The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

OVER the weekend, the Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association officially launched the 100-day countdown for the return of the region’s top prestigious track and field competition – the CARIFTA Games.

North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) President Mike Sands, along with secretary general Keith Joseph, were special guests of the JAAA and Minister of Sports Olivia Grange.

Sands, a former president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, thanked Grange and the Jamaican government for coming forth and working in partnership with the JAAA in relaunching the games, which were called off for the past two years due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re very pleased and happy that Jamaica has taken up the challenge to host those games on such short notice,” Sands said. “It’s exciting to know that the games will be returning to Jamaica after some hiatus.

“As we know, Jamaica has been a perennial powerhouse in the region and all of our athletes from the inception of the games from 1972 to now, the vast majority of our athletes have come through the system so we all understand the significance of what the games means to the development of sports in our region.”

As is the norm with the staging of the meet, Sands said there are always diamonds in the rough and track and field stars born and they expect the same pattern to be formed when the games are staged over the Easter holiday weekend in Kingston.

Under the health and safety protocols, which hindered the hosting of the games over the past two years, Sands said they are looking at the possibility of whether or not they will be able to have any fans in the stands in the Jamaican National Stadium.

He noted that NACAC had a conference call with all of their member associations and everybody is eager to send their teams to Jamaica to compete in the meet, notwithstanding the magnitude of competition that will be displayed from the athletes based on the time lost. Sands said they are hoping that the corporate citizens of Jamaica will come forth and lend their support to the government and the JAAA in ensuring that the games will be a tremendous success.

As for the accommodations for the games, Sands said the Local Organising Committee is in the process of completing all of the negotiations and will be advising all of the participating countries of what to expect when they come to participate in the games.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has had a setback after the Ministry of Health denied them the opportunity to stage their Odd Distance Track Meet over the weekend.

The meet was to kick off the local 2022 season. All other meets in January have already been called off as well.