SEVERAL athletes from across the Caribbean, including an entire club from Jamaica, are expected to add excitement to this year’s edition of the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, which is set for next month at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden.This was disclosed yesterday by the organisers, at the official launch of event, which was held at the Sleep-In Hotel. According to event chairman Colin Boyce, this year will be a year with a difference as the organisers up the ante with the participation of the Racers Track Club of Jamaica.
“This year is a year with a difference. We are committed to bringing quality competitions. We will be having a club out of Jamaica from Racers Track Club. We asked for their B Class athletes, so they will be able to challenge our local athletes. I know that we have our athletes here that can match strides with them,” Boyce shared.
Athletes coming out of Jamaica include Nicholas Maitland (200m), Keno Burrell (400m), Deandre Whitehorne (100m) and Seidatha Palmer (200m). The athletes will compete in the international sprint events.
In addition to the Jamaican athletes, the event will once again have athletes from the USA, Trinidad, Suriname, Grenada, the Bahamas and St Vincent.
From Trinidad are athletes Mark London (800m, 1500m) and Tonya Nero (1500m, 3 000m). There will be Danielle Clarke out of Suriname (100m, 200m), Kenisha Pascal (1500m, 3 000m) from Grenada, and Josh Hamilton (100m, 200m) of St Vincent.
The August 16-17 event will provide over $2M in cash and prizes and clubs will vie against one another for an ultimate prize of $600 000.
Meanwhile the second-placed club will walk away $400 000 richer, third-placers will land $250 000 and fourth-placers will take $100 000. In individual prizes the Champion boy and Champion girl will collect $50 000 each, while six international events will feature cash prizes for 1st to 3rd places, being US$250, US$150 and US$100 respectively.
Meanwhile, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, yesterday joined several corporate sponsors in pledging support towards the event.
“The NSC (National Sports Commission) is committed to sport and sports development, (and) we stand ready and willing to support the initiative. We will be giving you our support for years to come. We want to welcome the companies that are on board,” Jones said, before an audience of coaches and athletes at the Sleep-In International Hotel.
Jones was joined at the head table by Boyce and event co-chairman Edison Jeffords, as well as representative from several of the key sponsors of the event, including telecommunications giant Digicel, Ansa McAl and Caribbean Airlines.
Digicel Representative Gavin Hope described the event as “second to none”, commending the efforts of the organisers. Hope noted that Digicel was proud to have been a part of the prestigious event from its inaugural hosting back in 2010.
His sentiments were mirrored by Ansa McAl representative Annetta Hinds. Ansa McAl, which sponsors the event under their Smalta brand, is a long-time sponsor of the event, and Hinds stated how pleased the company was to have the Smalta brand associated with the event for another year.
“It’s a proud moment to see an event grow. It’s an honour for us because we benefit by being a part of this, and we will be on board from years to come. Continue to do the work. Smalta and other brands will be onboard,” Hinds said.
In addition to the prizes for the athletes there will be $250 000 in gate prizes for lucky patrons. These will include $30 000 in cash, a smartphone, food hamper, his and her watch set and a 10-pennyweight gold chain among other items.