Coaches say Stona’s gold a product of specialised meets
Veteran throws coach Michael Vassell says the advent of specialised throwing meets in Jamaica has significantly boosted the events here and played a part in Roje Stona’s historic gold medal and Olympic Games Men’s Discus Throw record 70.00m last week.
Stona, who attended Rusea’s High School and St Jago High School, became the first non-European to win the event since USA’s Mac Wilkins in Montreal, Canada, in 1976.
Stona, who attended Clemson University and the University of Arkansas, was one of three Jamaicans in the final at Stade de France in Paris on Wednesday, a first for the island and the most by any country in the Games.
Vassell, who started several throws-only meets including Big Shot and King of the Ring, which saw virtually every thrower in the country in the last two decades compete, said, “It’s been a journey, but it’s come at a lot of personal sacrifice, and I feel good knowing that I planted a tree, and I got a chance to at least enjoy the shade.
“This historic gold medal is the culmination of 25 years of hard work, 25 years of dreaming and hoping for the day when Jamaicans could find themselves at the top of the podium and throwing events.
“I mean, we did it at the World Athletics Under-20 level twice with Kai Chang and Fedrick Dacres, but we seemingly just never got there for the World Championships and the Olympics. So it’s good to see a Stona, who came through the ranks, who, I will say, benefited from these throws-only meets where throwers got a chance to showcase their skills in front of their peers and this is really a very historic moment.”
Vassell says the throws community is especially pleased because in spite “of the lack of support that we have gotten over the years, we have coaches having to buy implements for themselves, the throwing meets have survived through a lot of personal sacrifice, my family has been supportive, we have spent our own money. I can tell you the recent throws meets we have put on, I still have not paid some bills, because we just never had the support which we needed and it’s a very expensive venture.”
Caniggia Raynor, the throws coach at Kingston College (KC) and national men’s hammer throws record holder, echoed Vassell when he told the Jamaica Observer, “The performances we’ve seen from our throwers in the Olympics is the result of a lot of nurturing, teamwork and sacrifice from both athletes and coaches coming up out of the high school system to where they are now.”
Raynor, who coached finalist Ralford Mullings at KC, said, “It adds to the reputation we’ve been building over the years as top world contenders in the sport and the respect we’ve earned. Throws never gets the attention or support it deserves but we’ve learned to support each other, create our own energy, band together as a group and still have fierce competitions. These medals show all the hard work the coaches, parents, throws officials and well-wishers put into developing the event and our athletes.”
The spin-offs, he said, was the success the throwers had earned, “It has afforded many of our junior athlete opportunities that has come to fruition as junior and senior athletes. It’s inspiring to witness this, as a thrower I know that the youngsters are motivated and it is my hope that it also inspire more youngsters to give throwing events a try. I also hope sponsors now see the value and come forth and support the throws meets and participate in professional athlete development.”
Franz Forde, the head coach at Immaculate Conception High School, was in a buoyant mood when he spoke to the Observer on Wednesday, “I just got back my voice and I am telling you, this is just one of those feelings where it’s just feels so surreal, you know, so proud of Roje, this gold medal speaks wonders to what the coaches have been trying to do in Jamaica.”
Forde, who coaches the field events at Immaculate, said while there had been some success in the throws at the various World Championships level, “It’s the first time it’s ever happening in the Olympic Games and I am telling you, the feeling is just so surreal, we’re seeing history, history was made. We’re talking about three young men in the finals. I am just over the moon. I am just so happy.”
Forde said it was time that more Jamaican track and field fans understood the importance of the events outside of the sprints.
“The throws have been looked down on over the years and we are seeing it now. We can see it where field events are actually stepping out,” he said. “We medalled in the women’s triple jump, men’s long jump, the men’s shot put and now we are seeing it in men’s discus, indeed, it’s a wonderful feeling.”
Forde predicted that this was just the start. “There’s more to come, you know, because the coaches have been working hard in order to get some recognition in the sport,” he said. “We’re seeing that at the junior level, and we’re just so happy that these juniors who came through and are now in the spotlight.”
