George Kerr

Many others such as Donovan Bailey, Sandra Farmer-Patrick, Linford Christie and Sanya Richards have originated from Jamaica but represented other countries and achieved greatness as well.  But why is that?  Well, scientists from Scotland and Jamaica say it's genetic.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of the West Indies (UWI) have tested over 200 Jamaican athletes over the past two years and their preliminary findings show that a vast majority of the athletes from Jamaica possess the actinen protein.

The ACTN3 gene produces a protein called alpha-actinen-3, which is found in skeletal muscle and involved in the process of muscle contraction. It is predominately found in ‘fast twitch’ muscle, and contributes to the ability of these muscles to generate forceful muscle contraction at a high rate of repetition.

According to Professor Errol Morrison, president of the University of Technology (UTech), the universities involved have been studying athletes from around the world, particularly those of West African origin. The data has revealed that the ACTN3 gene has been found in 70 per cent of the athletes from Jamaica.  A much lower percentage of athletes tested from other countries possessed the gene.

Athletes tested included Jamaican Olympic legends Herb McKenley and Grace Jackson-Small as well as members of the MVP track club, home to Asafa Powell, Sherone Simpson, Bridgette Foster-Hylton and Michael Frater.

What these initial results are saying is that Jamaicans are born to run.  It says that Usain Bolt,  Veronica Campbell-Brown and Merlene Ottey were predisposed to run fast and there are possibly hundreds more like them waiting to be discovered.

"It is quite clear that there are a lot of people with this potential to be good performers who, by nurturing the environment for them, the nutrition, training, focusing the whole psychological competitiveness, we can remain at the forefront for many years to come," Professor Morrison said.

Source: Sports Jamaica