THE inaugural Alcor Windows and Doors Corporate Area Development Meet will finally take place today at the National Stadium and it will provide these athletes with a last ditch effort to qualify for the ISSA Athletics Championships set for later this month.

Ricky Martin, of organisers Anthrick Sports Management, which includes Anthony Cooke, said the meet that was originally scheduled for February 15, would not have been possible had it not been for a number of corporate companies, including title sponsors Alcor Windows and Doors coming on board at the last minute.

Although the budget remains short of approximately $500,000, Anthrick Sports Management was grateful to associate sponsors BCIC, Hy-Lite, JTA Coop, GraceKennedy Remittances Services, Fashion 911, Rainbow Awnings, Xxomo, Peak Bottling Water, SIPS Water, Cari-Med, Sherwin Williams, and Atlas for their contribution. The meet is endorsed by the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA).

Sandra Letts, sales and marketing manager of Alcor Windows and Doors, noted that her organisation believes in sports and education, so this is a very important project for them.

“We at Alcor saw, as a corporate company, a meet of this nature to develop youngsters to qualify for Boys’ and Girls’ Champs and they would have missed this opportunity had we not stepped in and done this venture,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The meet, which will be the last qualifier to the ISSA Athletics Championships for Corporate Area teams, has approximately 30 schools down to participate.

The leading charges such as Calabar High, Kingston College, Jamaica College and Wolmer’s Boys will be fine-tuning their athletes.

“This is the real appetiser for the Boys’ and Girls’ Champs. It’s the first of its kind and it should be a fun-filled day,” said Martin.

“With the cancellation of the GC Foster Classic and Central Hurdles, this is the last chance qualifier for Corporate Area teams . A lot of athletes were in grave danger of not qualifying for Champs,” he added.

One athlete he mentioned was KC’s Zharnel Hughes in the 200m, and the Racers Track Club trainee with a time of 10.36 seconds for the 100m, will have the chance to qualify for the 200m where he is expected to provide valuable points for the ‘Purples’ at Champs.

Action is expected to start at 8:30 am with the 4x400m events. All events will be contested at the meet.