Fri | Apr 26, 2024

Mona Prep Invitational returns

Published:Friday | May 19, 2023 | 1:17 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Angela Amir (left), director, Amazing Concrete Finishes Limited, presents a sponsorship cheque for $500,000 to Citrine Dixon (centre), acting principal of Mona Prep, and Soleil Blake, head girl and track team member. The presentation took place during yes
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Angela Amir (left), director, Amazing Concrete Finishes Limited, presents a sponsorship cheque for $500,000 to Citrine Dixon (centre), acting principal of Mona Prep, and Soleil Blake, head girl and track team member. The presentation took place during yesterday’s press launch of the 2023 Mona Prep Invitational Track and Field Meet at the school.

Meet director Alfred Nelson has welcomed the return of the Mona Prep Invitational Track and Field Meet, which he says will allow coaches to properly assess their teams ahead of the JISA/Tastee Prep School Championships next month.

Nelson was speaking at yesterday’s launch of the meet, which will take place on May 27 at the Usain Bolt Track at the University of the West Indies. The event, which has been a fixture on the preparatory schools athletics calendar, is being held for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nelson said that after difficulties in getting the event off the ground last year, he was pleased that they were able to secure the necessary funding to bring back the meet, which has been held since 2002.

“Last year we would have wanted to bring it back, but we were just short in terms of when the country opened with a lot more face-to-face and restrictions. So planning wasn’t really in the pipeline that year to start back,” Nelson told The Gleaner. “But we started our planning a little early (this year), so we thank the sponsors that came on board on short notice. Hence why we were able to bring it back this year.”

According to Nelson, more than 10 schools have already confirmed their participation for the meet, which has been the final opportunity for coaches to assess their teams before next month’s Prep School Championships.

“It means a lot to us. Seeing where the meet started in 2002, we had it as the final meet before Prep Championships, where coaches will be able to look at the athletes and make their changes,” Nelson said.

Nelson said that the meet will replicate the programme that will be on offer for the championships, which includes the hurdles, an event that can pose a challenge for the young competitors

“Supporters can see their athletes doing the hurdles before (Inter-Prep). Sometimes athletes are afraid to go over it. So they will get a chance to run before the Inter-Prep champs,” Nelson said.

Although the health restrictions that were put in place because of the pandemic are no longer in effect, Nelson said that they were still advising schools to take the necessary precautions for the safety of their students.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com