No doubt with satisfaction that, finally, another Bahamian long (400 meters) hurdler of quality has come along, Greg Rolle, the present director for sports tourism in the country, on Friday saluted the year Jeffery Gibson has had.
On Thursday, in Glasgow, Scotland, Gibson followed in Rolle's hurdling steps when he won the bronze medal for The Bahamas in the event. It was 32 years earlier, during the era when The Bahamas was just coming on-stream to have multiple athletes medal at the same competition, Rolle won a long hurdling bronze at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Eight years prior to that achievement, another Bahamian, in the high (110 meters) hurdles, won a Pan American Games silver medal. I refer to the late Danny Smith, who also happens to be just one of two Bahamians to ever hold a world record (Smith was the world record holder for the 50-yard high hurdles. Tommy Robinson at one time held the 300 meters sprint record).
Smith and Rolle established The Bahamas as an international presence in hurdling, and it is indeed good that there is now a Jeffery Gibson, making it to the medal podium at a prestigious international competition. It was Rolle, though, who pioneered long hurdling for The Bahamas. His record of 49.46 seconds stood for 30 years. Gibson clocked 49.39 last June to become the national record holder in the event. Now he has gone under 49 seconds, a milestone he has sole ownership of, as a Bahamian. He clocked 48.78 in winning the bronze medal in Glasgow.
It's good that Gibson has evolved to the point whereby he is a definite medal possibility, no matter the event. In fact, his progression lends the conviction that at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he could well be one of the favorites for a medal on the biggest competitive stage.
His improvement has been notable. As an 18-year-old in 2008, Gibson's personal best (PB) was 52.45 seconds. By 2012, he had lowered his PB to 50.27. In 2013, he claimed the national record from Rolle, as aforementioned. Now he is running in the 48 seconds zone. His strides have been commendable, and he certainly has the potential to go down to the 47 seconds category.
His rise ought to be praised by Bahamians. The hard work and dedication is paying off for the 23-year-old (he'll be 24 on August 15). As we revel in the breakthrough performance of Gibson, let's not forget Rolle. He was a trailblazer at a time when technology was much less advanced. There was no social media in the early 1980s, like today, when one's achievement could reach millions in a second.
So, there are lots of Bahamians who know very little or nothing at all about Greg Rolle. Now they know.
o To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at sturrup1504@gmail.com.
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