Jamaica’s largest annual relay carnival, the Gibson-McCook Relays, has been cancelled.

Following the decision to postpone the meet only a few days ago, the organising committee on Wednesday decided that it would no longer be staging the meet this year.

In a release to the media on Friday, the committee blamed the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases as the main reason behind making the unfortunate decision to cancel the highly anticipated relays.

“The chairman and members of the Gibson-McCook Relays Organising Committee regret to advise loyal track and field fans that due to the catastrophic rise in cases of the COVID-19 virus across the island, we have taken the decision to cancel the Gibson-McCook Relays (GMR) for 2021, following our postponement of the meet to the 27th of March.

“The decision came after a meeting of our committee, that in the interest of our athletes, their coaches and all others involved in the staging of this meet, the cancellation would be best at this time,” said the release.

Chairman of the organising committee Professor Rainford Wilks said that he recently met with two athletes in his capacity as a physician and has had to recommend psychological counselling for them both.

“I met with two athletes who are coming to the end of their high school careers and they both displayed high levels of anxiety. They are both hoping to pick up scholarships to go overseas and sees this as their last chance.

“The Gibson-McCook Relays provides the opportunity for many athletes to showcase their talents, so we know that they will see this as a huge missed opportunity. We have heard of the mental health issues associated with the pandemic, but this particular encounter has crystallised it for me.

“I am certain that this situation is replicated across the island and so we need to pay attention to this issue,” he said.

Wilks said that his committee had exhausted all the options available and time will simply not allow for the staging of the event this year. The three weekend lockdown announced by the Government means that the only realistic weekend for the staging of the relays would be Saturday, April 24, just three days before the scheduled start of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which would simply not be practical.

This is only the fifth time that the meet has been cancelled since it first began in 1973.

“We look forward to hosting this event in 2022. Thanks to our many sponsors and other stakeholders for their continued support of this 48-year-old event which was planning its 45th staging. Since its inaugural staging in 1973, the Relays were previously cancelled on four occasions (1983, 1997, 1999 and 2002).”

The organising committee expressed their regret for having to make the decision and advised the general public to do everything required to stay safe during the pandemic.

“The Gibson-McCook Relays Organizing Committee regrets this decision but feel certain that fans of track and field in general and GMR fans will understand and support this decision.

“We would like to extend our condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones and we empathise with those who are suffering from COVID-19. We implore all Jamaicans to follow the necessary protocols in order to stay safe and finally, we encourage the taking of the vaccine which will help to prevent further spread and hasten our return to a level of normality,” the realese went on.

Wilks is hoping that the virus will be brought under control soon and that the economy will recover in time for next year’s staging, as many of their sponsors have been affected badly by the downturn in economic activity.

The Gibson-McCook Relays was the last track and field meet held on the island last year, before the country went on lockdown due to COVID-19.

— Dwayne Richards