JAAA makes plans for out-of-season World U20s

JAMAICA ATHLETICS Administrative Association (JAAA) president Garth Gayle said his administration is putting plans in place to host a summer training camp for junior athletes in preparation for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships set for August.

Gayle explained that the JAAA is concerned that several athletes would be left without training in the weeks leading up to the World Athletics U20 Championships as most schools will close their track and field programmes after the Penn Relays.

To avoid this issue, Gayle said the JAAA will be hosting a summer training camp for selected athletes to continue their preparations for the international track meet.

“We will get them together to continue their preparations along with their coaches,” he said.

“So the various coaches will also be a part of the continued training programme that the JAAA is going to undertake because we do know that schools close their programmes after Penn Relays, so we are prepared to step up and fill that void left by athletes not being engaged after the Penn Relays.”

The training camp will be held after the JAAA/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships set to run from June 27 through to June 30 at the National Stadium.

With the World Athletics U20 Championships scheduled to start August 26, Gayle said this will give the JAAA a span of a few weeks to host the training camp.

“We are going to do our homework and put the necessary preparations in place. We will be having a summer camp for our athletes following the Junior and Senior Championships. We have close to three-plus weeks after that to continue their preparation in a camp setting and then to go off to Lima, Peru, to compete.”

Despite the absence of the United States, Gayle said the association will be expecting a strong challenge from the rest of the world.

He pointed to the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi where the United States also withdrew from competition.

Jamaica finished fifth in the final medal table with 11 medals in total – three gold, six silver and two bronze.

“I want to say that a few years ago during the COVID period, they would have withdrawn from the event while it was held in Kenya but the other countries stepped up. So I anticipate good performances and our intent is to always go out there and to compete, whether the United States is there or not.

“Their absence, while it may appear to be to our benefit, these are young student athletes that will be competing and it will be the ones that are best prepared and who wants it most on that day that will do well.”