National Games In Jamaica

This island country in the Caribbean coast is not just blessed with natural beauty but also with its natives that have brought home recognition. In the world of sports, they were able to establish an excellent record over the past fifty years and have been able to maintain it. As a matter of fact, since 1948, they were able to covet Olympic medals. This is not a wonder since they are also sated with national games in Jamaica that has been able to let them produce great athletes.

Cricket is among the national games in Jamaica that was handed down by the British colonizers. Today, it serves as a unifying force among the natives it is played. They already have plenty that have excelled regionally as well as internationally such as Courtney Walsh, Jeffry Dujon, Michael Holding, Collie Smith, Jackie Hendricks, Alfred Valentine and George Headley. The first that was mentioned was the former captain of the teams West Indies and Gloucesteshire who is currently fronting the wicket taker in history of cricket. By the final stretch of Cable and Wireless sequence in 1999, he was able to make about 434 tests. Courtney Walsh is also considered as the third highest of its category since it began.

Track and Field is among the national games in Jamaica where their players are a major threat to other regions. In the 1996 Olympics, they were able to bag one gold, three silver and two bronze. Deon Hemmings was the first native who won in the Olympics’ 400 meters hurdle event for the women. James Beckford was also the pioneer native who nailed the highest award for the long jump competition. One of the prominent personalities, Merlene Ottey, was appointed as Ambassador at Large by the government in 1993. She was the chief native contestant that was able to have an Olympic gold medal under her feathers as well as the prime lady in the English- speaking Caribbean that was able to have triumphed two medals in the Olympics. In the 1997 Junior Carifta Games, they performed so well that they accumulated a total of 61 trophies, 28 gold, 20 silver and 13 bronze.

Football is among the national games in Jamaica that is represented by the team known as the Reggae Boys. In 1998, they created history when they vied for the World Cup and were the first group in the English- speaking Caribbean region to do so. On field, they were up against Croatia, Argentina and Japan. They were defeated by the Croatia and Argentina but they emerged as the winner over Japan with a score of 2- 1, in favor of them. Together with Social Development Commission and Institute of Sports, they collaborated in order to broaden participation among the locals.