Kelly's World - Merlene, it dun!
published:
Monday | July 28, 2008
Daviot Kelly
Every now and then, you hear things that make you scratch your head and go, 'seh wha!'.
That was my reaction when I heard that Merlene Ottey, yes, she's still alive, was attempting to qualify for a record-eight Olympic Games. Now, why, oh why, at the age of about 154, would Ottey want to go through all that again?
Admittedly, she could still beat me in the 100 metres but then, my grandfather would give me stiff competition! The fact that Ottey was even trying left me in two minds; praise and chastisement.
Unfortunately for her, she missed the qualifying mark and won't be competing in Beijing. Who would think that anybody would even contemplate trying to participate in eight Olympic Games? That's 32 years, if you think about it! So, basically, she would have been taking part in active Olympic calibre events longer than I have been alive. Wow!
What makes her attempt even more outstanding is that it comes in athletics, a physically demanding discipline. If her sport was, let's say, rifle shooting or golf (when it was an Olympic sport), or even Scrabble, then the whole age factor is different. While I still consider them sports (yes, even scrabble to an extent), they're not exactly as taxing on the body as athletics. Sprinting, no less!
Bowing out gracefully
But even though one side of me is lauding hotty Ottey, I believe there is a method to bowing out gracefully, and not everybody knows it. Even the great Michael Jordan, in my opinion, stuck around a little too long; retiring twice before finally doing it.
When Ottey qualified for the Sydney games and was part of the trio to compete in the individual 100 metres at the expense of Peta-Gaye Dowdie, she even made it to the final. I thought that was the perfect time to say adios. But she promptly found another country, qualified for Athens and, at least according to her coach, is still not done, even though missing this trip!
Brave move
Truth is, I'm not sure how many people would have been brave enough to even try for eight Olympics. None of the great track stars that come to mind ever tried that. Not Jesse Owens, not Don Quarrie, not the late great Herb McKinley, none of them! For Ottey to even try is a credit to her.
But everyone should know when it's time to siddung! And if now is not the time, then when? At the rate she's going, Ottey might still be competing with a walker, 'running' the 100 in about three days!
So, congrats, Ottey, but seriously, it's time to hang up the spikes and come back home! Slovenia nuh cold? Later.
Run with me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com.
Merlene Ottey ... still making strides, despite criticism. - File
Flair's Mailbag
Entertaining article
Dear Kelly,
I rarely ever find it necessary to contact a columnist after having read his/her article, but I simply couldn't resist after reading yours, titled, 'Kelly's world - Bikini bliss', published Monday, July 7. It was, by far, one of the most entertaining articles I have read in quite some time.
Please don't get me wrong though, it wasn't just entertaining but you made very pertinent points. With the media, both print and otherwise, being plagued with death, crime, gas and toll prices, corruption, politics, blah, blah, blah, it is refreshing to read an article that is considered light reading but not lacking content and is comical, to say the least.
Well done and I look forward to reading your many articles to come. May they continue to be cleverly written, insightful and, of course, hilarious. You, my friend, are facetious and there is nothing wrong with that.
