The Sprinting Giant - 25 Sept 2007

The Great Race Begins - The Race begins. The 4N Level examinations begin. On the same day, the Sec 1 to 3 have their end of year examinations. The date is Oct 1,2007

Last week, on Wed, 25 Sept 2007, Mr Simen spoke about the history of the 100 meters sprint event beginning with the 1968 Mexico Olympics.

"The men's 100m world record is more than a benchmark. It holds a unique place in sport as its holder can claim not only to be the best at his discipline, but the fastest man on earth.", he said.

In the final in Mexico, Jim Hines took on the considerably clocked 9.95 for Olympic gold. American Calvin Smith finally ran faster than Hines in 1983, although his time of 9.93 was set at the Air Force Academy - 1800m above sea level. Four years later, Carl Lewis would match Smith's time in Rome, proving such performances were possible at sea level The 1988 Seoul Olympics saw Lewis run 9.92. Canadian winner Ben Johnson, ran a barely-conceivable 9.79 but was found to be using anabolic steroids, leading to his his world record and gold medal being stripped and awarded to Lewis.
For the next six years, a great rivalry between Lewis and Leroy Burrell emerged and they exchanged records for the duration. Burrell clocked 9.90 in 1991, only for Lewis to run 9.86 later the same year. That held until 1994 when Burrell shaved one one-hundredth of a second off Lewis' time. Then came Canadian Donovan Bailey, who ran 9.84 in 1996. Maurice Greene then broke Bailey's records with a 9.79 effort in Athens in July 1999.

What do they all have in common? They all had champion mindsets. Jamaican Asafa Powell was bronze medallist at the 2007 World Championships after bowing out to Tyson Gay. However, on 9 Sept 2007, Powell broke the world 100m record by clocking 9.74 secs at the IAAF Grand Prix in Rieti, Italy.

"That's what happens when I start to listen to the coach," said Powell, who later won the Rieti final in 9.78.

The examinations are here and Mr Simen told the boys to:

A. Respond.
B. Have Discipline and Focus
C. Perform

A ceremony was then conducted on 25 Sept 2007 for our graduating 4Ns and 4Es/5Ns. The boys were given a badge of a sprinting Giant. We hope the badge would inspire them to

"Awaken the Giant in them" and inspire them to become the "Sprinting Giant". Mr Simen told the boys, "We are behind you and support you in your endeavours. Remember that you are a Montfortian and respond like a Giant!"