DAVID Riley, head coach of Excelsior High School and technical leader of the national Under-20 team, is predicting a record 14 track and field medals for Jamaica at the Paris Olympic Games.

Speaking on his Technique Talk podcast last weekend, Riley, who described the team as the best ever assembled by Jamaica for an Olympic Games, said based on results globally and taking into account who are set to compete in Paris, the country should achieve a historic haul.

The coach, however, drew the line at predicting a breakdown of the medals in terms of the number of gold, silver or bronze, or which athlete would win what medal.

“This actually looks to be a very good team. When you look at what the prospects are versus the other teams that are actually competing, and the athletes who have qualified for the various nations, this is a very strong Jamaican team,” he opined.

“Of course, we’re in the post-[Usain] Bolt era, and years ago when that conversation started it almost seemed as though the chance of the Jamaicans and medal prospects going into the major championships were, you know, going to be very slim — but this team going to Paris seems to be very strong.”

Riley, who cautioned that nothing is guaranteed, expects Jamaicans to medal in the men’s and women’s 100m; the women’s 200m; women’s 400m; both sprint hurdles; the women’s 400m hurdles; both triple jumps; the men’s long jump; and four of the five relays. The exception is the men’s 4x400m for which Jamaica did not qualify.

“We might be able to get more than one medal in some events but I am just penciling in one, but these are really good prospects going into the Olympics,” he noted.

Jamaica’s best medal haul at the Olympic Games came at London 2012 when 12 medals were won. They claimed 11 four years later in Rio de Janeiro, the same number won in Beijing in 2008. The Jamaicans took home nine medals from Tokyo in 2021.

“The performance of the Jamaicans were actually very good performances at the last couple of Olympics but this team, this team in 2024 seems to be even better than all these teams that we’ve sent to the Olympics — on paper, of course. The races are not run on paper, you have to go out there and compete, but just based on the prospects of this particular team, this is a fairly strong team going into the Olympics — a big team as well,” he said.

Looking at the various events to be contested in Paris, Riley emphasised that his prediction is relatively conservative.

“In the woman’s 100 metres I think we can get a medal in that, at least one medal there for the women’s 100m, and in the men we can pencil in one medal. I mean, we know we have great prospects with the men that are there, versus what’s been happening recently, but let’s not get too greedy.

“In the women’s 200m I say we can get a medal; the 200m men, it’s going to be a stretch. But we we’re not saying that we’re not rooting for our men but in the 200m we can get a medal there.

“In the 400m women I think we can get a medal there. Nickisha Pryce is looking very good, especially with her new national record run. She looks very good going into the Olympics, very dangerous against the other 400m ladies from around the world with her world-leading time [on Saturday],” Riley reasoned.

“I think in the sprint hurdles for women we can get a medal there. Some very strong ladies [are] there and Ackera Nugent looks very solid there, so does Danielle Williams. We can get at least one medal there… and, of course, on the men’s side I think we can get a hurdles medal in the 110m.

“For the 400m hurdles, though, I think we have a better chance on the women’s side — not counting out the men but the men’s field is so deep globally. We will root for them but I think the prospects on the women’s side are greater,” he suggested.

“And then, of course, in the long jump men I think we can get a medal here. These three men that are going for us, with all the things that are happening with the long jump globally it only takes one jump, and one of these guys — Gayle, Pinnock or McLeod — can come away with a medal. [I’m] not saying what type or what colour, but we can get a medal there.

“In the triple jump men and triple jump women we can get a medal from each of those; Hibbert looks really good coming into the championships. Of course triple jump has somewhat taken a turn with [Spain’s world leader Jordan Alejandro Diaz Fortun] coming back and you know he looks very good — I mean, he’s gone over 18.00m — but I think we can get a medal from this particular event,” the veteran track and field coach said.

“On the women’s side, Shanieka Ricketts looks very good as well; she can actually come home with a medal, and the other ladies are within striking distance of the metal podium. It’s just a matter if they can pull off that one big jump, which is all you need — one big jump out of the six.

“In the 4x100m relays, whether men or women, we can get a medal once we get the stick around. I don’t see us not getting a medal if all the exchanges are done properly. We have enough speed on both teams, we have the depth, and we should be able to get a medal. And Jamaica shouldn’t leave a global championships — whether junior, youth or senior — without a medal in the sprint relays, and we’re looking forward to one medal from men and one medal for women,” Riley noted.

“And, of course, the 4x400m women, we have a shot at a medal there — as much a shot as any other nation that is lining up the 4x400m women race — especially with Nickisha Pryce and the others. We can get a medal.

“The other medal I think we can get is in the mixed 4x400m relay. Not having a men’s 4x400m team maybe the strategy will change a bit there, with us throwing some of our best men in that particular event as the mixed relays is early in the championships and before the prelims of the flat 400m races,” he said.

Riley hailed the “great job” done by the local and overseas-based coaches who prepared the athletes, and urged supporters to “get ready to beat your pot covers and make some noise” as the Jamaicans seek history in Paris.