JAAA considers make-up meet
Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) president Warren Blake said the body is open to staging a meet later this season to help final year high school students. These are athletes who missed out on the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletic Championships (Champs) because the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic forced its cancellation last month.
The coronavirus also caused the postponement of the World Athletics Under 20 Championships.
Blake says he is considering another meet later this year because many of these athletes were hoping to land scholarships for tertiary education.
“All options are on the table,” he said. “So we would definitely look at an option like that if there is a demand for it. We are very open to anything that can be done to ensure the season ends quite well if possible. However, it would all depend on what transpires and how soon we can get back to some sort of normality. We would not sit down and plan an event without knowing what is going to happen.”
ATHLETES’ FITNESS
Blake said if such a meet is possible, the JAAA could make some adjustments to facilitate competition for high school athletes. But he said that it could be hinged on demand and the athletes’ fitness.
“The National Senior and Junior trials, if we do manage to have one, could be such an event,” he said. “We will be willing to do whatever it takes to make it a more exciting event. They (final year studentathletes) have been robbed of the opportunity to compete, so coming to the Trials would be one way of getting that level of competition. We could put in spots where others can compete and lively up the event.
“We could try to incorporate as many (age groups) as possible. However, we would have to make an assessment as to the demand for it and we have to also take into account if these athletes are still in training. Some of them might be doing just enough background training so they don’t totally lose their fitness and not be in the sort of competitive form they would be in for Champs.”