The first Jamaican woman to participate in the Equestrian discipline at the Olympics,  Samantha Albert was determined to make it into the top 25.

These hopes were dashed when she fell out of the competition and retained her placing of 42nd. Does that mean she is a failure? Far from it!Albert and her horse, Before I Do It, have made irreversible, undeniable Jamaican history by representing the island for the first time in Equestrian sports, and to top things off, she has emerged at an admirable 42^nd place out of the sport's original 68 competitors.

Chat-Bout says hats-off to Samantha for her supreme effort and achievements. She has made her country proud and has realised an important Olympic dream.Many will not understand the cost that Samantha Albert paid to represent Jamaica in the Olympics. Her journey was not an easy one. Even though she was an outstanding rider from an early age, Albert was denied the opportunity to participate in the 2000 Barcelona Olympics, because she was adjudged 'too young and inexperienced'.

'Not to be deterred, Albert began her quest to become Jamaica's first Equestrian Olympian from as early as 2006. At the time, it was estimated that the realisation of this dream would cost her somewhere in the region of $68,000 English pounds. Determined, Albert qualified to represent the nation at her own expense at the 2006 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.Albert was born in Canada to a Jamaican mother and an English father.

She had the choice to represent either Canada, England, Sweden or Jamaica in the Olympics, and chose Jamaica because of the affinity she feels for the country. Considering these things, Chat-Bout salutes Albert for her dedication to Jamaican sporting development. In our estimation, she is undeniably Jamaican, and deserves a national medal of honour for representing the nation so well, and doing us all so very proud. For more information on this outstanding woman, visit her website at http://www.samanthaalbert.com/