Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

SIMOES

TORONTO:

JAMAICA'S REGGAE Boyz, in Canada for A World Cup qualifier tomorrow night, are looking to make the most of the positive vibes created by the nation's athletes at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Usain Bolt won the men's 100 metres final on Saturday, becoming the first Jamaican to win Olympic gold in the shortest sprint.

On Sunday, the country swept all three medals in the women's 100m - won by Shelly-Ann Fraser in 10.78 seconds. Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart tied for silver, running 10.98.

Such performances have over-whelmed the Boyz, providing a 'huge boost' ahead of tomorrow's start of the Group Two semi-final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against the Canadians at the BMO Field in Toronto starting at 6:30 p.m. (Ja time).

"The performance in Beijing is awesome. I expect it to be a huge motivational factor for our players going into this World Cup qualifier," said Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, in the hotel lobby of the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, where the team is based.

"I'm sure that our players will want to emulate our great Jamaican athletes and try to replicate their performances on the field," Burrell said.

"I want to use this opportunity to congratulate all our athletes in Beijing and tell them that our prayers remain with them for the remainder of the Games. "The motivation is huge and the players want to replicate that on the pitch."

Burrell said support for the Boyz could be even at tomorrow's match inside the 20,000-capacity stadium.

"The members of the team, along with technical director Rene Simoes and management, attended a church service in Toronto and we were well received. And from reports received so far, more than 50 per cent of the attendance at Wednesday's game could be Jamaicans," said Burrell.

Simoes also expects a positive spin-off from the Beijing successes.

"I want to congratulate them, I think it will be very positive," he said. "There's lots of things to take from this."

"You have to understand what makes a young guy competing on this big stage for the first time not feel the pressure; and another more experienced athlete feel the pressure.

"Everybody knows that Asafa Powell can run fast. Sometimes it's not the physical capacity, but the mental capacity," he said. Pointing to his charges, Simoes said: "This is what you have to discuss with the players and tell them not to make it affect you.

"Since I arrived in Jamaica, I keep telling people one thing that makes me come back to Jamaica is the strength within ... and now this is proven. How can a country with three million people achieve so much?" he said.

"That is individual," he noted in a clear distinction between the sports, "now it's how to make them work collectively. My responsibility is how to make them work as a team."