With Just 53 athletes, the Jamaica was able to place 2nd on the medal table copping 11 medals, 7 of which were gold.
Jamaica’s first award came in the form of a bronze medal from O’Dayne Richards in the shot put; the country’s first ever shot put medal at this level. However, debatably the highlight of this athletics meet produced Jamaica’s second medal through the most talked about male 100 metres race, in which the legendary Usain Bolt – the world’s fastest man – dashed to a season’s best of 9.79 seconds to defend his title and ‘save the sport of athletics’.
Adding to his victory was his golden performance in the 200 metres event and assistance in the 4 person 100 merelay where he and his teammates swiftly took home the ultimate prize.
Jamaica walked away with three of the four relay titles, winning the 4 per100 and 400 metres female races as well.
Jamaica’s other gold medals came from the world’s current sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the wom’s 100 metres race and a surprisvictory from the young Danielle Williams in the women’s 100 metres hurdles. To round out the medal tally, Hansle Parchment moved up one place from his previous bronze Olympic placement to snatch the silver medal in the 110 metres hurdles and Elaine Thompson grabbed the silver in the women’s 200 metres. Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shericka Jackson both won bronze medals in the women’s 200 metres and 400 metres races respectively.
