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Our man at the Beijing Olympics - 17/8/08

Matthew Davis
18/ 8/2008

I HAVE just met the sports minister for Jamaica. She is stood next to me in the mixed zone with the tourism minister and a whole posse of Jamaican journalists.

Following on from Usain Bolt’s win in the men’s 100m final – the women have come up trumps as Shelly-Ann Fraser led a Jamaican one, two, three.

The 21-year-old finished ahead of compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart who shared the silver medal after a dead heat.

Jamaica has a population just a bit bigger than Greater Manchester yet in the past 24 hours they can lay claim to the fastest man and woman in the world.

Sports minister OIivia Granger is unlike any politician I have ever met – she is a fantastic personality who had the swarming journalists eating out of her hand.

She was there in person to congratulate every Jamaican athlete who was there, she was dressed in the black, green and gold of the flag and hugged each one of the sprinters as they passed her by – she couldn’t be prouder of their efforts she is like an auntie to all of the athletes.

And she revealed to me the secrets of Jamaica’s success.

She said: “They get a physical education from an early age - a well-structured system within the schools.

“When they come out of primary school they would have had a well trained mind and will come out with a physical experience so then can apply themselves to the rigours of taking on a specialist discipline of a specific sport.

“And in addition to working in the school system after school and weekends there is training.

And Olivia predicted the success would continue.

She added: “We knew we had the fastest man and woman in the world we will get four golds in the sprints in the 100m and 200m - this is just the start. We are the sprint factory of the world.

“Jamaica is going crazy, euphoric - we are blessed little Jamaica. This is extraordinary and the celebrations will be extraordinary.”

Not to be outdone the tourism minister who also looked like he had recently been on a spending spree in a Jamaican merchandise store said: “Come and visit our sprint factory!”

This was a special thing to witness as the new Olympic champion Shelly-Anne Fraser walked through the mixed zone laughing and giggling on the phone to the Jamaican Prime Minister, - could you imagine Gordon Brown doing that?