View source for Bert Cameron

{{Short description|Jamaican sprinter (born 1959)}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Bert Cameron
| nationality = Jamaican
| sport = [[Running]]
| event = [[400 meters]]
| club =
| collegeteam = [[UTEP Miners]]
| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1959|11|16|df=y}}
| birth_place =[[Spanish Town]], [[Saint Catherine Parish]]
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country| {{JAM}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1983 World Championships in Athletics|1983 Helsinki]]|[[1983 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]]|[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1982 Commonwealth Games|1982 Brisbane]] | [[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games|400 m]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1978 Commonwealth Games|1978 Edmonton]] | [[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1987 Pan American Games|1987 Indianapolis]] | [[Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games|400 m]] }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Central American and Caribbean Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[Athletics at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games|1982 Havana]] |400 m}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Central American and Caribbean Championships|CAC Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1981 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics|1981 Santo Domingo]] |400 m}}
}}

'''Bertland Cameron''' (born 16 November 1959) is a retired [[Jamaica]]n [[Sprint (running)|sprinter]] who mainly competed over [[400 metres]]. He represented Jamaica at three consecutive editions of the [[Summer Olympics]]. Cameron won the 400&nbsp;m title at the first [[World Championships in Athletics]]. He was also the [[1982 Commonwealth Games]] champion<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thecgf.com/content/12-08-07.asp |title=Commonwealth Games Federation - Our People |access-date=24 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305033142/http://www.thecgf.com/content/12-08-07.asp |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the event and won a number of [[gold medals]] at regional competitions. He helped the Jamaican runners to a [[silver medal]] in the [[4 × 400 metres relay]] at the [[1988 Seoul Olympics]].

Cameron [[List of flag bearers for Jamaica at the Olympics|carried the Jamaican flag]] at the [[1984 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations|opening ceremony]] of the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in [[Los Angeles, California]]. He was chosen as the [[Jamaica Sportsperson of the year]] three times consecutively from 1981 to 1983.<ref>Foster, Anthony (2009-11-13). [http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20091113/sports/sports3.html Bert Cameron no longer with Wolmer's - But coach insists he was not forced out] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117102124/http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20091113/sports/sports3.html |date=17 November 2009 }}. ''The Jamaica Star''. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> He is currently a coach in Jamaica.

==Career==
Born in [[Spanish Town]], [[Saint Catherine Parish]], his first medal on the international stage came at the [[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|1978 Commonwealth Games]], where he helped Jamaica to a 4 × 400&nbsp;m relay [[silver medal]] behind [[Kenya]].<ref name=CWG>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/cg.htm Commonwealth Games]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> His first Olympic appearance soon followed and he reached the quarter-finals of the 400&nbsp;m and also ran in the relay.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418005356/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/bert-cameron-1.html Bert Cameron]. Sports-reference. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> He was schooled in the [[United States]] on a [[sports scholarship]] and won both the [[NCAA]] 400&nbsp;m titles [[NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship|indoors]] and [[NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship|outdoors]] in 1980 and 1981, and he went on to obtain a third outdoor title in 1983 for the [[UTEP Miners]].<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/ncaai.htm NCAA Division I Indoor Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref><ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/ncaa.htm NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> Cameron represented the Americas at the [[1981 IAAF World Cup]] and came away with the [[bronze medal]] in both the individual and relay events.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/wp.htm IAAF World Cup]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> He returned to the Commonwealth stage for the [[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games|1982 Games]] and he became the 400&nbsp;m champion.<ref name=CWG/>

Cameron won the 400&nbsp;m at the inaugural [[1983 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships in 1983]]. He had a good run in the 1984 Olympic semi-final, but halfway through the race grabbed his leg as a result of picking up a muscle injury. However, in one of the great comebacks of all time he miraculously managed to start running again and qualified for the final. Unfortunately his injury was such that he was not able to take his place in the final. He competed at the [[1987 World Championships in Athletics]] but failed to defend his title, being eliminated in the semi-finals. He helped the Jamaican relay team to sixth place in the final. Four years after his injury-battling run, he ran at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] and helped win a silver medal in [[relay race|4 × 400 metres relay]].

Outside of his global appearances for Jamaica, he enjoyed success at regional level. He won the 400&nbsp;m at the [[1981 Central American and Caribbean Championships]] and followed this with another [[gold medal]] at the [[Athletics at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games|1982 CAC Games]]. He returned to the [[1985 Central American and Caribbean Championships|CAC Championships in 1985]] and won the silver medal behind Cuba's [[Roberto Hernández (athlete)|Roberto Hernández]].<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/cacc.htm Central American and Caribbean Championships (Men)]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref><ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/cacg.htm Central American and Caribbean Games]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref> At the [[Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games|1987 Pan American Games]], he beat the Cuban but again left with the silver medal as [[Raymond Pierre]] took the title.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/pag.htm Pan American Games]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref>

After retiring from running, he became a coach in [[Kingston, Jamaica]]. He took on [[Jermaine Gonzales]] and his charge broke the 400&nbsp;m [[Jamaican records in athletics|Jamaican record]] in 2010. He decided to start working with Gonzales within [[Glen Mills]]' [[Racers Track Club]] that year.<ref>Foster, Anthony (2010-10-31). [http://www.trackalerts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2396:berts-presence-at-racers-a-big-plus&catid=3806:lead-stories&Itemid=82 Bert’s presence at Racers a big plus]. Track Alerts. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.</ref>

==International competitions==
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{JAM}}
|-
|rowspan=3|1978
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games|Central American and Caribbean Games]]
|[[Medellín, Colombia]]
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games – Results#4 × 400 metres relay|3:03.76]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Edmonton, Canada]]
|17th (qf)
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's 400 metres|47.20]]
|-
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|3:04.00]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1979
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1979 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
|4th
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1979 Pan American Games – Men's 400 metres|45.97]]
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1979 Pan American Games – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|3:04.7]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1980
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Moscow, Soviet Union]]
|26th (q)
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|47.31]]
|-
| –
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|DNF]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1981
|rowspan=2|[[1981 Central American and Caribbean Championships|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Santo Domingo]], [[Dominican Republic|Dominican Rep.]]
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|400 m
|45.05 
|-
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|4 × 400 m relay
|3:06.95
|-
|rowspan=3|1982
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games|Central American and Caribbean Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Havana]], [[Havana]]
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games – Results#400 metres|45.10]]
|-
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games – Results#4 × 400 metres relay|3:04.78]]
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Brisbane, Australia]]
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games – Men's 400 metres|45.89]]
|-
|1983
|[[1983 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Helsinki, Finland]]
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st
|400 m
|[[1983 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|45.05]]
|-
|1984
|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Los Angeles, United States]]
|4th (sf)
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|45.10]]<sup>1</sup>
|-
|1985
|[[1985 Central American and Caribbean Championships|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|[[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]], [[Bahamas]]
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|400 m
|45.44
|-
|rowspan=3|1987
|[[Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]
|[[Indianapolis]], [[United States]]
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games – Men's 400 metres|44.72]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[1987 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Rome, Italy]]
|9th (sf)
|400 m
|[[1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|45.19]]
|-
|6th
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|3:04.53]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1988
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Seoul]], [[South Korea]]
|6th
|400 m
|[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|44.94]]
|-
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|3:00.30]]
|-
|1989
|[[1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Budapest, Hungary]]
|12th (sf)
|400 m
|[[1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres|47.78]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Did not start in the final

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{World Athletics}}
*{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/bert-cameron-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418005356/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/bert-cameron-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Bert Cameron}}

{{Jamaican Sportsman of the Year}}
{{Footer World Champions 400 m Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 400m Men}}
{{Footer CAC Champions 400 m Men}}
{{Footer CAC Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer WBYP 400m Men}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Bert}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Spanish Town]]
[[Category:Athletes from Saint Catherine Parish]]
[[Category:Jamaican male sprinters]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1979 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Jamaica]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:UTEP Miners men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:University of Texas at El Paso alumni]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1979 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Jamaican Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Jamaican sportsmen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]