… Event set for August 16-17 in Linden

OVER $1.4M in cash and prizes will be up for grabs at the fifth edition of the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, which was officially launched yesterday in the boardroom at the Sleep In International Hotel on Brickdam. 

Set for August 16-17 at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, this year the event is expected to see the return of notable athletes such as Trinidad’s Mark London and Alita Moore, with the addition of this year’s CARIFTA games gold medallist Kadecia Baird as well as fellow US-based Guyanese athlete Brenessa Thompson.
Chairman for the Boyce and Jefford Committee, Colin Boyce, yesterday confirmed the attendance of the athletes, while noting that a bid is still being made to possibly have Guyana’s men’s 100m record holder Adam Harris participate at the event..
The event will feature individual cash prizes for the first- to third-place finishers in the international events, amounting to $50 000, $30 000, and $20 000 respectively.
For the first time, an “international event” will be added and will see the inclusion of two events, notably the female triple jump and male long jump, which are now added to the female 1500m and 200m and men’s 400m and 800m races.
The much-anticipated meet will also feature an increase in the top prize, which stands at $600 000 and will be awarded to the top club to amass the most points off of their athletes’ stellar performances.
Following that, the second-placed finishers will walk away $400 000 richer, the club managing to finish third will collect $250 000 and fourth and final prize position will receive $150 000.
Last year’s top prize was $500 000 and went to the Running Braves athletics club which had dethroned the Police athletics club. This year’s increase is sure to motivate even more intense competition among the clubs.
According to Boyce, with the event gaining momentum over the years, clubs from overseas have already begun to voice their hopes of participating at the meet.
However, with the original aim of adding to the coffers of the local clubs, according to Boyce, it would be unfair to throw international clubs into the mix without first giving the local clubs the chance to strengthen themselves to withstand such a development, however progressive.
“As this meet is growing, our intention is to allow those clubs to grow to the stage where we can have clubs coming from Jamaica, probably Trinidad and not only individuals. We don’t want to invite clubs to come and take away all the cash, so we are giving those (local clubs) the chance where we can feel free to bring in a club.” Boyce said.
In addressing other concerns for the meet, Boyce noted that it has been touted that there is a possibility that the organisers will have the meet moved, upon the completion of the all-weather track and stadium in Leonora on the West Coast, Demerara. However, on this notion Boyce declared that the Boyce and Jefford Committee has made a commitment to the people of Linden to keep the meet in Linden as improved facilities in Linden are expected as the years advance.
Also present at the launching were representatives of a few of the sponsors, namely Amrita Hinds from Ansa McAl, Gavin Hope from Digicel and Aaron Fraser from Wartsila. They all commended the growth and development that the event has seen over the years and reiterated their joy of once again being a part of the event.

(By Tamica Garnett)