JAAA committed to Carifta, World U-20
Published:Friday | March 12, 2021 | 12:19 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Jamaica Athletics Administration Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle has reiterated his administration’s commitment for the country to be equally represented at both major junior championships this year, in light of the further delay of the 2021 Carifta Games.
The 49th edition of the competition will now be held from August 13-15 in Bermuda, in light of the scheduling conflict created by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) announcing their exam timetable, which runs from June 13 to July 16.
In January, the Games were rescheduled from April to July 2 to 4 because of complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a virtual press conference yesterday, North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) President Mike Sands said that the CXC schedule gave them no option but to seek alternative dates.
The latest changes bring potential challenges to the local junior track season, which only started two weeks ago after delays in getting government approval. In addition to Carifta, the World Under-20 Championships is scheduled to run from August 17-22 in Nairobi, Kenya, but Gayle, who was at the press conference, said that he believes that competing in both events is feasible.
“The JAAA will be supporting both events. We are Caribbean and, therefore, Carifta is critical to us and the youth development. We are also a part of the global world and the global stage, so our elite junior athletes would also have options to move on to the world events,” Gayle said. “We believe it is doable. It has happened in the past and we do not see a major issue.”
Gayle said that they would assess their financial standing to plan for the events, and that the local athletes have the final decision on which competition to compete in.
“We have to work within the financial constraints of the budget, but one thing is for sure, Jamaica will be well represented at both,” Gayle said. “The JAAA would not impose our athletes to go to either, the choice is theirs, but the need for the Carifta Games to be held is also very paramount and important.”
NO SET QUALIFYING STANDARD
Sands says that based on the fact that NACAC has no set qualifying standard for Carifta compared to the World Under-20 Championships, countries would have to make a decision as to which events to prioritise. However, he does see advantages for the regional athletes.
“The question is how many of our area athletes would make those [world] standards, particularly the smaller countries versus the bigger countries. If that is indeed the case, it means that the member federations would have to make a determination whether some of their athletes go to the Carifta Games and qualifiers go to the World Championships,” Sands said. “In the case where they would be going to the World Championships, from where I sit, in my opinion, it now opens the door for a second level of athletes that may not have qualified based on their country standards for the Carifta Games.”
Meanwhile, Bermuda National Athletic Association President Donna Raynor said that the change had the approval of Word Athletics President Sebastian Coe, and is optimistic of the chances of the COVID-19 situation improving in the Caribbean by August, with the regional roll-out of vaccines.
No final decision has been made on whether fans will be allowed to attend.