Jamaicans for Rio 2016

Jamaica's 14 on path to Rio 2016

Qualifiers for diving, gymnastics at the Olympic Games

By Paul Burrowes

At least 14 Jamaicans have so far cemented a ticket to Rio 2016, which will mark the country's 17th appearance at the Summer Olympic Games set this year for August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Jamaica will make a return to diving, after 16-year-old Betsy Sullivan first represented the country at the 1972 Games in Munich, West Germany.
Betsy finished 29th of the 30 divers competing in the 3m springboard, won by American Micki King, who beat Sweden's silver medallist Ulrika Knape and East German Marina Janicke, who finished third.
King, who was 28 then, was the oldest competitor in the event. A career officer in the United States Air Force since 1966, she retired from diving after the Munich Games.
She later retired from the Air Force in 1992 with the rank of colonel.
Yona Knight-Wisdom will become the second Jamaican to participate in diving at the Olympics when he too participate in the 3m springboard in Rio 2016.
Knight-Wisdom earned his place after finishing in the top 18 at the 2016 FINA World Cup.
He actually finished second, scoring 459.25 points, after winner Rommel Pacheco of Mexico, 504.40 points. American Kristian Ispen was third with 457.60.
Interestingly that FINA World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 19-24.
Meanwhile, Alia Atkinson, now 27, will take part in her fourth Olympic Games. She hopes to better her fourth place in the 100m breaststroke at the 2012 London Games.
Atkinson could also compete in the 200m breaststroke and the 50m freestyle, as she did in 2004 in Athens and in 2012.
In artistic gymnastics, Toni-Ann Williams has become the first Jamaican to qualify  for the Olympics. She claimed her spot after competing in the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro.
Williams qualifed after finishing 38th in the individual all-around with a score of 52.931. She was most outstanding on the vault, scoring 14.066, or 19th overall, of the 65 who competed.
For the men, Caled Faulk failed to qualify for Jamaica as he finished 63rd of the 64 who competed in the individual all-around.
The other Jamaicans heading to Rio come from athletics, mainly Kemoy Campbell in the men's 5000m, Damar Forbes in the men's long jump, O'Dayne Richards in the men's shot put, Jason Morgan and Fedrick Dacres in the shot put, Natoya Goule and Simoya Campbell in the womens' 800m, Aisha Praught in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, Kimberly Williams and Shanieka Thomas in the women's triple jump and Danniel Thomas in the shot put.
However, for athletics, the athletes must confirm their place at the National Championships at the end of June at the National Stadium.
Jamaica have also already qualified for the 4x100m and 4x400m relays for men and women.