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 Aleen Bailey | Davian Clarke

Aleen Bailey – Olympic Gold medallist

Aleen Bailey is not the oldest athlete on the team by a long stretch. However, her leadership qualities coupled with the tremendous confidence that she exudes elevate her to that position. Aleen could have picked up this positive attitude representing high school track and field powerhouse Vere Technical at Boys and Girls Champs, where she went almost unbeaten for four years.

She was a Carifta Games Gold Medallist from 1997 to 1999 and the National 100 and 200 metres Champion in 2001. She also participated with success at the Penn Relays, the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the University of South Carolina.

Although she was doing well from at early as 14 years old, the St Mary native really got serious about athletics as a career at 17. "I started to look at other people who made it and decided to do it too."

"I saw Merlene Ottey on TV. I saw all the things she did and all the things she got and I wanted to be like her," Aleen said. "It was amazing," she says of Jamaica’s victory in the sprint relay at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"It didn't feel real. The team went out there and prayed. The only team that was really in my mind was Russia. You can lose a race because of bad baton passes. Russia had perfect baton passes. But we were determined. Then Merlene Ottey came by. Merlene made it easy for us to go out there. She encouraged us. Her being there was amazing. She is an amazing person once you get to know her. All of us on the 4 x 1 team idolise her." She will  return to the University of South Carolina to finish her degree in Sociology soon.

"I'm interested in social work," she says. "There are a lot of young females whose fathers have disappeared. Some have children without fathers. I want to start a programme to help them get their lives back on track. That's where my sociology degree comes in."

She plans to return to Jamaica to settle down. No place like home," she says. "But I would like to see Jamaica return to the days when people really cared about their neighbours. I remember people being more helpful to each other when I was growing up. People shared. Nobody went hungry if they didn't have anything."

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:     2004 Olympics 4x100m Gold (result)

Aleen finished a creditable fifth place in the final of the 100 metres and also finished fourth in the 200m final. Undoubtedly, though, her highlight of the Games came when she teamed up with Tayna Lawrence, Sherone Simpson and Veronica Campbell to win Gold in the 4x100m. Womens 4x100m. Relay Final. Olympic Games 2004 1. Jamaica (Tayna Lawrence, Sherone Simpson, Aleen Bailey, Veronica Campbell) 41.73 2. Russia (Olga Fyodorova, Yuliya Tabakova, Irina Khabarova, Larisa Kruglova) 42.27 3. France (Veronique Mang, Muriel Hurtis, Sylviane Felix, Christine Arron) 42.54     Womens 100m. Final. Olympic Games 2004   1. Yuliya Nesterenko   BLR   10.93 2. Lauryn Williams   USA   10.96 3. Veronica Campbell   JAM   10.97 4. Ivet Lalova   BGR   11.00 5. Aleen Bailey   JAM   11.05 6. Sherone Simpson   JAM   11.07 7. Debbie Ferguson   BAH   11.16 8. LaTasha Colander   USA   11.18           Womens 200m. Final. Olympic Games 2004         1. Veronica Campbell   JAM   22.05 2. Allyson Felix   USA   22.18 3. Debbie Ferguson   BAH   22.30 4. Aleen Bailey   JAM   22.42 5. Ivet Lalova   BGR   22.57 6. Kim Gevaert   BEL   22.84 7. Muna Lee   USA   22.87 7. Abiodun Oyepitan   GBR   22.87

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Davian Clarke – superman with a baton!

Davian Clarke is the consummate professional who goes about his job without much fanfare. No bells, no whistles, no hype. Results are what counts in his world.

The former Kingston College and University of Miami standout has always given of his best for whatever team he is representing. However, he is best known for the effort he displays with a baton in his hand – especially with Jamaica emblazoned on his chest. The metal implement transforms the man from a good quartermiler into the proverbial superman.

 If you call him an excellent quartermiler, then you must call also him a great relay runner, perhaps one of the best ever for Jamaica. Almost every mile relay medal won by Jamaica’s men over the last decade would be piloted by Clarke.

The chart below gives a quick peek at some of the most important medals he would have earned for Jamaica.
 

 Career Highlights of Davian CLARKE

One of his best moments would be anchoring Jamaica to the bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Others on the team were Michael McDonald, Roxbert Martin and Gregory Haughton.

 He progressed from 47.25 in 1994, 45.21 in 1995 to 44.87 in 1996, taking the NCAA title for good measure.

In 1995 he was the second youngest medallist at those Championships, running a fantastic 43.8 to give Jamaica silver.

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