Pablo McNeil
Encyclopedia
Pablo S. McNeil was a Jamaica
n sprint athlete and sprinting coach. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics
and the 1968 Summer Olympics
. McNeil reached the semifinal of the 100 metres
in the 1964 Olympics, finishing sixth with a wind assisted run of 10.30 seconds. He also ran as the first leg in the Jamaican 4x100 metres
sprint relay team, placing fourth in the final with a time of 39.4 seconds. At his final Olympics in 1968, McNeil competed in the 100 metres once again but failed to pass the first round. His 100 metres personal best is a run of 10.54 seconds set in 1964.
Among his other sprinting achievements were a number of medals from the British West Indies Championships. He took the 200 m silver at the 1964 Championships, but his greatest haul came at the following year's event, where he finished just behind Lennox Miller
for the 100 m silver medal and beat Clifton Bertrand
, a two-time champion, to the 200 m gold with a run of 20.8 seconds. He represented Jamaica at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
in Kingston, Jamaica
. He was part of the Jamaican 4×110 yards relay which won the silver medal
and he reached the quarter-finals of both the 100 yard dash and 220 yard dash.
Following his retirement from athletics, McNeil became a sprinting coach at William Knibb
Memorial High School in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica
, training youths such as Usain Bolt
. McNeil convinced Bolt to give up cricket in favour of track sprinting. He coached the young Jamaican throughout his high school career and their partnership came to an end when Bolt was sent to Kingston
to work with the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association
at the age of 16. He intended to write a book about his time as Bolt's trainer titled The Bolt of Lightning and Me. McNeil suffered a stroke in December 2007 and his vision was from then on impaired.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n sprint athlete and sprinting coach. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. McNeil reached the semifinal of the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
in the 1964 Olympics, finishing sixth with a wind assisted run of 10.30 seconds. He also ran as the first leg in the Jamaican 4x100 metres
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
sprint relay team, placing fourth in the final with a time of 39.4 seconds. At his final Olympics in 1968, McNeil competed in the 100 metres once again but failed to pass the first round. His 100 metres personal best is a run of 10.54 seconds set in 1964.
Among his other sprinting achievements were a number of medals from the British West Indies Championships. He took the 200 m silver at the 1964 Championships, but his greatest haul came at the following year's event, where he finished just behind Lennox Miller
Lennox Miller
Lennox V. Miller was a champion runner and father of Inger Miller....
for the 100 m silver medal and beat Clifton Bertrand
Clifton Bertrand
Clifton Bertrand is a former Trinidad and Tobago sprinter.He won a gold medal in 200 meters at the 1957 British West Indies Championships, and three gold medals at the 1958 British West Indies Championships. He participated in three events at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, but did...
, a two-time champion, to the 200 m gold with a run of 20.8 seconds. He represented Jamaica at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Athletics at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held at Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica. A total of 34 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 11 by female athletes. This was the final athletics competition at the quadrennial competition to feature events...
in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. He was part of the Jamaican 4×110 yards relay which won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
and he reached the quarter-finals of both the 100 yard dash and 220 yard dash.
Following his retirement from athletics, McNeil became a sprinting coach at William Knibb
William Knibb
William Knibb , English Baptist minister and missionary to Jamaica, is chiefly known for his work to free slaves.-Missionary in Jamaica:...
Memorial High School in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, training youths such as Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt
The Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. , is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay...
. McNeil convinced Bolt to give up cricket in favour of track sprinting. He coached the young Jamaican throughout his high school career and their partnership came to an end when Bolt was sent to Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
to work with the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association
Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association
- Jamaica Administrative Athletic Association :The Jamaica Administrative Athletic Association is an amateur athletics association based in Kingston, Jamaica. The current president of the association is Howard Aris....
at the age of 16. He intended to write a book about his time as Bolt's trainer titled The Bolt of Lightning and Me. McNeil suffered a stroke in December 2007 and his vision was from then on impaired.
External links
- McNeil chides Johnson for Asafa comments, article from the Jamaica Observer
- McNeil on Usain Bolt, article from The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...