Jamaica surpass last Youth Olympic performance

BY Kayon Raynor

As the second Youth Olympics Games wind down this week in Nanjing, China, I want to congratulate the youngsters for representing the nation with pride. 

So far, Jamaica has secured four medals, comprising three gold and one silver.  

That's two more than the two gold attainted four years ago in Singapore.  

This year's gold medals have come from St. Jago's Martin Manley and Natalliah Whyte in 400 and 200 metres respectively as well as Wolmerian Jaheel Hyde in the 110 metre hurdles.    

The lone silver medal was secured Jamaica College's O'brien Waysome in the long jump.

And apart from the medallists, those who qualified for the final of their respective events should also take a bow for being among the best youth athletes across the world.

So kudos to the athletes in track and field, who've carried their good form all the way into August after starting their long season in January.  

While, no medal was forthcoming in the discipline of fencing, Tia Simms Lymn must get a special mention for advancing to the quarter-finals.  

If there was one negative coming out of Nanjing, it would have to be the management team, who missed the opportunity to lodge an appeal against the disqualification of Chad Walker, who had finished second in the 200m final.  

Based on the reports from RJR's Ricardo Chambers, in Nanjing, the management team claimed not to have been aware of the disqualification until after returning to the athletes' village.   

I find this a little bit strange, as at least one member of the management teams to these international competitions usually remain at the stadium until the day's proceedings conclude.  

And there is usually a one hour window within which to lodge appeals after the official results have been posted. 

So with the late appeal being dismissed by the authorities in Nanjing, I just hope that future manangement teams learn from this error going forward.