After two years in the wilderness due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, one of the most important meets on the local track and field calendar, the GC Foster Classic, returned on Saturday much to the delight of Athletics Director Chester McCarthy.

The GC Foster College serves Jamaica in the area of sport in a big way and so it was very important that the institution return with its flagship event this year.

“It is a part of our mission to participate and contribute to the development of sport in Jamaica, so it’s very, very important to us that we were able to successfully launch this two-year renewal of the GC Foster Classic,” said McCarthy, who also serves as the meet director.

He described the disappointment GC Foster endured in the last two years when the meet was not staged.

“2020 was a bad year for us because we had everything in place; it was going to be our biggest and best GC Foster Classic ever, and we were cancelled two days before. In 2021 we were not in a financial position to put on a Classic.”

McCarthy heaped praises on those who came to the aid of the institution to get things back on track.

“This year we got the help of many sponsors, the SDF, the JOA, Jambisco, Wisynco, the SDC…others also contributed to us holding a successful GC Foster Classic 2022. So, it was in fact very special to us,” he said.

While most of the events held since the return of track and field to the island in 2021 have been centred on high school and senior track and field, the Classic was able to provide primary school athletes a chance to participate once again.

McCarthy commended the local governing body for the sport, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).

“There are bigger and better things to come. Big up the JAAA. From 2021 they led from the front, in terms of how we could safely restart sport, and they were a big part of this GC Foster Classic 2022. I want to big up Mr Garth Gayle, the president, and his team,” he said.

A number of senior athletes put in good performances at the event while many high school athletes were able to fine-tune their preparations for the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which are on next month.

— Dwayne Richards