Tony Becca

THE 11th IAAF World Championships came to an end in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday and Jamaica did well. In fact, Jamaica, little Jamaica, 'tallawah' Jamaica, did exceptionally well.

In finishing in fourth position in total medals, ahead of bigger countries like Britain, China, Italy, Brazil,Canada, Germany, Australia, Cuba, Spain and France, Jamaica won one gold medal - more than countries like France, Italy, Brazil, Spain and Canada, they won six silver medals - more than countries like Britain, Cuba, China, France, Italy, Brazil, Canada and France, and they won three bronze medals - more than countries like China, Britain, Cuba France, Italy and Brazil and so on.

Jamaica's standing

In winning 10 medals, Jamaica did not only surpass their previous best haul of eight in Helsinki in 2005. Out of a field of some 203 countries, Jamaica also finished behind only the U.S., Kenya and Russia.

In any language, that is outstanding, it is particularly outstanding when one considers the size, the population, and the economy of this blessed country, and special praises to all those who wore the colours in Osaka, but especially so to those who contributed to the harvest of medals - to the likes of Veronica Campbell, Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Novlene Williams, Delloreen Ennis-London and the other young men and young women in the men's 4x100 relay and the women's 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Powell's effort to almost catch American Leroy Dixon on the anchor leg of the men's 4x100 relay was remarkable, and so too was Campbell's chase of American Torri Edwards on the last leg in the women's 4x100.

The greatest moment, for me, however, was Campbell's run in the women's 100m final.

I can still see, in my mind's eye, and I believe I will be seeing it for a long, long time, Campbell's burst to the finish as she flashed past the three Americans, Edwards, Carmelita Jeter and the 2005 champion Lauryn Williams, on her way to a victory that was so close that it took some five minutes to decide the winner.

As brilliant as Campbell was in becoming the first Jamaican, man or woman, to win the 100m, the blue-riband event, at either the Olympic Games or the World Championships; however, Maurice Smith, probably, deserves to stand beside her as Jamaica's top performers in Osaka.

From that day in Helsinki in the 1952 Olympics when Herb McKenley, after a photo finish, finished second to Lindy Remigino of the U.S. in the final of the men's 100m, Jamaica, through the likes of Lennox Miller, Don Quarrie, Grace Jackson, Merlene Ottey and Juliet Cuthbert, have enjoyed success, have won gold, silver and bronze medals in the sprints at the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

Never before, however, has Jamaica even smelled success in an event like the decathlon and because of his success in Osaka in winning the silver medal after finishing a mere 32 points behind world record holder Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic, Smith deserves special praise.

Decathlon competition

The decathlon is a gruelling event, based on the fact that the athlete has to compete in the 100m, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, the 400m, the 110 hurdles, the discus, the pole vault, the javelin and the 1,500. It calls for versatility and stamina and that is why so many people, depending on where they come from, consider the winner of the decathlon, the champion of the games.

Once upon a time, Jamaica was a feared name in the sprint events - in the 100, the 200 and the 400. After the likes of Wynthrop Graham, Deon Hemmings, Danny McFarlane and Delloreen Ennis-London, however, after James Beckford in the long jump and Trecia Smith in the triple jump, after Mardrea Hyman in the steeplechase and now after Maurice Smith in Osaka, Jamaica must now be feared not only in the hurdles, not only in the long jump, not only in the triple jump but also in the decathlon.

This is a wonderful time to remember the pioneers, men like Joe McKenzie, Bernard Prendergast, Barry Grant, Arthur Jones, Clinton Woodstock, Lance Thompson, Harold Lawson, Byron LaBeach, Keith Gardner, George Kerr, Mel and Mal Spence, Ernle Haisley and Denis Johnson, not to mention Arthur Wint, McKenley, George Rhoden, Les Laing, and women like Gertrude Messam, Beryl Delgado, Icis Clarke, Carmen Phipps, Cynthia Thompson, Vinton Beckett, Hyacinth Walters and Kathleen Russell who paved the way beginning back in 1930 when McKenzie, silver in the high jump, won Jamaica's only medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana, Cuba.