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<H3>'I never felt at home with Jamaica,' says Simpson</H3>
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
byGary Smith
Caribbean Net NewsSports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com
DOHA,Qatar: <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR>Athens 2004 Olympic 400-metre finalist, Brandon Simpson, has said he never had the support representing Jamaica and revealed that since his switch to compete for his adopted country Bahrain he feels at home.
Adopting well in new country
Simpson was born in the United States to Jamaican parents and opted to represent the Caribbean country after attending High School there. The 25-year-old, however, asked that he be released by the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), over a year ago, because he felt he was not getting the necessary backing from the Caribbean country.
"I feel at home now - really. I am very happy to be here. I couldn't ask for anymore," Simpson, who represented Jamaica at the senior level between 2001 and 2005, said. "I never felt at home with Jamaica.”
"I never had the support. I feel like this jersey is for me. It feels right." he added after running the finals of the 400-metre dash at the 15th Asian Games on Sunday.
"I'm extremely happy and my life has been blessed. The Bahraini Athletics Federation has given me the utmost support."
Feeling appreciated now
Simpson who holds a career best time of 44.64 seconds, achieved in Rieti in August this year, took the silver medal in the one-lap race in 45.68 at the Games, behind Saudi Arabia's Hamdan Odha Al-Bishi, in a home stretch thriller, and he said he believes his efforts on the track are now being appreciated.
"Now I feel like I'm with a country that appreciates me and wants my talent," the 2000 World Junior Championships silver medallist over the quarter-mile told reporters after his race at the Khalifa Stadium over the weekend.
"I wish I could have given them (Bahrain) the gold medal. I hope they'll understand."
It was also Odha Al-Bishi, who defeated Simpson for the gold medal in Santiago, Chile for the junior crown.
Simpson is expected return to Florida, his birth state in the United States, to continue his preparation for the 2007 season, following the Asian Games. He said he could not train in Bahrain because the climate was unsuitable for athletics.
"I'm still based in Florida, but come to Bahrain when the weather there gets cold," he said jokingly.
No plans to change name
The Texas Christian University graduate, who won silver and two bronzes with the Jamaican 4x400m relay squad in the last three World Championships, became a first-time father and a proud one too, to a daughter, Iman.
"Nothing, of course, could compare to my daughter, but a gold medal for Bahrain would be excellent," the champion quarter-miler noted.
He, however, stated that even though he switched his allegiances to Bahrain and gave his daughter the adopted Muslim name, there are no plansfor him to chang his name.
"There have been no expectations and no requirement to change my name. I'm the only 400m runner here from the world in Helsinki, so that's nice. Every competition is different, with different adversaries. Everything's always a challenge."
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
byGary Smith
Caribbean Net NewsSports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com
DOHA,Qatar: <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR>Athens 2004 Olympic 400-metre finalist, Brandon Simpson, has said he never had the support representing Jamaica and revealed that since his switch to compete for his adopted country Bahrain he feels at home.
Adopting well in new country
Simpson was born in the United States to Jamaican parents and opted to represent the Caribbean country after attending High School there. The 25-year-old, however, asked that he be released by the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), over a year ago, because he felt he was not getting the necessary backing from the Caribbean country.
"I feel at home now - really. I am very happy to be here. I couldn't ask for anymore," Simpson, who represented Jamaica at the senior level between 2001 and 2005, said. "I never felt at home with Jamaica.”
"I never had the support. I feel like this jersey is for me. It feels right." he added after running the finals of the 400-metre dash at the 15th Asian Games on Sunday.
"I'm extremely happy and my life has been blessed. The Bahraini Athletics Federation has given me the utmost support."
Feeling appreciated now
Simpson who holds a career best time of 44.64 seconds, achieved in Rieti in August this year, took the silver medal in the one-lap race in 45.68 at the Games, behind Saudi Arabia's Hamdan Odha Al-Bishi, in a home stretch thriller, and he said he believes his efforts on the track are now being appreciated.
"Now I feel like I'm with a country that appreciates me and wants my talent," the 2000 World Junior Championships silver medallist over the quarter-mile told reporters after his race at the Khalifa Stadium over the weekend.
"I wish I could have given them (Bahrain) the gold medal. I hope they'll understand."
It was also Odha Al-Bishi, who defeated Simpson for the gold medal in Santiago, Chile for the junior crown.
Simpson is expected return to Florida, his birth state in the United States, to continue his preparation for the 2007 season, following the Asian Games. He said he could not train in Bahrain because the climate was unsuitable for athletics.
"I'm still based in Florida, but come to Bahrain when the weather there gets cold," he said jokingly.
No plans to change name
The Texas Christian University graduate, who won silver and two bronzes with the Jamaican 4x400m relay squad in the last three World Championships, became a first-time father and a proud one too, to a daughter, Iman.
"Nothing, of course, could compare to my daughter, but a gold medal for Bahrain would be excellent," the champion quarter-miler noted.
He, however, stated that even though he switched his allegiances to Bahrain and gave his daughter the adopted Muslim name, there are no plansfor him to chang his name.
"There have been no expectations and no requirement to change my name. I'm the only 400m runner here from the world in Helsinki, so that's nice. Every competition is different, with different adversaries. Everything's always a challenge."
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