Grant: Preparations going well for Carifta Gymnastics Champs
Published:Saturday | September 21, 2024 | 12:09 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
It’s just over two months before Jamaica hosts the inaugural Carifta Gymnastics Championships and Nicole Grant, president of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, has shared that the local team is fine-tuning their preparation for what is expected to be a tough and exciting championships.
“Preparations are going as planned. For the juniors, most of them are local-based so they train regularly at their clubs under specific instructions handed down by their head coach Tristan Hall. Also, every weekend they train together in order to jell and get acclimatised.
“The overseas-based gymnasts have to send videos to their coaches on a regular basis to ensure that they’re maintaining their training. So those are some of things that we’re doing,” she stated.
Grant explained that in the coming weeks a trial will be held to finalise the team that will represent the country at the championships, which will be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre, November 29-30.
“Between the end of September and October 6, we will have the final cut. We’ll have a mini trials to select the final team as now the current number is over 50,” she added.
The Jamaican team is expected to face tough competition from the likes of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Aruba who have confirmed their participation for the upcoming championships. For Grant, she’s aware that every team will be taking aim at the Jamaicans.
“Our youngsters are determined and whenever they go out there and actually start the process of competing it’s a different thing. Every team loves to compete against Jamaica as they all want to beat us. We haven’t seen the gymnasts from Aruba, but we’ve seen the other countries and it’s going to be a tight race. Therefore, we’re putting in every effort to ensure our athletes are ready and have the confidence needed to go out there and do their best,” Grant explained.
As for the infrastructure, Grant revealed that the country will be ready in time for a smooth hosting of the event as they have hosted a successful championship in the past.
“We’re at about 75 per cent. Most things are in place as we hosted the Pan American Championships last year so everything is basically there,” Grant said.