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Jamaica faces a crossroads in athletics as Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills calls for urgent reforms to revive the nation’s track and field legacy amid recent challenges and evolving global standards.
Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills has called for an urgent overhaul of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) in response to a growing performance crisis and financial struggles that have cast shadows over Jamaica’s once-mighty track and field legacy.
Mills, who has had unparalleled success as one of the sport’s top coaches, believes a lack of modern management and structural development is hampering Jamaica’s ability to stay competitive on the global stage.
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Mills argues that the JAAA’s existing approach to athletics administration is outdated and in desperate need of modernization, especially as the landscape of global athletics continues to evolve.
“The sport has evolved far more than what it used to be 20-30 years ago and therefore it requires a more professional and trained approach in running the sport,” he said as per Jamaica Observer.
“In the case of track and field, we have international status of the highest level, and unfortunately, our administrative structure has lagged behind in the way we do things.”
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The issue has come to a head following Jamaica’s disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics, where the nation secured only six medals—four of which came from field events.
In a historic downturn, Jamaica failed to win a single gold medal in sprinting, a discipline where it has long dominated.
The situation marks the first time since the 2000 Sydney Olympics that Jamaica’s sprinters were unable to secure gold, highlighting a concerning shift for the country known for producing legendary athletes like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Oblique Seville.
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Mills sees the JAAA’s financial crisis as a central issue, one that has spilled over to affect performance.
Over the years, the JAAA has faced increasing budgetary constraints, which have limited their ability to provide athletes with the necessary resources for world-class competition.
With rising international competition, Mills believes that Jamaica must adopt a more sustainable and professional model to nurture its athletes and ensure they remain competitive.
He suggests a complete administrative overhaul, starting with an in-depth audit.
“We need to have the administration look at itself, probably do an administrative audit — if there’s such a thing — to identify what are the problems that exist and how are we going to tackle them because we cannot continue going into world competitions and expect to get the kind of results that we need if we do not correct our current approach,” Mills said.
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According to him, addressing the structural issues within the JAAA is essential to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.
Mills’ tenure as Jamaica’s national coach from 1987 to 2009 is a testament to the impact that effective management and coaching can have on a nation’s athletic success.
Under his guidance, Jamaican athletes claimed 71 medals at the World Championships, including 13 golds, 31 silvers, and 27 bronzes, along with an additional 33 medals at the Olympics, nine of which were gold.
His coaching legacy with Usain Bolt, who became an icon of both Jamaican and global track and field, is a reminder of the heights Jamaica can reach with the right support structures in place.
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