Even as Jamaica’s youth track and field programme for 2023 kicks into high gear with the staging of the usual weekly development meets across the island, Mike Sands, the president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) continues to be impressed with the opportunities provided for young athletes in Jamaica.

Sands, who was on the island last weekend for the funeral of Carmen Clarke, says that Jamaica is one of his favourite places.

“Jamaica happens to be one of my favorite places to visit, so any opportunity I have to do it, I take the opportunity to do it.

“This trip was sort of a bitter one, to the extent that our dear, dear friend Carmen was laid to rest and I had to come here to show my final respects.

“But I can’t come to Jamaica and a track meet is going on and not be a part of that, so I am happy also to be here to observe the kids in action,” he explained.

Sands travelled with the president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) Garth Gayle to GC Foster College to watch the athletes perform at the Douglas Forrest Invitational Meet after the funeral last Saturday.

He noted that, even though the Carfita Games, which his country The Bahamas will host is almost three months away, Jamaica’s athletes were well into their preparations for the Games which Jamaica has dominated for decades.

“I always pick Garth’s brain about the success of Jamaica’s programme, and the fact that Carifta is less than 85 days away and you are in full swing, not just for Carifta, but your programme is flourishing and, like Garth said, there are no empty weekends, and I think that says a lot for the programme, consistency in competition.”

Sands believes that Jamaica’s young athletes have a decided advantage over their compatriots in the region due to the number of meets in which they are able to participate before major championships.

“The kids don’t have what is known as sightless training, they have training for purpose. And so when there is competition that’s happening all over the island and they have an opportunity to choose or refuse and the competition is always good, that helps the programme to continue to the level that it has been performing.”

This weekend coaches and athletes will have the luxury of being able to choose from four meets with the staging of the OnDiRun/G C Foster Sprint Fest on Friday as well as the Central Hurdles, Relays, Jumps and Throws, and at the same venue on Saturday. The McKenley/Wint Invitational Meet will be hosted at Calabar High, while the North Central Development Meet will be held in Discovery Bay in St Ann, also on Saturday.

— Dwayne Richards