Why Do Jamaicans Run So Fast?

[kamikaze7]

guruoftrack

Thats exactly the point. I think Many Jamaicans are actually from Eastern Nigeria. The same area that produces most Nigerian sprinters.

Its worth noting that in West Africa, only Nigeria has a history of producing world class sprinters and they are mostly from Eastern Nigeria. The other nations are lagging way behind.

Brazilians are most likely Angolan & Congolese. I am basing this on where the Portuguese were active. From the reading I did several years back, it seems most Afro Cubans also came from the Congolese Coast.

In fact Afro Cuban music is very similar to Congolese music. The Congolese claim that it was slaves from the Congo who took the music there.

[EPelle]

Lifted from Jamaica Gleaner last year:

Jamaicans originate from all over Africa - from the Senegambia to as far away as the Eastern African coast. Indeed, there is documented evidence of the early presence of 'Indonesian-looking' people stolen from Madagascar and sold into slavery and then escaping in the Parottee area of southern St. Elizabeth. More research is needed, but this, rather than speculations about European ancestry, may be one possible explanation for the presence of light-skinned people in that part of Jamaica.

Nevertheless, Eastern Nigeria and Ghana are the original homelands of the vast majority of Jamaicans, with the Congo-Angola area being the third major source. Next to Haiti, Jamaica is the Caribbean country with the strongest persistent African influence in our culture. This is one reason why Bedwardism, Garveyism, Rastafarianism and reggae developed in Jamaica.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/ ... ocus4.html

[cacique]

you folks are so wrong about brazil. a large percent of the population is of african descent, however, largely mesticized (i just made up that word). also, whereas many slaves came from angola (which became a portuguese colony), many more came from west africa, including from nigeria. the yoruba religion is still today vastly practiced in brazil -- they share the same saints as the cuban and puerto rican santeria forms.

very few brazilians (percentage wise) are of native descent, much lower than other south american countries.

[cacique]

Its worth noting that in West Africa, only Nigeria has a history of producing world class sprinters and they are mostly from Eastern Nigeria. The other nations are lagging way behind.

well, they have much, much smaller populations, and not a lot of infrastructure.

otherwise, how do you explain such a small country like gambia producing ndure?

[TrackDaddy]

There are only about 300,000 Bajans. That's Ft. Worth, basically, so not really fair to compare. Jamaica has 10x as many people and a DEEP Track culture. Barbados lives and breathes Cricket first and foremost. Interests help shape people.

Actually, Ft. Worth has over 700,000 people.

Heck... Arlington has 350, 000.

[scottmitchell74]

There you go....further making my point.

Thanks Jefe!! Good to see you again.

[Marlow]

Brazil with 160m people, 75 times the size of Jamaica

Different DNA - Native South American mostly.

According to stats. Brazil has the highest number of people of African descent other than Nigeria

49.4% of the population are White, about 93 million;
42.3% are Pardo (brown), about 80 million;
7.4% are Black

[Paul Henry]

soccer moms, hockey moms, football dads in other parts of the world have nothing on Jamaican Track Moms. I can assure you that must be secret. If you see a kindergarten footrace on sports day you see what I mean, those moms will cut throats. :lol:

[TrackDaddy]

There you go....further making my point.

Thanks Jefe!! Good to see you again.

Sup Scott!

Still putting wet stuff on the red stuff?

[scottmitchell74]

When they let me!!

More like picking up drunks up off the floor at 1:00 in the morning! :twisted:

[EPelle]

The m-800m at the 2008 OT had a profound effect on the stadium (and, vice-versa), with a boat load of words in news print about the whole once-in-a-lifetime love affair the following day. Imagine what impact not one, not two, but three of Bolt's races had on Jamaica a couple of months later in Beijing.

[Diego Sahagún]

Because they love Bob Marley :wink:

[Diego Sahagún]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlW02q3ui4w&feature=fvsr

[kamikaze7]

Sooner or later however, other nations will get their act together. So Jamaicans should enjoy these glory days while they last. 5 years from now we will likely be singing a different tune.

[Speedfirst]

So is this suppose to be reduced to a country that was given a name by man?
Why isn't every person born in Jamaica fast?


IMO, instead of all the conjecture, let's just enjoy it and any athlete, anywhere who is fast and competes.