By Daraine Luton, Freelance WriterIT IS highly probable that either of Jamaica's two fastest half-lap sprinters, Usain Bolt or Asafa Powell, may not be able to represent the country in the 200 metres at the Olympic Games in Athens this August.
Neither Bolt nor Powell participated in the 200m at the National Senior Track and Field Athletics Championships which ended at the National Stadium on Sunday night.
Bolt, Jamaica's 17-year old sprinting sensation who registered the fastest time in the world this year (19.93 at the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda) was kept out of the trials due to injury, while Powell failed to face the starters in the half-lap event after complaining of "feeling sore" after his stupendous 9.91 seconds in the 100m.
PRECARIOUS POSITION
This puts the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) selection committee in a precarious position as only three athletes from any individual event can represent the country at the Olympics. However, they have the luxury of naming four athletes, providing they all meet the Olympic qualifying 'A' standard, which is 20.59 seconds for the 200m.
Under the JAAA selection rule, the first two athletes to cross the line are guaranteed a spot on the team to the Olympic Games. The third spot is discretionary, meaning that the JAAA picks that person based on their form going into the Games.
Thus, Steve Mullings (20.22) and Christopher Williams (20.43), who were first and second respectively on Sunday night, are guaranteed a place in the team when they go for gold in Athens.
Meanwhile Powell, who is the second fastest man in the world this year over the distance (20.10) behind Bolt, indicated earlier that he intends to compete in the sprint double at the Olympic Games.
However, if Williams and Mullings remain injury free and maintain their form going into the Games, the JAAA will have to make a tough call as to who the third person on the team will be.
When contacted for comment yesterday, Pat Anderson, president of the JAAA told The Gleaner his Bernard Panton-chaired selection committee will decide in due time.
"We are not making a call right now," Anderson said.
"The selectors will name their side that will be released later this week. They have to pick a side that will be ratified by the executive."
He added: "We have a selection policy. The first two past the post and the third is discretionary," said Anderson, before going on to add that the individuals that are chosen to represent the country in the events will be decided on at a technical meeting just before the Games.
Bolt, who has been touted as the likely gold medallist in the 200m at the Olympic Games, has not raced since April due to an injury.
When contacted yesterday, Bolt's manager Norman Peart declined to comment on the young sprinters' fitness or his racing programme. However, he disclosed that Bolt is training and is looking ahead to the World Junior Championships.
Meanwhile, the other man in contention for the third spot, Powell, has been in impeccable form. His 9.91 on Saturday and his 20.10 speaks volumes. Last night he left the island along with his coach Stephen Francis and fellow MVP Track Club stars for Europe.
At the last Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia, quarter-miler Gregory Haughton and a number of other Jamaican athletes held a demonstration in protest against Merlene Ottey's inclusion in the 100m in place of Pete-Gaye Dowdie, who won the event at the National Championships. Ottey had finished fourth at the trials but was selected to run for Jamaica as Dowdie's fitness was in doubt.
OTHER CASES
The Bolt and Powell's saga is not the only one the JAAA's selection committee will have to deal with. They will have to decide what happens in the case of Christopher Pinnock and Dwight Thomas, both of whom hit hurdles and found themselves out of the top three.
Pinnock, a former national record holder over the sprint hurdles, hit the penultimate hurdle and fell from second to fifth, while Thomas fell over the first hurdle and failed to finish.
