The Invitational was launched in 2004 and has seen several global stars put on a show at Jamaica’s National Stadium over the years. Some of the standout performances at the meet over the years include Usain Bolt’s 9.76 in the 100m in May 2008 and his 19.56 in the 200m two years later.
On the Women’s side, Sanya Richards-Ross ran 49.89 to win the 400m in 2006 while Elaine Thompson-Herah won the 200m in 22.09 nine years later.
Unfortunately, the meet was last held in 2018 with the 2019 to 2022 editions all being cancelled due to a myriad of reasons ranging from lack of sponsorship to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well, I know that event may have seen better days but we at the JAAA are looking at the possibility of how it is that we can bring in another event,” Gayle told SportsMax.TV at the launch of the Racers Grand Prix at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday.
“The Racers Grand Prix is excellent, without a doubt, and it must and will be supported by the association but we believe our athletes need at least one more high-level meet here in Jamaica,” Gayle added.
Gayle then announced that discussions are ongoing regarding the future of the meet and the possible announcement of a replacement.
“There would have been the need to revisit and that is what is happening as we speak and, in short order, you will hear more about a similar meet, but not that meet,” Gayle said.
Among those reported to be competing at Kingston’s National Stadium is 100m world champion Christian Coleman and world champion and world record holder Dalilah Mohammed as well as Jamaica’s first-ever world long jump champion Tajay Gayle.
Local heroes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah as well as Fedrick Dacres and Danielle Thomas-Dodd are also likely participants at the meet that will have a silver designation in the newly minted Continental World Series.
Also among the names to be announced at a press conference expected to be held sometime next week are world championship 400m bronze medallists Shericka Jackson and Rushell Clayton as well as 200m medallists Andre DeGrasse, Shaunae Miller and world champion Noah Lyles.
Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic and 2017 100m world champion are also expected to compete against the likes of 2011 world champion Yohan Blake.
Shanieka Ricketts and Danielle Williams are also set to compete.
The meet organisers are also said to be in negotiations with a number of other elite athletes as they look to make up for the cancellation of the 2019 edition of the former World Challenge meet.
However, the meet will carry a silver designation in the World Athletics Continental World Series launched earlier year.
The Continental World Series will replace the World Challenge events as the second tier of competition under the Diamond League, and the four events that have been controversially cut, either partially or completely, from the latter competition for next season will have senior status within the new format.
The four events - triple jump, discus, 200 metres and 3,000m steeplechase - will be part of the core events in the top, or Gold level of the Tour, which will also have Silver and Bronze levels.
The JII meet was first held in 2004 and for eight years was a World Challenge meet, one tier down from the prestigious Diamond League designation. However, in 2019, due largely to financial constraints, the meet was cancelled.
“It is with regret that we inform you that due to budget issues the 2019 staging of the Jamaica International Invitational IAAF World Challenge Meeting has been cancelled,” a statement on the meeting’s website said.
However, Dr Warren Blake, President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) said then that he was confident the meet would return in 20020. On Friday, he confirmed that the meet would be back.
According to the JII website, the meet is set for May 2, 2020.
“There will be a meet this year,” said Dr Blake who added that Athletes’ Liaison Donald Quarrie has been assembling a quality field of athletes to participate at the meet.
However, the meet will be taken down a peg, as it will only have a silver designation among the meets that fall under the umbrella of the Continental World Series.
Dr Blake explained that following the debacle that led to the cancellation of the meet in 2019, earlier this year, World Athletics had sought assurances that there would not be a repeat of what occurred in 2019. They demanded a written guarantee that funding would be in place for this year’s meet.
However, the local organisers missed the deadline by a few days, which resulted in the meet missing the gold-level designation now enjoyed by the Racers Grand Prix set to run off in June.
Dr Blake said World Athletics will be reviewing the Continental Series at the end of the season and they are hopeful that the JII will obtain a gold designation going forward.
A press conference to announce details pertaining to the 2020 Jamaica International Invitational is set to be held sometime in March.
