The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced a significant contribution of JMD$10 million (approximately USD$64,000) from the Sports Development Foundation to support the staging of the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational Meet, scheduled to take place at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 11, 2024.
Minister Grange expressed full support for the Invitational, highlighting its importance in providing athletes with a platform to assess their status and make necessary adjustments ahead of upcoming competitions, including the Olympics.
"This Invitational Silver Continental Category Meet, as per World Athletics Standard, will allow athletes and coaches to accurately assess their status and make the necessary adjustments to achieve the preferred results in good time for the upcoming Olympics," Minister Grange stated.
She emphasized the significance of hosting international athletes from the Caribbean, United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, fostering healthy competition and camaraderie among participants.
Minister Grange extended a warm welcome to all athletes and emphasized the dual focus on performance and positive social interactions during the meet.
"Competitions of this calibre force all athletes to participate at peak performance while forging positive social interactions and camaraderie. So while great focus will be placed on the performances, an after party awaits you," Minister Grange added enthusiastically.
The Jamaica Athletics Invitational Meet has already confirmed participation from international stars such as World Indoor Champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia, Dina Asher Smith from Great Britain, 2022 World 100m champion Fred Kerley, Trayvon Brommel, and rising triple jump star Jaydon Hibbert.
With the support from the Sports Development Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational promises to be an electrifying event, showcasing top-tier athletic talent and promoting the spirit of sportsmanship and competition.
“Let the games begin!” the Jamaican sports minister declared.