was “overwhelmed and at a loss for words to express my feelings right now”.

Bolt-Smith, his aunt, had plenty to say. After a big laugh, the ebullient Bolt-Smith told reporters, “I feel on top of the world right now, it couldn’t be better.”

She said the margin of win was not ordinary. “It was donkey’s length,” she said while predicting that “there is no one on the planet who can beat him now”.

Maxfield erupts with joy for Melaine

Friday, August 21, 2009

The loud cheers of joy and shouts for gold as Olympic Champion, Melaine Walker won the 400-metre hurdles yesterday at the World Championships held in Berlin, Germany, in 52.42s, could be heard a quarter-mile away from Maxfield Avenue, Kingston 13.

Walker, among a field that included some of the best athletes in the world, yesterday ran the second fastest time in history over the distance, beating Lashinda Demus of the United States and Trinidad & Tobago’s Josanne Lucas, in that order.

Jennifer Wilson (centre), mother of world 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker, is besieged by journalists after her daughter’s exploits at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany yesterday. (Photo: Karl McLarty)

The occasion was especially touching for her mother.

“She win! She win! Me daughter win! Ooh God she win!” screamed a proud Jennifer Wilson, who also hails from the Kingston community.

The large crowd that had gathered to watch the race on two big-screen television sets erupted into wild cheers.

Traffic came to a halt for several minutes as several motorists joined in the fun by tooting their horns.

Police personnel who were on spot to monitor the situation pleaded in vain as women, children and a few senior citizens danced in the road, some knocking pot covers while others waved Jamaican flags.

Standing behind several broken-down zinc fences, groups of young men - a number of them at odds with each other for years - set aside their differences, if only for the moment, to join in the celebrations.

The community has been for several months plagued by violent upsurges among several gangs.

A few feet away Japheth Walker, father of the athlete, stood with his arms outstretched and head turned to the heavens; the smile on his face said it all.

“Before the race I went into a church nearby and I prayed,” said Melanie’s father who said he had to give God thanks for his daughter’s performance.

“I always knew my daughter would do well,” the senior Walker said.

As the father spoke, people in nearby bars and shops scrambled to get a glimpse of television sets that were placed in strategic locations.

Other persons used the occasion to call on residents to come together to continue supporting the team as it went in search of more gold.

Queen Ifrica, Irie FM receive Marcus Garvey Awards

By Basil Walters Observer staff reporter

Friday, August 21, 2009

“For her recent campaign against skin-bleaching, and her consistency in being a voice that sings out… against decadence and negativity in the spirit of Marcus Garvey, this year’s award in the category of Music goes to an empress whose father said in 1962 - Forward March! Ventrice Morgan, aka Queen Ifrica,” was how Michael ‘Ibo’ Cooper announced the first recipient for the Marcus Garvey Award in music.

Under the auspices of the Kingston Chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), the award ceremony held on the lawns of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston on Monday evening was a fitting celebration marking the 122nd birthday of Jamaica’s first National Hero and Pan-Africanist, Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

In all her glory, a regal-looking Queen Ifrica being presented the Marcus Garvey Award in Music from veteran musician Michael ‘Ibo’ Cooper formerly of Third World band.

The categories in which the awards were given, reflected the various areas of activities in which Garvey was involved. One such was music and the performing arts, and it was in this category that the empress of roots and culture music distingushed herself as the pioneer.

With her record, Brown Skin (chiding skin bleaching) providing the soundtrack as she made her appearance in a pant suit adorned with red, green and gold, with matching hat, Queen Ifrica graciously accepted the award.

“This award is very special to me. Because of the type of music that we do, sometimes it gets a little lonely on this side. So when me get recognition like these from organisations like the UNIA, mi jus waan sey I’m very humbled,” said Queen Ifrica.

President of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Byron Buckley reminded the audience at the well-attended function that Marcus Garvey wore many hats - advocate, teacher, administrator, businessman, politician, statesman - and that his triumphs and losses in these areas were part of his remarkable history that won him his place as Jamaica’s first National Hero. Buckley noted that there was one hat that he wore which never came off, despite the changes around or within him.

“That is the hat of journalist,” the PAJ president said. “Garvey refused to endorse or promote anything that he deemed detrimental to the race in his paper, regardless of loss of advertising revenue.

He said “we need crusaders in journlism who will not seek to enrich themselves off the crimes and ignorance of our race. But men and women who would risk everything on the promotion of pride, self-respect, love and integrity. Tonight’s awardee in the category of journalism examplified just this. She is the executive producer and host of the Running African radio programme on Irie FM. A weekly broadcast dedicated to reuniting and developing the African family. I am pleased to welcome and present the Marcus Garvey Award to Mrs Andrea Williams-Green.”

Dr Sonjah Stanley-Niaah accepted the award on behalf of Andrea Williams-Green who was absent.

“Garvey Black Cross nurses are needed today, more than ever,” Miriam Maluwa, UNAIDS representative, prefaced her announcement of the Marcus Garvey Award for Social Advocacy.

“The Marcus Garvey Award for Social Advocacy this year goes to a very special woman who recognised this call and has been answering to it for over a decade. Miss Daisy Blackwood, affectionately known as Jackie Roots,” Maluwa said to rousing applause.

The citation she read noted that Jackie Roots has operated a home for children living with disabilities and or affected by or infected with HIVAIDS. She is a member of the UNIA as a true Black Cross Nurse. “I am most honoured and indeed privileged to present this award to her tonight,” Maluwa declared.

Thanking her mother, who has made her the person she has become, Jackie Roots explained that she now has over 25 children from all over Jamaica who are at risk. “Without funding it is difficult. Pampers are hard to buy… food and diet is a must. So I give thanks to all the people who helped me to make this possible, and to those who give me this award. From the bottom of my heart I tell you thanks.”

Among the other awards were Trade which went to Michael Dawson, former CEO for People’s Telecom; Mrs Valerie Dixon got the Award for Arts; the Business Award went to Angela Beckford of Mini Laundry Marts; the Award in Education went to Janice Riley; the Lifetime Award posthumously given to Eustace White, a former president of the Harmony Division of the UNIA and presented to his daughter Dorothy White; the Award for Governance went to Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Senator Warren Newby.
There were also performances from Drums M’Bassikolo Jam African Ensemble, Ras Takura, History Man, Lymie Murray, Perfect, Bongo Herman and awardee Queen Ifrica.

Entertainment

Digicel hosts Gold Concerts in honour of athletes

Friday, August 21, 2009

Telecoms giant Digicel will celebrate with Jamaica the outstanding achievement of Jamaican athletes at the 12th IAAF World Championships by hosting two simultaneous Gold Concerts in Montego Bay and Kingston on Saturday from11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

ELEPHANT MAN… will join the list of performers

“It’s simply astounding to see what a country of 2.7 million people can achieve on the world stage in almost everything that they do. The performance of our athletes in Berlin is amazing and we want to celebrate with Jamaica and send a deep message of congratulations to all of our athletes with these concerts,” expressed Mark Linehan, CEO of Digicel, Jamaica.

“We are especially proud of Usain Bolt’s fifth World Record of 19.19 seconds and Shelly-Ann Fraser achieving the new National Record of 10.73 seconds, both of whom Digicel has been a proud sponsor since 2004 and 2008 respectively,” Linehan added.

During the concerts, Jamaicans will be able to watch the Men’s 4×100 relay with Usain Bolt from large screens from the streets of Jamaica’s two major cities, Montego Bay and Kingston, while celebrating the past achievements of the team with performances from top local artistes such as Queen Ifrica, Elephant Man, Busy Signal, Tessanne Chynn, Wayne Marshall, Digicel Rising Stars and many others.

Digicel has been a major sponsor of the Jamaican athletics team and proud sponsor of Olympic triple gold medallist and world 100mrecord holder Usain Bolt and Olympic 100m gold medallist and national 100m record holder and world 100mchampion Shelly-Ann Fraser

source: jamaicaobserver.com,  outaroad.com, one876entertainment.com, imeem.com