One million Jamaicans, Team GB's lack of talent

There are an estimated one million people Jamaican British people so why
do we not produce the talented athletes. Not since the early 90's has a brit legally broke 10 seconds. I really do wonder why. The only finalist we had in the sprints was Christian Malcolm and he was nowhere, As far behind the minor medalists in the 200 as they were behind the Warthog. I do not understand why?
It's not like these people go into other sports. Yes we have many black footballers but our fastest player is a diminitive white guy called Michael Owen.
And team GB away from Track and Field had a wonderful games.
anyone have any ideas?
regards

PS sorry, Jason Gardner has one time below 10 seconds this decade and that was just a shade under

The sport has moved on and GB has not kept pace.

Now I hear they will be swarming Jamaica for tips. LoL

I would chase them away, based on some reports with doping innuendo.

On the other hand, BBC gave fair and balanced reports, so I suspect there is some detente going on. Also, we have strong ties, so I am sure Jamaica will assist.

Main reasons, climate and attitude, IMHO.

I saw MLF in an interview and he said he is going to redouble efforts in the Winter training, as he was inspired by Bolt.

Mark Lewis Francis has been a HUGE disappointment, he had all the potential in the world and now can't even get into an average GB team
I am glad someone inspires him. He clocked a sub 10(unofficial, timer was dodgy )aged 19 and has not done so since

What's worse the athletes are funded so its not like they have to fight tooth and nail to make a decent living running track.

Then again maybe that's a another part of the problem..

I've wondered about climate. We now see Brits training in USA like Edgar, and Adu-Bobie at Texas A&M, and I think a few others now. And most of the sprint colleges in USA are no further north than Tennessee. Is climate more of a factor in early years or later years? Because Carl, Dennis, Leroy, and Drummond were all raised in the Philadelphia vicinity before going to warmer schools. And how do Ben, Bailey, and Surin figure in? And why is climate not so much as obstacle for Russian women?

As far as the other stuff, the UK system may cause complacency. I think with 2012 in London, that should change with everyone wanting to be a hero. And perhpas by 2011, I'm guessing a few serious candidates will emerge.

What has changed is now there is a developmental\training base in Jamaica on par with the NCAA system, or other coaching bases in wealthier nations. Does that mean there will be fewer Christie, Bailey, or even Derrick Atkins types running abroad? Or is that unrelated because emigration will continue for social\economic reasons and someone is bound to emerge from that group?

Funny how before Jamaica was an underdog competing against richer, bigger nations, and post-China it's the mighty 3mil Jamaicans vs 1mil Brits or Canadians (or even reducing USA from 300mil to 40mil).

I've wondered about climate. We now see Brits training in USA like Edgar, and Adu-Bobie at Texas A&M, and I think a few others now. And most of the sprint colleges in USA are no further north than Tennessee. Is climate more of a factor in early years or later years? Because Carl, Dennis, Leroy, and Drummond were all raised in the Philadelphia vicinity before going to warmer schools. And how do Ben, Bailey, and Surin figure in? And why is climate not so much as obstacle for Russian women?

As far as the other stuff, the UK system may cause complacency. I think with 2012 in London, that should change with everyone wanting to be a hero. And perhpas by 2011, I'm guessing a few serious candidates will emerge.

What has changed is now there is a developmental\training base in Jamaica on par with the NCAA system, or other coaching bases in wealthier nations. Does that mean there will be fewer Christie, Bailey, or even Derrick Atkins types running abroad? Or is that unrelated because emigration will continue for social\economic reasons and someone is bound to emerge from that group?

Funny how before Jamaica was an underdog competing against richer, bigger nations, and post-China it's the mighty 3mil Jamaicans vs 1mil Brits or Canadians (or even reducing USA from 300mil to 40mil).

IMN you raise a couple of interesting points. I think climate is a major factor in sprinting success. It is no coincidence that MOST of the top US sprint schools are in the south. UCLA, USC, FLORIDA, TENESSEE, LSU etc. Of course you get the few who excel to a certain level in the north like Mitch Potter and Adam Steele from Minnesota, but the vast majority of top sprinters are developed in warmer climates.

Thats a problem the British have. You mentioned Carl and so on from Phili and there are others like John Carlos from Harlem. The thing is, at such a young age you can get by on talent. To train to and maintain that world class level the environment is very important. Thus most of those guys then migrated to warmer climes to do their training. Mark Lewis Francis, Christian Malcolm etc had loads of talent as teenagers but have not developed. I think where they train is PART of the problem.

Now, by no means am I saying that climate is the defining factor in sprinting success. Not at all, but it is a major part. Injuries are more easily avoided etc. All 8 of the 100m finalists in Beijing train in warm climates. That is no coincidence.

Donovan if I remember correctly trained in Louisianna then Texas with Dan Pfaff for the majority of his career. Bruny Surin was also coached by Pfaff in Texas when he ran 9.84.

So thats my contribution on the climate factor. However like Infama said other factors such as attitude play a big part as well.

Another problem with the brits is people like Malcolm, Devonish etc are hailed as sporting stars, when clearly they are not. I have a lot of respect for Marlon, a nice guy and a gent. He refused to let Craig Pickering take the blame for the clock up in the relays when clearly it was Craig's fault, however Marlon has never been top class as a sprinter if if he is as a person.
MJ said this about the brits a few years back and apparantly Darren Campbell ne went for him in an after games reception, saying the the UK was a small nation , Crap, 60 million is not a small nation, it terms of population it is in the top 20 in the world and it is also a well off nation, I am afraid Darren's argument does not stick. I think it is the british attitude. it is not just sprinting, look at the quality of England's footballers. Indivdually superb, collectivly well beaten by Croatia and many other smaller nations. We love heroic losers and that must change

I've wondered about climate. We now see Brits training in USA like Edgar, and Adu-Bobie at Texas A&M, and I think a few others now.

perhaps moot but adubobie is canadian

Absolutely, it's the reason Frank Bruno and Tim Henman were loved but Joe Calzaghe and Linford Christie never quite get the same level of adoration.

Canada is a good point, not exactly a tropical paradise, i spent a winter in Calgary and have never experienced cold like it