Walcott’s javelin gold – bigger than Bolt’s

Tue, Aug 14, 2012

There is no doubt that the London Olympics 2012 will forever be remembered for the feats of the legendary Usain Bolt, above and beyond the incredible collection of medals by American swimmer Michael Phelps.{{more}}

Yet, just as Bolt was enjoying his crowning moments, in anchoring the Jamaican 4 x 100m relay team to a world record, another Caribbean athlete was chalking up an astonishing win in a little-publicised event, which is perhaps the most astounding achievement of the entire Games.

The 19-year-old Keshorn Walcott, from the small eastern village of Toco in Trinidad, had been competing in the men’s javelin, tolerated by some on their TV screens as of necessary nuisance value, as they awaited the much-anticipated relay final. At the end of it all, he came up with not only a gold medal-winning performance, but some unbelievable achievements to boot. Unlike Bolt and his colleagues, Walcott did not break the world record, but just consider these:

– He became the first athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to win a gold medal since national hero, Hasely Crawford, in 1976.

– Keshorn is the youngest ever javelin champion in the history of the Olympic Games.

– The significance of his feat can be judged by the fact that in more than 100 years of Olympic competition, he is the second non-European to have won the javelin title.

– Walcott is the first person from the entire western hemisphere, the USA included, to have broken the European monopoly on this event, which stood since 1952.

– It was the first time in 40 years that any non-European has placed in the top three in the men’s javelin throw.

– The young Trinidadian beat the reigning two-time Olympic champion, the World champion and current European champion to claim his gold medal.

So, let’s all hail yet another manifestation of Caribbean achievement, Keshorn Walcott, who, in the words of his Sports Minister, was simply, “Astounding, amazing and spectacular”.(contributed)