Marion Jones not first Olympic visitor
When Marion Jones visits Belize next week she will quite rightly receive the biggest welcome this small nation can muster. But Marion Jones is not the first Olympic track and field gold medalist to visit these shores. In 1983 a National Stadium in even worse shape than the present version, was the venue for what was dubbed a “Sports Spectacular”. Guest of honour was no less than Bob Beamon, a man whose Olympic long jump record was expected to last a hundred years. There was no Channel 5 in 1983, but we did have a video camera, a cameraman and a couple of rookie sportscasters. Stewart Krohn reports.
Stewart Krohn, Reporting
The athletes were led by the police band in a ceremony befitting the second anniversary of the nation’s independence. In addition to Belize’s best, a team from neighbouring Mexico joined the competition. The event was opened by Prime Minister Said Musa, only at that time he was a first term Minister of Education and Sports.
One of the meet’s big events was the hundred-metre dash–a duel between rivals Daniel flowers and Lascelle Arnold.
When the race was over the interviewing job fell to well known sportsman Jeff Scott.
Jeff Scott
?I have with me Mr. Daniel Flowers and Lascelle Arnold. These two guys just clocked in at eleven seconds, but Daniel edged out Lascelle. Now Daniel, how did you feel after the start??
Daniel Flowers
?Well I got a real slow start, so I decided to really try to get up there and do my best because I know the other athletes are as serious as I am.?
Jeff Scott
?Did you feel that Lascelle had a chance to edge you out??
Daniel Flowers
?Well at the first break, and then I came up on the back.?
Jeff Scott
?Well Lascelle, I know you?ve been trying to get this one real hard, what was your impression after you came out the start? What do you think you had to do??
Lascelle Arnold
?I knew I had to get my form out right and I knew I had to get up my knees and stretch out, but coming on to the end, I lost my form.?
Jeff Scott was not the only pioneer TV sportscaster. Sonny Meighan did the honours with superstar Cynthia Casey, who had experienced a Marion Jones like day on the less than ideal track.
Sonny Meighan
?I?m out here with Cynthia Casey at the National Stadium and so far she has won three gold medals. Cynthia, I?m glad to know that there is still some of the old breed, old athletes who are still doing a lot of sports. We all know you?re a softball superstar and I?m surprised to see you in the track today. What all have you won so far??
Cynthia Casey
?I won the two hundred metres, the our team won the four by four hundred relay and I just won the four hundred metres.?
Sonny Meighan
?Are you entering another race today??
Cynthia Casey
?Yes, the four by one hundred, with the same team that won the four by four hundred.?
Sonny Meighan
?So there?s a chance that you might win a fourth gold medal today.?
Cynthia Casey
?Yeah, hopefully.?
But what brought out the crowd was world record holder Bob Beamon. How his visit was arranged is not clear, but some recall that Beamon’s connection to Belize was strengthened by a Belizean girlfriend. While the champion could not risk injury with a full-fledged jump, he did coach a number of Belizean hopefuls and demonstrated the proper form. Many retired Belizean athletes whose longest jump today is into their car will remember being taught by the best. With thanks to Jeff Scott and Sonny Meighan, I am Stewart Krohn for News 5.
Bob Beamon set his record of twenty-nine feet, two and a half inches at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. It was not broken until twenty-three years later by fellow American Mike Powel. Coincidentally, one of the athletes jumping along with Beamon at the ’68 Olympics was Belizean Sonny Meighan.
