DONNA Hussey, assistant vice-president, corporate affairs, Main Event Entertainment Group — production partner for the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) — said returning for a 14th year as sponsor reaffirms its commitment to Jamaica’s youth.

“At Main Event we look forward to this moment every single year,” Hussey told the audience at the recent launch of Champs, now in its 116th year of showcasing Jamaica’s track and field stars to the world.

“These championships hold a very special place in our sponsorship portfolio because they represent something we deeply believe in — investing in our youth and supporting the future of sports in Jamaica,” added Hussey whose firm recently presented Jamaica’s Carifta swim team with sponsorship funding of $400,000.

As production partner Main Event works behind the scenes, partnering with ISSA to provide audio reinforcement, giant viewing screens, tents, staging, lighting, décor, perimeter branding, and overall logistical planning.

“Champs is more than just a track and field competition. It is passion, pride, rivalry, school spirit, and pure Jamaican excellence on display,” Hussey said. “Our goal is to ensure that [the] Champs’ athlete, spectator and viewer experience is at its very best.”

Anticipating cheering crowds, “school colours waving proudly, and the blazing speed of Jamaica’s talented young athletes”, Hussey said there is no doubt that Champs can lay claim to being the world’s biggest high school athletics meet.

“Main Event Entertainment Group remains fully committed to its partnership with the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships and is proud to play our role in ensuring that this event continues to meet and exceed world-class standards,” Hussey said.

Main Event also throws its equipment weight behind Champs by providing generators and sponsoring the athletes’ village at the adjacent Stadium East.

Kimberly Smalling, Main Event’s project manager for Champs, said the company has a big footprint on the athletes’ village and equipment sponsorship.

“Some schools have their individual tents, others use tarpaulin,” she said. “However, we sponsor a tent at the athletes village — a tent, a structure with seating under which they can have meals, a comfortable space before heading into the National Stadium.

“Our sponsorship comes mainly through equipment sponsorship. We provide the LED screens to give live feed at Stadium East and inside the National Stadium itself,” she said, adding, “The scope of work is not just limited to production. We work very closely with ISSA, and everyone involved, to ensure a smooth execution of the production, an overall coming together of Champs.”