Calabar’s McKenley/Wint Track and Field Classic set for January 23
FOUR-TIME defending Boys’ Athletics champions Calabar High School have finally found a date on the cramped JAAA calendar to host the first staging of the McKenley/ Wint Track and Field Classic set for January 23, 2016.
Richard Parchment, a member of the organising committee, revealed that a couple of years ago, the school started with a Herb McKenley Classic but ran into several challenges.
“Our biggest challenge was to get a date, as you know the schedule of track meets is tight. Every weekend has a track meet. Plus another challenge was venue and now that we have our own venue, it’s easier,” Parchment, who is also a part of the successful coaching cadre at the school, told the Jamaica Observer.
“We wanted to do something to recognise the work of Herb McKenley and Arthur Wint and it is fitting to keep a track meet in their honour; both of course went to Calabar,” he added.
The legends McKenley and Wint put Jamaica on the track and field map in the 1940s and 1950s with some sterling displays in paving the way for the island’s current success.
Meanwhile, Calabar High, who have won the ISSA Boys’ Athletics Championships for the last four years, are now the owners of a new 400m synthetic track at the campus.
“It should be ready by the middle of this week. It is already laid and the only thing that is left is markings,” Parchment said a few weeks ago.
“It’s of international standard, high quality, which is good for training and competition. It’s a 400 track but has six lanes for 400m and eight lanes for 100m,” he added.
Most of the track events, according to Parchment, will be available with a special Olympic 400m development race listed.
“We are inviting persons preparing for the Olympics to come and open their season at the McKenley/Wint Classic. That’s one of our features of the meet. A lot of athletes from Calabar who have gone on to professional work will come back and open their season,” said Parchment.
There will be 100m, long jump, high jump, shot put and all sprint and intermediate hurdles on show at the McKenley/Wint inaugural track and field meet on January 23.
