Caribbean track & field forum

* So you're still recovering from the high you experienced viewing (or attending) the Beijing Olympics but have found yourself in dire need for a new high! No need to fear, your track and field expert is here! (Not really!)

If you're a Caribbean track and field junkie then you will appreciate the site I am writing about.

Caribbean Track & Field forum (a sub division of Talawah.com) is a forum based website devoted to the discussion of track and field with a piercing emphasis on the results of athletes from the Caribbean, born & raised or athletes of Caribbean heritage. The forum features many knowledgeable and experienced "forumites" who contribute their wealth of knowledge on a regular basis.

The forum is hardly restrictive as anyone is open to view the msg board. However, only registered users are permitted to contribute to the topics discussed. Fortunately, registration is free (you only need a username, password and email address & bingo!)

The forum is mangaged by a handful of moderators who do their best to ensure that only the most accurate information is shared on the site. (yeah right..)

All in all, if you're hungry for the latest track and field gossip or results Caribbean Track and Field forum should definitely be your first stop, especially if you're trying to find a free link to watch a european track meet online!

Cheers!

Jamaica Olympics Video Compilation

Below is a compilation of a few of the many superb performances from Jamaican athletes at the Beijing Olympics.

Hope you enjoy it.

Usain Bolt 100m Olympic Champion

Here is Bolt's first world record performance
Music: Vybz Kartel - Murda dem

Usain Bolt - 9.76 seconds

On Saturday May 3, 2008 in front of thousands of Jamaican fans at the Jamaica Invitational meet, 21 year old Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt crossed the line in the 100m dash in a world leading and personal best of 9.76 seconds (1.8w) just two hundreths of a second outside of the 100m world record held by countryman Asafa Powell. This was Bolt's second time competing in the event this season and has now propelled himself to the number one spot in the event for this year. Bolt's time is the second fastest wind legal time in the event to date. American, Darvis 'Doc' Patton and Antiguan Daniel Bailey rounded out the top three finishers.

Finals
1 Bolt, Usain Jamaica 9.76 1.8
2 Patton, Darvis Usa 10.08 1.8
3 Bailey, Daniel Antigua 10.12 1.8
4 Rodgers, Mike Usa 10.12 1.8
5 Spearman, Wallace Usa 10.13 1.8
6 Collins, Kim St. Kitts 10.19 1.8
7 Brown, Xavier Athletico Union 10.52 1.8
-- Jones, Garry Usa FS 1.8

For complete results from the Jamaica Invitational meet visit:

Here

http://www.jaaaltd.com/results/int08/

Mario & Sonic at the olympic games

I know what some of you are thinking, "Oh no, not another track game!". But quite frankly as someone who loves the sport of track & field, I could find no better way to spend my time in front of the tv than to be playing this glorious game! Ok, maybe that was a little bit overboard, there is espn, mtv and bet to keep my company but thats besides the fact, Mario & Sonic at the olympic games is a great game for the nintendo wii despite the sub-par reviews on many popular video game websites. Whats so great about it? Firstly, you get to play as a host of characters from the super mario franchise and sonic legacy, including:

• Bowser
• Yoshi
• Wario
• Knuckles
• Shadow
• Dr Eggman

As well as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Daisy, Vector, Dash and a few others. You can also play as your mii characters (and this time they have hands and feet unlike in wii sports). There are a plethora of sports to choose from not just track and field as the game covers many of the sports done at the olympics, this includes, archery, rowing, gymastics, skeet (shooting), table tennis, track & field and some others I can't remember now. In track, you may choose from the:

1. 100m
2. 110m hurdles
3. 400m
4. 400m hurdles
5. 4x100m

All of which are multiplayer. The field events are also multiplayer and require a bit more skill, especially the horizontal jumps (long jump and triple jump). There is a glitch in the high jump where after clearing 2.60m you aren't allowed to continue and automatically win. As a result the world record cannot go any higher than 2.60m (which is not that hard to attain). Additionally the impressions made in the sand from long and triple jump do not coincide with the resulting marks received. For example, lets say Luigi lands in the sand close to the 6.50 meter mark, more often than not the resulting measurement is over 7.00 meters. Additionally like some of it's predecessors (sydney olympics ps2) a large part of achieving success in the 100m is getting a great start and that requires you to start running right before you hear the gun since its impossible to react on time off hearing.

The controls are not complicated, for the running events you move the wii remote and nunchuck(or wii remote only) up and down to run - the faster you do this, the faster you will run, it's that simple. The jumping events involve the same running motion and swining the wii remote and nunchuck (for the triple jump and high jump) up. Hurdling and the throws (discus, javelin and hammer) involve incorporating the B button by pressing it when prompted to do so. Of the track events the 4x100m (400m) relay is by far the most complicated, and tiring. The user must run, then after buidling up enough speed, trigger the receiving team member to move off, hand the baton over and begin running again. After a few tries you get the hang of it, but it is VERY tiring!

There are special events and trophies which can be unlocked after completing missions in single player mode. One draw back is that there is no online play. As a consolation, you're able to see how your personal records compare against other users online.

Overall the game is really fun and if you're competitive you will at the very least get a workout from from flailing your hands repeatedly.

Here are a couple videos of a friend and I playing.