Up to US$1,382 to watch men’s 100m final at London Olympics
It could cost Jamaicans up to $2,000 to watch Usain Bolt compete at the National Trials, but a whopping $121,000 (US$1,382) to witness the sprint phenomenon and company compete in the 100m final on August 5 during the London Olympics.
But if you haven’t secured a ticket already for the 2012 Olympic Games, don’t bother try as the six million tickets are sold out.
Don Anderson, head of delegation for the Jamaican Olympics team, pointed out people all over the globe have taken unto Jamaica, mainly through Bolt’s exploits, and obtaining a ticket at this point weeks before the big Games, is impossible.
“It’s a virtual impossibility to get tickets and we are working with the best. There are thousands of Jamaicans that are going to be disappointed,” said Anderson, who was the guest speaker at the Kiwanis Club of Kingston luncheon on Tuesday.
“Jamaicans and the Diaspora are trying to get tickets and if they printed another six million tickets they would not have hands for them. They printed six millions tickets for the entire Olympics and they had 24 million requests,” Anderson noted.
“These games are going to be dominated by track and field…you can get tickets for football, you won’t be able to get for swimming,” he added.
Jamaica will participate in four sporting disciplines in track and field, swimming, taekwondo and equestrian in a London area that is expected to have thousands of Jamaicans there.
“We are going to have tremendous home court advantage. We will have so many Jamaicans in London cheering us on,” said Anderson.
“Usain Bolt is not just a Jamaican individual, Usain Bolt is larger than life. We have a number of tremendous athletes, but the fact is people go out there to see Bolt,” argued Anderson.
“Look at how many non Jamaicans we see waving Jamaican flags. We are going to have support in London like we never had before. This is the closest we will come in running inside the National Stadium,” the renowned pollster added.
“Expectations will not be only from the Diaspora or the Jamaican public, but from people all over the world, who just love Jamaica for the sporting personalities that we have, headed of course by Usain Bolt.
“Everybody just love Bolt and want him to win regardless of whether nine of their countrymen are in the race. His personality is so dynamic,” said Anderson.
The much-anticipated men’s 100m final will be on August 5 and incidentally, the medal presentation will on August 6, Jamaica’s Independence Day.
“The sixth of August is going to be the presentation for the 100m men and when the national anthem is played and Jamaican flag is raised, that it will be coinciding with our 50th anniversary celebrations,” he noted.
But Bolt, although he might seem larger than life, he will have to be on top of his game to firstly, make the Jamaican team so he can defend his three gold medals earned from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Bolt will start his 100m defence on 7:15 pm today and is expected to be challenged by Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Lerone Clarke.
The four-day Supreme Ventures Jamaican Senior Championships to qualify athletes for the Olympics starts today at the National Stadium.