This weekend has been one of anticipation. Team Jamaica were due to run in both the men’s and women’s 100m Olympic finals, the anniversary of the UK riots was on us and Jamaica Independence Day was coming up. Quite a mix of emotions.
Admittedly, my first priority was the Olympics. Wearing my dual nationality, I’d already cheered for Team GB winning three Golds in 45 minutes and was eager to see what Team Jamaica would do. Watching Mo Farah power through to the end of the 10,000m race, I had to laugh when the sport commentator said that Mo took on the Africans and showed them.
I mediated hard for days casting aside all doubt that Usain Bolt would retain his crown in the men’s 100m Olympic finals.
When the ‘Big Man’ came through for Team Jamaica a roar went up in my house, as I’m sure it did all over the world.
Before the race I’d be winding myself up over comments that Bolt was too cocky. Sorry, but I don’t see it. Compared to his disappointment last year over his false start, all I see is a confident young man. And having retained his Olympic status, he has every right to be.
Maybe people are fed up seeing Bolt’s famous pose. Well suck it up because he struck a new one last night and so did many people around the country.
Even a group of police struck the famous pose. Seeing this picture made me think of the riots and some of its causes. The officers in the picture seem open minded and human enough don’t they? Last year people had different things to say about the police.
The death of Mark Duggan and the police’s failure to speak with Duggan’s family sparked riots in Tottenham. As of today, the police officers in Mark Duggan’s shooting refuse to be interviewed. The evidence so far has pointed to a right cock up by the police.
The riots that spread across the country were not only about Duggan’s death. In interviews, people who took part in the riots say they were fed up of the way police treated them. Looking at statistics black youths are more likely to be stopped and searched then any other ethnic minority. Add to that the fact that the Coalition Government had come in and taken away EMA, and that unemployment was on the rise, something had been bubbling for a while. And not just amongst young black people as portrayed in the media initially.
Despite the fact that almost half the workers employed to build the London 2012 Olympic Park were from overseas, and unemployment is still high amongst 16-25 year olds; the Olympics couldn’t have happened at a better time.
We can be distracted for a few weeks as we enjoy the games and celebrate the wins with united British pride. How long will the euphoria last I wonder.
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