World Athletics nod to JAAA no surprise for Gayle
Published:Wednesday | November 23, 2022 | 12:17 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
IN A year which has seen Jamaican athletes excel on the track, Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) president, Garth Gayle, said being named a finalist for the World Athletics Membership Federation Award was not unexpected.
World Athletics announced Jamaica on Friday among the six finalists for the award which include Guam, Kenya, Brazil, South Korea and Spain. The award is given to the federation that has gone above and beyond to serve its athletes, fans and the greater community.
The performances on the field, which included the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the Under-20 World Championships in Colombia, as well as the Commonwealth Games, were a part of Jamaica’s résumé but it also includes the country’s staging of the 49th Carfita Games in April, something that Jamaica accepted at the last minute because Guyana pulled out of hosting duties with concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gayle said the nomination displayed the strength of Jamaica in the sport.
“We worked hard as an association throughout the year. This nomination is a testament to the quality of the sport here in Jamaica. Our juniors, seniors, coaches, administrators and volunteers and sponsors all pulled in the same direction to achieve our outstanding success,” Gayle said in a statement.
Jamaica won 10 medals at the World Championships as well as 16 medals at the Under -20 Championships. Among the highlights include Olympian and 2015 World Championship shot put silver medallist O’Dayne Richards, being elected chair of the North American Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Athletes Commission.
MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
JAAA also hosted the Jubilee series in partnership with the Sports Development Foundation which called senior and junior athletes in the lead-up to the major championships, something he said says was crucial to their success this year.
“This demonstrates that the 15 JAAA Jubilee SDF series prepared our junior and senior athletes for glory on the local and international stage for 2022. It is therefore not surprising that we have been nominated for this prestigious award,” Gayle said.
The winner will be named on December 5 at the World Athletics Awards.