MISS LALA'S REVIEW: LONDON OLYMPICS 2012. PROUDEST MOMENT: JAMAICAN SPRINT TEAM SETTING IT OFF!!

Well, the biggest sporting show on earth has finally left London and I'm so sad!! What will we do now? What are we going to watch from 9am in the morning till 10pm at night (and sometimes the repeats later).  The London Olympics 2012 have left an indelible mark on the whole nation as well as the world.  After much speculation and doubt as to how much a success the games would be (mostly doubts on how London will cope with the masses of people being added to the already packed London Transport system), London came alive and put on a spectacular event.  

The games came to a close last night, with performances from the UKs finest in the music and entertainment industry alike (Spice Girls, George Michael, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Brian May, Russell Brand, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Timothy Spall plus many more). It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of the Olympic games after two weeks of great examples of sporting prowess.  As with games of the past, we witnessed incredible highs and lows, but for me I saw more highs than anything else. Olympic fever took me in ways that I cant explain, and I didn't even get to witness any of the games from the selected London venues.

Proudest Moment: Usain Bolt and the whole of the Jamaican sprint team.

Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt, Nester Carter and Michael Frater.  The current 4x100m Jamaican Olympic 2012 sprint team and world record holders

For those of you that know me personally, you will know that my family background is Jamaican.  There is a strong Jamaican presence in the UK (particularly London and Birmingham).  Growing up, sports in my house was a huge thing, especially athletics.  I have watched the Jamaican team for years compete in track and field, screaming and cheering for them like a lunatic (with the rest of the family) whenever they compete.  Whilst they have always had a presence in athletics, trying to compete against the might and dominace of the USA, they always seen to be finishing just behind them.  But throughout the years, I have witnessed Jamaica claw their way to be level pegging with the might of the USA sprint team.  One man in particular has sent chills down the spines of every US sprinter since becoming Olympic Champ in 2008 (Beijing), and a world record holder in the 100m and 200m events.  That man was Usain Bolt!!!

 

Usain Bolt does his famous "Lightening Bolt" pose.

Usain had many doubters in the run up to the Olympic games, after suffering a defeat to his training partner, Yohan Blake, in both the 100m and the 200m, during the Jamaican trials to qualify for the Olympics.  Even former Olympic champs doubted his ability to retain his titles from the previous Beijing Olympics. However, Bolt (forever the showman) put on an amazing performance throughout this entire tournament (on and off the track), making it one of the most entertaining sporting events in history. Many have since said that Bolt has saved the sports of athletics, after years of the sport being dogged by repeated drug scandals.

Jamaica have spent years developing their sprinters through the schooling system.  They hold sprint meets regularly and have developed a string of young talents, who have since taken this 2012 games by storm.  The world was introduced to the ultimate sprinting talents of Yohan Blake and Warren Weir. These two amazing athletes showed the world that come the next Olympics, they will be a major problem.  I was overly impressed with Yohan Blakes incredible sprint during the 4x100m.  He took the second to last leg on the bend, running against the incredible, Tyson Gay.  Nicknamed, The Beast, he came around that bend with so much power, you could see why he has been given that name. Handing the baton to Usain Bolt for the anchor leg, he made it easier for Usain to smash the world record (38.84sec).

The ladies for the Jamaican sprint team also held it down, as we saw amazing races won by Shelley Ann Fraser Pryce.  She stormed through to win the 100m Olympic title, after managing to beat of extremely fast members of the US women's sprint team (Carmelita Jetter took silver).  Fellow veteran Jamaican sprinter, Veronica Campbell Brown, took the bronze medal.  Shelley Ann followed up that success with a silver in the 200m and the women's Jamaican sprint team came second in the 4x100m sprint event, recording the third fastest time in history. 

Veronica Campbell Brown, Sherone Simpson, Shelley Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart

Some of you may or may not know that Jamaica is currently celebrating its 50th year of Independence, so the success of the islands sprint team has been the ultimate way to commemorate such a mile stone in Jamaican history.  This small island has made a huge impact on the world, with Usain Bolt leading the charge.  I screamed like a lunatic while watching his victory at Jamaica House (The O2 in Greenwich) during the 200m, so much so that I didnt even realise that all three sprinters had grabbed gold, silver and bronze.  The whole crowd lept to their feet screaming "1,2,3!!" (meaning Gold, Silver, Bronze).  There was a buzz and energy in that room I have never felt before and will never forget. Throughout the tournament, I have seen people embracing Jamaica like it was their own, colours of green, black and yellow were everywhere (not just in Brixton and Harlesden!! lol) 

So to the Olympic Jamaican sprint team, I would like to thank you for giving your all and showing us what you have trained so hard to achieve.  You made every Jamaican proud, and as a Londoner we were happy to have you set this Olympics off like never before.  Usain, you have inspired a nation to follow your lead and reach for the stars, leaving an amazing legacy.  I'm proud to be a Jamaican and I'm proud of what that island has achieved.  Just wish I was there now, as I can imagine the party around Jamaica is going to last for at least a year! Brap!!!!

NO ENGLISH, STRAIGHT PATIOS!!!

Usain celebrates his victories at Puma Yard, Brick Lane, London.