
Jamaica first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948 in London and it has sent representatives to every summer Games since. Only in 1960 did the nation not compete as Jamaica, at that edition they joined up with the other British West Indies islands to represent the West Indies Federation team. Jamaica has won 42 medals in their Olympic history. All medals, except a bronze won in cycling in 1980, have come from track and field events. The islanders are especially successful in sprint and relay events. Jamaica had one of its most successful Olympic Games ever in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. George Rhoden [gold - 400m], Herb McKenley [silver - 400m] and Arthur Wint [silver - 800m] all won individual medals at the Games before teaming up with Leslie Laing to set a world record on the way to winning gold in the 4x400m relay. Many prominent sprinters have followed on from them to win medals, including Olympic champions Don Quarrie and Deon Hemmings. Despite these men securing more than a few Olympic medals for Jamaica the most well known Jamaican athlete has to be the seemingly timeless Merlene Ottey. Ottey, who now represents Slovenia, won a total of eight Olympic medals but the colour of those medals is still in doubt due to the fall from grace of Marion Jones. At least one of Ottey's medals are likely to be upgraded when the IOC hands down its decision regarding the disgraced American sprinter. Ottey had a 20 year span between her first and last Olympic medals, she won her first medal in 1980 [bronze - 200m] and her most recent in 2000 [silver - 4x100m]. The silver she won in Sydney made her the oldest female Olympic track and field medallist ever at the age of 40 years and 143 days. In Athens she equalled Swedish fencer Kirstin Palm for the most Olympic appearances by a female [seven]. Veronica Campbell is the Jamaican athlete to have had the most recent success. She became the first Jamaican to win two gold medals at the one Olympic Games since George Rhoden managed the feat in 1952. She took her two golds in the 200m and 4x100m relay in 2004 in Athens. The golds were added to her collection of a bronze medal won over 100m in 2004 and a silver medal in 4x100m relay in Sydney.