London Olympics 2012: Jamaica celebrates historic 200m one-two-three

Kingston (Jamaica): Chaos erupted in Jamaica`s capital city Thursday afternoon as thousands gathered in the busy thoroughfare of Half Way Tree to witness the men`s 200 metres finals at the London Olympics.

For just over 19 seconds silence swept across the nation and when training partners Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir crossed the finish line in a historic one-two-three, the stillness was shattered with a cacophony of noise from pot covers and shouts of "lightning strikes again!", CMC reports. From the halls of Jamaica House - the office of the Prime Minister - where Portia Simpson Miller gathered with members of her team, to the thousands in public squares across the island, the entire country stood still to witness the clean sweep of the event. Bolt ran a season-best 19.32 seconds while Blake was timed at season-best 19.44 and Weir, a personal best 19.84. The Prime Minister told reporters that she prayed for the athletes just before the race. "I had been saying for this race, one-two-three. All I would like to say to the team, on behalf of a grateful nation, I say thank you to our athletes," said Simpson Miller. "I said a quiet prayer, I prayed for the three Jamaicans. This is very good for the country and our sportsmen and women, whether they medaled or not they made Jamaica proud." The ruling People`s National Party (PNP) also extended congratulations to Bolt, Blake and Weir. "The PNP is beyond itself with excitement as it extends congratulations to Jamaican athletes Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir who took their place among the greats in history when they claimed the gold, silver and bronze for Jamaica in the men`s 200m Olympics finals," said party chairman Robert Pickersgill. In his message, leader of the opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Andrew Holness said Bolt, Blake and Weir were the toast of the world. "Usain Bolt has written yet another chapter in the annals of track and field and sporting history," said Holness. "So emphatic is the stamp he has placed on the sprints at the Beijing and London Olympics, that there can be no denying that Bolt has cemented himself as a legend of the game and a true exponent of sporting genius." The opposition leader also encouraged Jamaica`s athletes to remain standard-bearers of excellence. IANS