Now that the Beijing Olympics has begun, Jamaican fans are all excited as they anticipate a golden Games, as never before have so many of the island's athletes been so highly ranked in their individual events heading into an Olympics.

Following the National Championships in late June, the athletes have maintained their excellent form and at the end of the Olympics, Jamaica is expected to have their best ever medal haul.

One possible gold medal could be the women's 400-metre relay.

In Athens, the quartet of Tayna Lawrence, Sherone Simpson, Aileen Bailey and Veronica Campbell-Brown raced to 41.73 seconds to give Jamaica their first Olympic 4x100 metres gold medal and come this year, Jamaica should make it back-to-back victories. With the likes of Campbell-Brown and Simpson back to defend their title, along with national 100 metres champion Kerron Stewart, and the speedy ShellyAnn Frazer, along with Sherri-Ann Brooks to play a part, Jamaica is top heavy here. The first four named have run under 11 seconds this season and since the National Championships, they have maintained that form with Campbell just recently edging out Frazer in London 10.87 to 10.95.

Since their Olympic trials, the United States' top four are yet to show the same form where four of their athletes went under 11 seconds. They will also have to reproduce that form if they are to beat the Jamaicans. A combination team, which included the United States' Melisa Barber and Bianca Knight, along with The Bahamas' Debbie Ferguson and our own Sherri-Ann Brooks, has the world leading time of 42.29 seconds done at the Stockholm meet. The next two best times of 42.40 and 42.58 seconds were done by two USA teams, with the former team including the likes of Muna Lee, Allison Felix, Lauryn Williams and Torrie Edwards, their likely line-up in Beijing.

Jamaica's best mark this year is 43.31 seconds done at the Penn Relays in April with a team of Kerron Stewart, Aileen Bailey, Peta Gaye Dowdie and Nadine Palmer. It is a fact that the United States have been using up their pool of relay runners in meets to get their right combination while the Jamaicans are not doing likewise. Unlike the US, it has always been very difficult for Jamaica to assemble a team at one place at these meets, but this will not hurt the Jamaicans as all members are experienced when it comes to relay and once they start practising, they should be okay.

Relay is all about chemistry, but speed is very important and man-for-man (or woman in this case), Jamaica is much stronger than their main rival, the United States, and once the baton goes around without any mishap, it will be hard to deny Jamaica gold in this event.

While both Stewart and Simpson will be doubling in the 100 and 200 metres, it will be very interesting to see if both will be rested in the first round of the relays, as the inclusion of Brooks and Aileen Bailey joining force with Frazer and Campbell-Brown is just as awesome. With Campbell-Brown now set to compete in both rounds of the relay, this will be a great opportunity to have her on the third leg so as not to make too many changes in the final.