Blake hails Birmingham
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Dr Warren Blake has expressed his delight that Birmingham has been chosen as the hosts for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Birmingham was the only city to submit a bid by the Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) deadline at the end of September. The 2022 Commonwealth Games were originally awarded to Durban in 2015, but the South African city was replaced because the country’s government could not provide financial guarantees. Other commitments Durban made when it won the bid had also not been met nearly two years later.
Blake, whose administration supported Birmingham’s bid, said he is happy that the English city got the Games because there is a huge Jamaican population there.
“We will have good Jamaican support in Birmingham because there is a large Diaspora present in Birmingham and the facilities over there are quite wonderful,” said Blake. “They have shown themselves for the times we spent there that they are excellent hosts.”
Birmingham hosted training camps for Jamaican athletes ahead of both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2017 IAAF World Champions, which was also held in England’s capital.
“We think that they can do a pretty good job of hosting the Commonwealth Games, and that was the reason why we supported them in the first place,” Blake added.
The Commonwealth Games were last in Britain in 2014 when it was held in Glasgow. Before that, Manchester hosted the Games in 2002. Gold Coast, Australia, will host the next Commonwealth Games in 2018.