FORMER Jamaica sprint sensation Don Quarrie said there is need for the athletic tradition to be passed on to young athletes if they are going to follow in the footsteps of those who have done well in the past.

The man who is now the Technical Manager of the Jamaican Olympic team was speaking at the 30th Commonwealth Sports Awards where he was one of four Caribbean former athletes to receive Lifetime Achievement accolades on Saturday night at the Hyatt Hotel. The four-time Olympic medallist whose haul includes gold, two silver and bronze, said at the moment TT athletes are doing well but more can be done.

“I would like to see others following Hasely Crawford in the sprints. You are doing very well but if Jamaica can get more competition it would lift the standard in Jamaica, Trinidad and the Caribbean. We are doing well right now but we don not know what will happen ten years from now,” said the five time Olympian.

TT’s first Olympic gold medallist Crawford, who was also honoured at the ceremony, was the man defeating Quarrie in the 100m event of the 1976 Montreal Games. The Jamaican however, romped home to take the 200m title.

Quarrie who claimed six gold medals was the first person to win two sprint doubles, achieving the feat in 1970 and 1974. The man regarded as one of the finest sprinters in history said there is no secret to Jamaica’s success rather it is tradition.

“When I was a boy I heard a lot of stories about the great Jamaican athletes and this helped to inspire me and others. Our High School programme is so fantastic that even at that level they are reminded of what we have done before so that the tradition keeps building,” said the Jamaica Technical Manager.

The six-time Common-

wealth gold medallist said the Carifta Games is very important to athletes of the region. “It is a very competitive event and it is a show case for Caribbean athletes. Our young athletes look forward to it because they are always winning and no group wants to show up and lose and so we show no pity on the rest of the Caribbean.

By Kevin Sunich

Source: www.newsday.co.tt