Chinese coaches depart under technical agreement in sport
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has described as “successful” the first phase in the implementation of a three-year technical agreement on sport between Jamaica and the People’s Republic of China.
Grange was speaking at a ceremony at her ministry today during which she presented certificates of appreciation to the Chinese team of coaches and officials who came to Jamaica at the start of the year to conduct one month of coaching for coaches and athletes in seven sporting disciplines.
The Chinese return home tomorrow after conducting training sessions with athletes, holding coaching seminars and developing training plans in collaboration with local coaches for the athletes being recommended for training in China in the second phase of implementation which will be in July and August 2018.
Sessions which were for synchronised swimming, now known also as artistic swimming; swimming; basketball for females; football for women; volleyball for women; badminton and gymnastics, were conducted at the GC Foster College of Physical Education Sport, the National Stadium, YMCA and the Jamaica School of Gymnastics.
“We are very happy and thankful for the work you did over these past weeks for the advancement of these sports in Jamaica. China is assisting us and Jamaica is assisting China in Sport which is the universal message of peace and love,” Grange told the Chinese team.
“Jamaica and China have a strong relationship and through agreements between us such as this one on sport the bond between the two countries is getting even stronger.”
Jianghong Fan, Counsellor in the Chinese Embassy said too that, “although China and Jamaica are already great friends the project brings us closer.”
Fan said the three-year project had got off to a great start and that he wanted to congratulate the Chinese team and the team at the ministry on behalf of the Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica.
For the second phase of the agreement, a group of 138 people will leave Jamaica for China in July and remain until the end of August. The group will include athletes, coaches, government officials and a news reporter.
