Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

BEIJING, China

The Government will be hoping to tap into the positive attention Jamaica is receiving at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, and tourism minister Ed Bartlett will arrive here over the next two days as official representatives, just prior to the start of competition in track and field.

Jamaica's contingent here is expected to be a dominant force in the men's and women's sprints. The two fastest men in the world, 100 metres world record holder Usain Bolt and the former holder, Asafa Powell, will run in the heats of the men's 100 metres on Friday.

Record haul

Both are expected to go on to the final and win medals on Saturday. Overall Jamaica is expected to reap a record haul at the Games.

Grange will arrive today while Bartlett is due in tomorrow.

Jamaica's Ambassador to China, Wayne McCook, confirmed the expected arrival of the two government ministers last night, shortly after he had hosted a dinner, at a Beijing restaurant, for Jamaican journalists covering the Games.

"Ministers of sports are specially recognised in the International Olympic Committee's programme as national officials so Minister Grange will of course be here in that capacity," McCook said. "Minister Bartlett will anchor a programme of promotional endeavors relating to tourism and other economic areas which will benefit from the positive attention Jamaica is receiving at the Games."

The ambassador and his staff have played a central role here in Jamaica's preparations for the Games.

"We have worked very closely with the Jamaica Olympic Association in all the preparatory arrangements for the team, including the facilitation of the training camp in Tianjin," McCook said.

He added that part of that also had to do with the nutritional arrangements.

"That involved bringing foods from Jamaica. Our ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, used our facilities to ensure that the required food items were brought in, in order for the team to have familiar menu items, including ackee and callaloo, during the training period."

Official cook

A staff member at the embassy, Novlette Samuels, helped to prepare the food for the camp that began on July 31 and ended on Monday.

According to McCook, Samuels was 'seconded' to the camp to be the official cook during the training period.

It is likely that as many as 100 fans could travel to Beijing to cheer Bolt, Powell and the other members of Jamaica's Olympic team.

elton.tucker@gleanerjm.com