There was a time when one of Jamaica’s sprint star, nearly as quick as the great Usain Bolt, ruled the lanes with silence and precision. He set records, frightened clocks, and stood tall on the podium. But now, years removed from spikes and starter pistols, this once-great rival of Bolt has ignited attention with an unexpected blend of regret and ambition. Days after unleashing a startling confession about his children’s future in track and field, he posted a new update that had left fans on the edges. Who are we talking about? You guessed it right. It’s none other than Asafa Powell!Asafa Powell, the man who once held the 100m world record, recently declared that his children would not run for Jamaica if the current support system for athletes remained unchanged. His tone, blunt and weary, reflected deeper discontent than most would expect from a national icon. Responding to viral clips of his young son winning a race, he warned fans to temper their excitement. “Honestly guys, if the support system don’t change, my kids not running for Jamaica,” he said. “I’m sorry to say that …but it’s just facts. My wife is Canadian and Ghanian so there are options.”The weight of his words was not lost on a nation that has long prided itself on sprinting dominance. Powell, once hailed as a cornerstone of Jamaica’s golden era, revealed that he too, had once considered running under a different flag. Back in 2006, he was offered millions to switch allegiance. At the time, he turned it down. “I didn’t know what the future holds [but] if I knew [then] what I knew now, I would have taken up that opportunity,” he admitted. The comment, raw and pointed, prompted a wave of reaction online, some in agreement, others in disbelief.What followed, however, surprised even his most loyal supporters. After the social media firestorm, Powell returned to Instagram with a smirk and a question. He posted a cheeky new video asking, “I’m too late for trials, can I get a medical exemption for old age?” The message might have been delivered with humor, but it followed a week in which his own words struck a far more serious chord. His joking request for a “medical exemption for old age” hinted at something more than nostalgia. Whether a sincere desire or playful defiance, it positioned Powell in a space few retired athletes dare to enter: somewhere between disappointment and desire, legacy and unfinished business. In his own way, he flirted with the very stage he once owned. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Asafa Powell (@asafasub10king)If the original statement was a lament for what could have been, this latest gesture might be a quiet challenge to what still could be. At 42, Powell may never again crouch at the start of a major championship, but his voice, and now his hint at a return, remains as quick as ever. However, amid all these, as it appears, Asafa Powell’s nightmare has indeed taken a turn towards reality.Jamaica’s field stars are walking away, and money isn’t the only reasonIn a development that has unsettled many within Jamaica’s athletic community, several of the nation’s premier field athletes have quietly begun preparing to compete under the Turkish flag. These departures are not driven by political motives, familial ties, or a sudden cultural awakening. Rather, they are calculated decisions rooted in the persistent absence of institutional support, particularly financial backing, from the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA). The timing and scale of these moves suggest not a coincidence, but a protest.Discus gold medalist Rojé Stona, shot put bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell, long jump silver medalist Wayne Pinnock, and triple jump phenom Jaydon Hibbert are among those who have chosen to leave. Their decision, while jarring, is not without explanation. “These people [JOA and JAAA] don’t care about field events in Jamaica,” said shot putter Danniel Thomas-Dodd in a frank statement in Paris. “If they did, they would make sure that we have everything we need.” While she has not switched allegiances herself, her words clarify the frustrations many of her peers appear no longer willing to endure. In a federation dominated by track-centric priorities, field athletes have found themselves persistently overlooked, until now, when their departure speaks more clearly than any formal grievance ever has.For the athletes, the trade-off is stark: they must endure a three-year waiting period before representing Turkey, effectively excluding them from the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 Commonwealth Games. And yet they go. Because when the governing body of your sport sees you not as a national asset, but an afterthought, the real risk lies in staying.The post Usain Bolt’s Rival Teases Comeback Days After His Worst Nightmare Became Reality appeared first on EssentiallySports.