Jamaicans warm up for the Games in style

By Mitch Phillips

BEIJING (Reuters) - Usain Bolt jamming Bob Marley, Maurice Smith posing on the catwalk and Shevon Stoddard modelling a track outfit that would have her arrested if she ventured outside - welcome to Olympic preparation Jamaica style.

While most teams have tucked themselves away in isolation for "focussed" preparation, the Jamaican track and field team were out in force on Tuesday night, celebrating the eve of their Aug. 6 Independence Day.

Taking over a Beijing Jazz club for the night, the Jamaicans positively glowed in their sun-yellow team attire as they sat back to be entertained and happily pose for pictures alongside fans.

After what began as a demure display of dancing, the night came alive when the five young female protagonists whipped off their masks and traditional floor-length silks to reveal the skimpiest of outfits and began gyrating pole dance-style, to whoops of delight from the Jamaicans.

If their display got the blood pumping, the arrival on the catwalk of hurdler Stoddard and long jumper Chelsea Hammond in their "barely there" newly designed one-piece outfits took things to a new level.

There was then "one for the ladies" when Lycra-clad decathlete Smith joined the fun with a series of body-builder poses to show off his impressive physique, before Bolt took centre stage.

The 100 metres world record holder had spent much of his first day in Beijing on media duties but the 21-year-old was not about the miss out on a party.

Like his dancing team mates he appeared with his face elaborately painted in the national colours and joined the local dancers, his 6ft 5in frame towering over them.