Epic Run at Helsinki»
By Raymond Sharpe “Jamaica Beats The World” was how the Daily Gleaner’s front- page headline of Monday, July 28, 1952 chronicled perhaps the greatest moment in the island’s sports history. That headline was a very appropriate expression of Jamaican sentiment and reaction to our world and Olympic record in the 4 x 400 meters relay, the final event of the 15th Olympiad in Helsinki, Finland.
Arthur Wint, Leslie Laing, Herb Mckenley and George Rhoden were the architects of that piece of history. Today, 44 years afterwards, the memory of the epochal event endures. The potency and potential of Jamaican athleticism had been exposed upon our entry to the Olympic movement in 1948. Wint took the gold and silver in the 400 and 800 meters respectively, beating Mckenley into the second place in the 400 meters. But it was at Helsinki that the world awoke to the reality of Jamaica’s presence as a force in world track athletics.
Even before Helsinki in 1952, it had been a cricketer, Alfred Valentine, who at the beginning of the decade of the fifties, was the toast of the headlines and sporting commentaries for his major supporting role in the West Indies’ first victory over England in that country. Mckenley was making his mark on the United States circuit, running sub-47-second quarter miles with the frequency of a recurring decimal, and Rhoden was fast becoming a rising star; but the groundwork, in terms of international sporting status, was being laid by our cricketers.
The games of XIVth Olympiad in London served as a preview to those great moments of Jamaica’s Olympic escapades, which were to follow from Helsinki in 1952 through Los Angeles in 1984. The Olympic games in Helsinki were the final Olympic venture for that 1600 meters quartet of Wint, Laing, Mckenley and Rhoden. For each, the result brought special meaning in terms of his Olympic conquests.
It provided Wint with the distinction of the best all-time performance by any Jamaican in the Olympic Games – two gold and two silver medals. For Rhoden, it was two gold medals in the same Olympics; for Laing, a 200 meters specialist, it was his only Olympic medal and for Mckeney it was gold at last, after three sliver medals. And it took an incredible third leg from Mckenley to secure that record- breaking 3:0.9 victory and gold for Jamaica.
The United States of America had a history of command performances in this event, and as the crowd of over 70,000 awaited the start, it was no surprise that the Americans were the favourites. The Germans were there too, but the team to watch was little Jamaica.
As we recalled earlier it was four years before, that Wint had won Jamaica’s first Olympic medal-a gold- beating the favourite McKenley in the 400 metres. Then tragedy struck the relay team of Wint, McKenley, Rhoden and Laing when Wint pulled up during his leg. Now the same four, running in the order Wint to Laing to McKenley to Rhoden, were determined to make amends for the disappointments of 1948. And for Mckenley, this was his last chance for the Olympic gold medal. Twice at Helsinki he lost in photo-finishes-to Lindy Remigino of the United States in the 100 metres and Rhoden in the 400 metres. With his silver medal from London in 1948, he now had three Olympic silver medals. But he had struck gold.
McKenley is at the third leg as the lead-off runners, including Wint and the 400 metres bronze medalist Ollie Matson, await the starter’s instructions. The long striding Wint and Matson make it stride for stride and there is nothing separating them as they hand over their batons almost simultaneously, Wint to Laing and Matson to Gene Cole.
From as early as thirst first pass-over it is obvious that the race will be straight duel between Jamaica and the USA. But Cole is stronger than Laing, he opens up a lead and with 100 metres to go before that second change-over the lead looks commanding. Laing pumps away, but Cole is over 10 metres in front as he passes the baton to Charlie Moore, winner of the 400metres hurdles.
The stage is now set for one of the greatest recoveries in Olympic history, as Mckenley grabs the baton from Laing. It is his last hope for Olympic gold and Mckenley responds with a superb run, cutting down the lead and handling over to Rhoden a shade ahead of the pass-over from Moore to Whitfield. Rhoden maintains that slim lead as he breasts the tape; Herb’s incredible third leg has secured the victory.
They hoisted the union Jack and played “God Save the King” during the victory ceremony. Here at home the songs of praise were for the quartet of Laing, Wint, McKenley and Rhoden, and the chorus was for the man Herb.