BOTH Jamaica’s junior and senior athletes will be able to benefit from nationally organised pre-Championships training camps ahead of this summer’s major IAAF World Championships in Athletics and World Youth Championships.

The preparation camp for this August’s World Championships in Daegu, South Korea had been in doubt after 30 rooms which had been booked by the JAAA were later cancelled and the local governing body was finding it difficult to find further accommodation for the approximately 50 team members who are expected to be in Daegu for the Championships.

However, team manager and JAAA first vice-president Grace Jackson told reporters at yesterday’s Monday Exchange at the Observer’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters, that a venue had been located for a camp in Daegu that would last for five or six days, although there were still some details to be finalised.

A junior camp for the team to next week’s WYC in Lille, France will begin tomorrow at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The team leaves the island on July 3 for the WYC which begins on July 6.

In the recent past there were some issues between the JAAA and members of the MVP training group about attending mandatory training camps prior to the Olympic Games or World Championships.

MVP head coach Stephen Francis has told the Observer that he believes it is more important for an athlete to be with his or her personal coach in the lead up to a major championships.

Jackson said that things had changed significantly since she was an athlete and the current camps now encourage personal coaches to be part of the mix as well.

“The camp today is a camp which encourages all the personal coaches to be a part of the camp as well so that our elite athletes and many of them that we do have get an opportunity to work with their personal coaches,” she said.

“What we do, is provide for them an environment where it can be effectively done so we try to provide all the things that are needed. The things that you need to complement the training on the track.”

Jackson added that the pre-tournament camps offered more than just a place for training.

“As you’re approaching competition you have already trained. What you’re trying to do is create a system of team spirit, engaging the athletes, working together, getting them fine-tuned in getting them ready for the Championships,” she said.