Cardi B, Leslie Jones On Why Jamaican Sprinters Are So Fast: “It’s Them Dumplings Man”
While many may be wondering about the chokehold that Jamaicans have on Track and Field sprints, American rapper Cardi B has offered an explanation for their dominance at the just concluded Tokyo Olympics. Boasting the world’s fastest man and woman alive and the only female sprint double Olympic champion, Jamaica with ease won the 4×100 metre women’s relay finals on August 6.
As she watched the Jamaican quartet of Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, the rapper recorded and shared her excitement via her Instagram stories. An astonished Cardi B, during the baton change between Fraser Pryce and Jackson, said, “These Jamaican girls bro, these Jamaican girls can f–king run, they can run!”
According to the WAP rapper, the source of the Jamaicans’ strength and dominance in world athletics, more specifically, Track and Field, must be the good old dumplings. “Jesus Christ, like, what the f–k? It’s dem dumplings man, it dem dumplings,” she concluded as Jackson confidently finished the race.
“Ohh that girl ran faster than a motherf–ker, and look she looking at the clock like what?” Cardi added.
Cardi B said it’s dem dumplings 😂😂🇯🇲🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/6DwvE9CEWT
— Jodz (@jodzz_k) August 7, 2021
American actor and comedian and former Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones also commented on the 4×100 metre relay race. Though she was rooting for Team USA, Jones couldn’t help but marvel at the Jamaican women.
“You can always tell who Jamaica is, cause they got them bright colors and the bright hair,” she quipped as Briana Williams ran. “But lemme tell you something, them Jamaicans is running, do you understand me. Look at this girl.”
As Fraser-Pryce took the baton, Jones said, “Look how fast this girl is going, look how fast that girl going. Aint nobody gon catch her! Let’s go.”
Finally got to see the 100m relay and it did not disappoint!! @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/xAk0pFBqCN
— Leslie Jones 🦋 (@Lesdoggg) August 8, 2021
Jamaican comedian, Dan Dan, more popularly known as life of a king on Instagram, also explained the reason for Jamaican athletic dominance in a video he posted on his IGTV. In the video, Dan Dan credited their dominance to a diet that includes yam, dasheen, ackee, and saltfish.
In an interview with NBC, published on August 6, President of the Jamaican Track and Field Coaches Association, David Riley, said Jamaican success in the sport is as a result of mentorship from living legends, personal motivation, and quality coaching.
Riley explained that the groundwork, development, and nurturing of the athletes’ talents and skills begin at an early age and is heavily and positively impacted by the island’s living legends, such as Usain Bolt. The possibility of international recruitment and scholarships also factors in as a part of the athletes’ personal motivation to dedicate their whole life to the sport. And the icing on the cake is quality coaching.
According to Riley, “Certainly, our coaches are among the best in the world and the results show that. We give kudos to them for just their dedication and the going above and beyond, in many cases, to see to the athletic development and success of the individual.”
Jamaica finished fourth in track and field events at the Tokyo Games, copping nine medals in total; four gold, four silver, and two bronze.