As I was driving my car yesterday and flipped the radio channel to NPR, I caught on to a story that I found very intriguing. The speaker on the radio was talking to Orlando Patterson, a Jamaican-born American sociologist and the John Cowles Professor of Sociology at Harvard University. He was discussing a topic of debate that has no definite answer: why are Jamaicans such good runners?
This question intrigued me after witnessing history a few days ago in track and field when Usain Bolt made history as the first male runner to win gold in the 100m race three years in a row at the Olympics. In addition, Patterson pointed out, over NPR and in an article published by the New York Times, that 19 of the 26 best times of the 100m race are held by Jamaican runners. With these incredible feats, one wonders how the small country of Jamaica can really do it.
It has been said that genetics is one of the root causes for Jamaicans running abilities, from different enzymes and genes inherited from ancestors during slavery that cause them to have “powerful sprinting skills”; some have said it is because of certain foods that are dominate in the country, like yams and bananas, that have added benefits for runners. Many of these theories aren’t entirely true, but can be contributing factors to the fast Jamaican runners the world has seen; the only anomaly where genetics is a keen and proven advantage for an athlete is Michael Phelps (you should definitely look up and see how the man was built for swimming).
So what is a true reason why Jamaicans have dominated a sport for so long? As Orlando Patterson put it: the Jamaican culture.
Going back to the late 19th century, Norman Washington Manley is one of the most influential figures in Jamaican history, a leading lawyer for the country and a founder of the People’s National Party, which advocated for and helped grant adult suffrage within the country. He was also an accomplished student athlete and promoted track and field heavily when he was head of state.
With the political side of the country having an influence over track and field, the competition officially known as the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association Boys and Girls Athletics Championship or Champs is one of the most anticipated sporting events in Jamaica. It is the one of the biggest track and field meets in the world, attended by thousands of eager fans of the sport.
Alongside that, the vibe and health of the country has a piece to the puzzle of the running phenomenon according to Patterson. Jamaica is known for its self-reliance, bright side, and individualistic personality, important characteristics for a sport that is all based on the athlete’s sole performance.
With the increase of health campaigns in the country as well, we see “one of the rare instances of a poor country with the life expectancy of an advanced society, a health transition that began in the 1920s and improved at one of the fastest paces on record” says Patterson in his article in the New York Times. This has allowed a flourishing environment for potential athletes to live a healthy lifestyle and that live in a country where track and field and running is embraced and truly praised.
Jamaica is still the country that has beat the records and kept the titles for having the fastest runners in the world. There can never be a true reason why Jamaica has come out with such amazing runners. It could be in their bones, in their society, or in their heart. I think it’s a combination that only Jamaicans truly know.
