As the sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix ticks closer, preparations are in full swing to ensure a seamless, world-class experience for athletes and spectators alike at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Racers Grand Prix CEO Devon Blake shared his vision for this year’s event, as the team behind the event is executing meticulous planning and coordination. 

“The goal is to produce a world-class meet showcasing Jamaica’s capacity to develop and attract premier athletes in track and field. We actively maintain the best team of professionals, engage with invested sponsors, focus on athlete comfort, all in order to create an amazing fan experience," Blake said.

Despite the economic challenges, the meet that started in 2016, has retained inception sponsors like Adidas, Television Jamaica, KFC, and Digicel, while also attracting new sponsors.

Blake highlighted the importance of community engagement, stating, “There are advanced plans for fan engagement and a fan experience ensuring the meet positively impacts both the athletes and the local community.”

Swaneka Phillips of Main Event Production provided insight into the logistical efforts and the importance of high-quality production elements.

“Set-up begins a week prior to the event. Our trucks leave our warehouse laden with equipment, materials, a sizable crew and a number of co-ordinators to ensure everything goes smoothly. Once on site, our team springs into action like a well-oiled machine, completing tasks in tandem according to our worklist,” Phillips explained.

“We pride ourselves on our top-of-the-line inventory of world-class equipment, as well as our highly trained and skilled technicians. To enhance this year’s experience, we are implementing enhanced 4mm LED screen technology, which allows for higher definition, crisper images with better contrast and lighting," she added.

Meanwhile, Bruce James, chairman of World Class Athletics Limited, discussed the critical role of the Roster Athletic system that will be used on Saturday night.

“The combination of the Roster Athletics data processing system and our FinishLynx cameras is crucial to providing fast, accurate results. We use a three-camera system for track meets like the Racers Grand Prix to capture the athletes as they cross the finish line. The system integrates directly, making it seamless from start to finish,” James outlined.

James said the rigorous preparation starts well before any athlete reaches the track.

“Before the meet, we ensure all athletes are entered in the correct heat and lane, with all their statistics available. This data is loaded into the Roster Athletics system well before the event, so athletes, coaches, and spectators have all the necessary information readily available," he noted.

The Racers Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica starting at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available for purchase online and at select outlets.

Other sponsors for the event include Adidas Sports Development Foundation, Gatorade, JN Bank, and the Airport Authority of Jamaica.

In a tradition spanning nine years, the MVP Track & Field Club is once again making a significant impact on Jamaica's budding athletic talents through its Island-wide Grassroots Athletics Training Camps. The club has extended invitations to secondary schools across the nation, urging them to nominate student-athletes aged 12 to 18 for participation in one of the three Advanced Level Training Camps. These camps are set to take place in each of Jamaica's counties throughout the month of November.

MVP President, Bruce James, expressed his delight at the overwhelming response, saying, "Over 100 schools, from all 14 Parishes in Jamaica have been invited, and we have almost exceeded the targeted number of participants."

Head Coach of the MVP Track & Field Club, Paul Francis, emphasized the importance of sharing their knowledge and training methods following their exceptional results in Budapest at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. He recalled, "A highlight in Budapest was when a participant in our 2016 MVP Grassroots Training Camps won Gold in the 400m. This athlete is Antonio Watson."

The journey of nurturing young talent begins with the Cornwall Advanced Level Training Camp, scheduled for Saturday, November 11th at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St. James. The Middlesex Advanced Level Training Camp will follow on Saturday, November 18th, to be hosted at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine. The third and final Advanced Level Training Camp, dedicated to Surrey, will be conducted within the National Stadium, Kingston, on Saturday, November 25th, 2023.

These training camps will be supervised by a team of distinguished Jamaican coaches, led by MVP Head Coach Paul Francis, all of whom boast extensive international experience. The young athletes, numbering over 120 per training camp, will be guided through six track and field disciplines, including Hurdling, Sprinting, Throwing, Jumping, Distance Running, and Relays. It's worth noting that MVP Track & Field Club athletes frequently make appearances at these camps to interact with the aspiring young talents.

The training experience is further enriched as PUMA, one of the world's largest sports apparel companies, provides the athletes with top-quality gear. WATA and Powerade ensure that the young athletes remain well-hydrated, while NCB and the NCB Foundation offer financial literacy solutions. Best Dressed Chicken lends support for the nutritional needs of the student athletes, and the Sports Development Foundation continues its dedication to high-quality development programs throughout Jamaica. Digicel serves as the telecommunications partner for these camps.

The all-day training camps commence at 8:30 am and are strictly by invitation only, emphasizing the importance of fostering the future stars of Jamaican athletics.

Student-athletes across Jamaica are set to benefit again from the World Class Athletics training camps provided by the MVP Track & Field Club.

On the heels of her record-breaking, history-making season Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is reportedly parting ways with MVP Track Club, just under 18 months after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce departed to join Elite Performance.

Wolmer’s Boys School will join forces with top locally based track club MVP in a bid to turn around its high school track and field program.

The 14-time Boys Championships winner last claimed the title in 2010, on the 100^th year anniversary of the competition.  Though being typically there or thereabout, the school has not been able to consistently compete for the Mortimer Geddes trophy.

The shakeup will see the school part ways with noted high school track and field coach Danny Hawthorne, who took over the job in 2016.  The annual track and field event was cancelled last year, due to the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic, but the team has finished outside of the top five for the previous three years claiming 6^th place positions in 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions.  MVP club president Bruce James, a former student at the institution, confirmed the existence of the new arrangements.

“The headmaster of Wolmer’s Mr. Pennycoke has invited the MVP track club to play a positive role in the redevelopment of the Wolmer’s Boys track team, this takes effect on the first of January 2021,” James told Television Jamaica.

“The Wolmer’s Boys school happens to be where the MVP track and field club was founded and the MVP club’s management consists of Wolmer’s old boys such as Stephen Francis, Paul Francis, Andre Edwards, so we are happy to help the Wolmer’s Boys track and field team and the program he is building,” he added.