Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

Jamaica Still Experiencing Heavy Rain and Winds from Gustav

Tropical Storm Gustav 28-Aug-08 16:15GMT
Originally uploaded by genevity

Just an update re Hurricane/Tropical Storm Gustav, that is now bearing-down on Jamaica...

(This tropical storm has strengthened and weakened like a yoyo...so it is now, officially a Tropical Storm.)

Gustav is travelling in a westerly direction, at 5 miles per hour (mph) and is packing winds of up to 70 mph around it's centre (eye).

The eye is presently over Kingston, Jamaica and is expected to be west of the island by 5:00 a.m tomorrow.

The Tropical Storm is expected to strengthen to a category 1 hurricane, as it leaves the island of Jamaica for the Cayman Islands.

The Weather Channel has predicted that Gustav will be at hurricane strength when it reaches the Cayman Islands, late Friday.

Well here in Jamaica..Gustav is moving very slowly and we have been urged to stay indoors.

As the eye passed over Kingston, everything seemed calm, but now there are strong wind gusts and a lot of rain.

There have been curfews enforced in Long Bay, Portland, due to reported looting that occured earleir today.

Some Jamaicans just received electricity and some of us also have water and phone service...but the relevant utility companies have warned that, they will be shutting down these systems, should the weather worsen.

You can see the projected path for Gustav, here.

The inset shows two tropical storms - Gustav (bearing down on Jamaica) and Hanna (that formed in the Atlantic Ocean, today.)

We crave your prayers (that Gustav's damage will be minimal) as this system continues to move slowly across the island.

Sources Include

1) Nationwide Radio, August 28,2008

2) The Weather Channel, August 28, 2008

Gillian

Jamaicans Celebrate Men's Gold in the 4 x 100m Relay!

57041647KM013_18th_Commonwe
Originally uploaded by likesflipflops

The Jamaican Men's 4 x 100 m Relay team mined gold (got a gold medal) and set a new world record of 37.10 seconds, today, in the 2008 Beijing Olympics!

The team consisted of Nesta Carter, Michael Fratar, Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell (who anchored-ran the last leg.)

There was just plain pandemonium in Jamaica, after the performance of the men's 4 x 100 relay team...

People in buses and cars flew and displayed their Jamaican flags and there was dancing and celebrating in Half-Way-Tree in Kingston, Jamaica and in Sir Williams Grant Park in Downtown, Kingston, among the masses of people gathered there.

The roads leading into Half-Way-Tree were blocked...it took me a good twenty (20) minutes to move in traffic for 1/4 mile.

(The Trinidadian team finished second (2nd) in 38.08 seconds and the Japanese finished third (3rd), in 38.15 seconds.)

The women's 4 x 100 Relay Team, unfortunately, did not have a successful baton change from the 2nd to 3rd leg and failed to finish their race.

The team consisted of Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sherone Simpson, Kerron Stewart and Veronica Campbell-Brown.

We're not sure what happened, but from the replay shown on television, it seemed that Kerron Stewart ran off before Sherone Simpson could hand her the baton.

[The Russia Federation came first (1st) in 42.31 seconds, Belgium 2nd in 42.54 secs and Nigeria, 3rd, in 43.04 secs.]

Friends, this is all a part of life...there will be unfortunate events like this happening...but can I say something here?...these misfortunes can be avoided, when relay teams practice together.

Please let this be a lesson to our coaches and athletes: it is important that relay teams practice, practice and practice baton changes to get them right.

Please don't expect that a team can practice in a week and get it right.

Great teams know that a win is never guaranteed, but the chances of success are greater for those who are mentally and physically prepared through consistent practice.

Congratulations are also in order for Maurice Smith, Jamaican Decathlete, who finished 9th, overall, in the Men's Decathlon with a total of 8,205 points. (The event was won by Clay Bryan of the USA with 8791 points; Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus came 2nd, with 8,551 points and Leonel Suarez of Cuba, came 3rd, with 8,527 points.)

Jamaica is now second, in the medal standings for Track & Field(Athletics) and 11th overall, in the medal standings for these Olympics.

Jamaicans will participate in the following events tomorrow

1) Women's 4 x 400 relay at 7:40 a.m. Jamaica Time [8:40 a.m. Eastern Standard Time(EST)]

2) Men's 4 x 400 relay at 8:05 a.m. Jamaica Time (9:05 a.m. EST)

I want to congratulate all Jamaican and Caribbean athletes who participated and are participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics...you've made us extremely proud!

Sources Include

1) Television Jamaica, August 22,2008

2) Schedule & Results section of the Official Beijing 2008 Olympics website

3)  Overall Medal Standings for the Beijing 2008 Olympics  from the Official Beijing 2008 Olympics website

4) Athletics Medal Standings for the Bejing 2008 Olympics from the Official Beijing 2008 Olympics website

Jamaica's Olympic Medal Haul Increases to 9!

600px-Flag_of_Jamaica_svg
Originally uploaded by AFRO_KING_DUDE

On Day 13 of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jamaica's medal tally has increased to nine(9)!..making us first (1st) in the track and field events and 12th in terms of medal standings, in these Olympic Games.

Our Medal standings, so far, are as follows:

1) Gold = 5 medals

2) Silver = 3 medals

3) Bronze = 1 medal

4) Gold medalists = Usain Bolt (2), Shelly-Ann Fraser (1), Melaine Walker (1), Veronica Campbell-Brown (1)

5) Silver Medalists = Sherone Simpson (1), Kerron Stewart (1), Shericka Williams (1)

6) Bronze Medalist = Kerron Stewart (1)

The following events, with Jamaican participants, were completed today:

1. Women's 200m Final - Veronica Campbell-Brown (1st), Kerron Stewart (3rd)



2. Men's 4 x 100m Relay - Heat 2, Jamaica placed 1st (Team: Dwight Thomas, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Asafa Powell)


3. Women's 4 x 100m Relay - Heat 2, Jamaica placed 1st (Team: Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Aleen Bailey and Veronica Campbell-Brown)


4. Men's 110m Hurdles Final - Maurice Wignall (6th), Richard Phillips(7th)


5. Five (5) of ten (10) events in the Men's Decathalon - Maurice Smith is 10th out of 34, at 4217 points.

The following event, with a Jamaican participant, is scheduled for tonight:

Men's Decathalon from 8:00 p.m. - 11:55 p.m. JAT (9:00 p.m. - 12:55 a.m. EST)

The following events, with Jamaican participants, are scheduled for tomorrow:

1. Women's 4 x 400m Relay - Heat 2 at 6:50 a.m. Jamaica Time(JAT) [7:50 a.m. Eastern Standard Time(EST)]



2. Men's 4 x 400m Relay - Heat 2 at 7:22 a.m. JAT (8:22 a.m. EST)


3. Women's 4 x 100m Relay - Final at 8:15 a.m. JAT (9:15 a.m. EST)


4. Men's 4 x 100m Relay - Final at 9:10 a.m. JAT (10:10 a.m. EST)


5. Men's Decathalon Final from 6:00 a.m. - 8:49 a.m. JAT (7:00 a.m. - 9:49 a.m EST)

Big Up (Congratulations)!! to all participants and medalists...you have made us proud!

Last night, Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, held a meeting with key strategic thinkers, re how best to celebrate our Jamaican Olympians' accomplishments, when they return home...he is slated to make an announcement re the decision, within a week.

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Television Jamaica, August 21,2008

2) Nationwide Radio, August 21,2008

3) The Schedule and Results section of the Official 2008 Beijing Olympics website

4) Medal Standings-Athletics, Official 2008 Beijing Olympics website