GAPS programme for para athletes launched at UWI

In a landmark press conference yesterday, the Jamaica Paralympic Association (JPA), the University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Sport and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced the launch of the inaugural Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain (GAPS) Americas and Caribbean Programme.

The GAPS Americas and Caribbean programme will be a series of lectures and training sessions aimed towards engaging para athletes and coaches with additional training, skills and resources in their careers. The programme will run from April 16 through to April 22.

According to JPA president Christopher Samuda, the collaborative effort between the JPA, the CGF and UWI Faculty of Sport to launch of the GAPS Americas and Caribbean programme is a strong message showcasing the JPA’s commitment to its para athletes and their development.

“What this is saying is that the JPA is bringing stakeholders into the sport industry in the interest of our para athletes. Unity is very essential in achieving results, particularly in para sports.”

Samuda said the GAPS programme is another milestone in the administration’s ‘I am Phenomenal’ campaign which has seen positive reception from para athletes and stakeholders since being formalised last year.

“The reaction has been quite positive,” he said. “What we are saying is that we are in fact ‘abled’ with a difference. We are phenomenal because our athletes display that grit and that determination and will power against many odds. We hope that we will able to expand this and ensure it becomes a signature event with many activations,” the JPA president said.

Samuda welcomed the efforts of the UWI Faculty of Sport to help host the programme and explained that the faculty played a leading role in the launch of the programme.

Dr Akshai Mansingh, dean of UWI Faculty of Sport, explained that the UWI will not only be involved with hosting the event, but will also be involved with GAPS’s lecture series.

“The university is committed to the para athletes and para sports programme in any way we can. We were approached by the CGF and the JPA jumped on the opportunity. We do see para athletes as being talented and exceptional in a different way and anyway we can enhance that, through sports science, sports medicine or any other of our academic disciplines, then we’re very happy to do so.

“It is a joint initiative with everybody involved; in fact, Dr Sharmella Roopchand Martin, who is our deputy dean, had attended the GAPS programme in South Africa and was very integral there, and she will be very integral to getting the programme here,” Dr Mansingh said.