Fitting climax to World Champs

Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Sports Minister Olivia Grange have congratulated the Jamaican team on its performance at the just-concluded IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea.

Golding said the world-record run in the 4x100 metres final by the team of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, and Usain Bolt was a fitting climax to the Championships.

"Yes, there were moments of heartbreak, but these were just as quickly abandoned with more crowning moments of outstanding triumph by our team members," Golding said.

Amazing

At the same time, Grange said the 4x100 metres run was an "amazing world record".

Of the team's performance, Grange said, "All Jamaicans are beaming with pride at the achievement of the national team at the Daegu World Championships."

She added: "I must also highlight the performance of the Jamaican women's 4x100 metres team that took the silver medal.I know they feel a bit disappointed that they didn't win the gold, but we are very proud of them. They set a new national record. We are very proud of all our athletes.They are amazing!Well done to the entire team!"

Jamaica won nine medals - four gold, four silver, and a bronze - to finish fourth on the medal table. The haul was four short of the 13 medals won in Berlin, Germany, two years ago.

"We look forward to the 2012 Olympics, which takes place in the year when we celebrate our 50th anniversary as an independent nation, proud of the achievements of this very small nation and the continued hard work of our people here at home and throughout the diaspora as we continue to stamp our mark of greatness as a people in just about every area of endeavour," Golding said.