One of the few meets that cater for throwers on the local track and field calendar, “King of the Ring”, has been postponed.

Originally scheduled for yesterday, the date has had to be changed in order for the organisers to meet the requirements set by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports (MCGES) to stage such events according to Meet Director Michael Vassell.

“Truth be told, I was not planning to even attempt to host any meets at all — this being the age of COVID-19. I wanted to provide, however, an opportunity for our senior throwers to compete as they all seek a spot on Jamaica’s team to the World Championships in Oregon later this year.

“The documentation was submitted a week late and I was unclear on some of the requirements but wonderful assistance was provided by Rani Sarju from the MCGES. Based on preliminary discussions all permits should be sorted out in time for February 16.”

Vassell says that it will be challenging to stage the event this year.

“The challenges are many, but mainly the age-old challenge of attracting sponsors. I am a one-man organising committee. The requirements needed attracted some more groundwork.

“The required protocols also added to the cost of the meet. We are still in need of sponsors to come on in a meaningful way to support our throwers who have done well for the country and those who will represent well in the near future.”

A number of big names are down to compete at the meet that will now be held of Saturday, February 26, including Olympians Chad Wright, who was a finalist in the men’s discus event at the Olympic Games last year; national record holder Fedric Dacres, Traves Smikle, women’s discus sixth-place finisher at Tokyo 2021 Shadae Lawrence. World number 28th-ranked national champion in the women’s discus Samantha Hall will also be there.

“The only country that can boast this caliber of throwers outside of the USA is Jamaica,” Vassell noted. This will be the 16th staging albeit two weeks shy of the traditional date.

“It’s amazing to think that it has survived so long and have impacted Jamaican field events so positively without proper support from corporate Jamaica,” Vassell reflected.

All throwing events – hammer, shot put, discus and javelin– will be on offer with the marquee event; the senior men’s hammer is worth going miles to see, Vassell promised.

The hammer will be an exhibition event by national record holder Caniggia Raynor as he checks his preparation for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The senior men’s discus is the clear marquee event along with the senior women’s event, Vassell predicted; as these will see all athletes chasing qualifying marks for the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.