Looking ahead to the ISSA Boy's and Girl's Championship

As a consequent of the global COVID-19 pandemic, track and field competition was suspended or curtailed at all levels, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being the major casualty since the advent of the pandemic. However, after much agitation by ISSA and major track and field stakeholders in Jamaica, the track and field season was tentatively restarted with several high school track meets and JAAA qualifying meets. Some of the high school track meets included the Excelsior Track Meet, the JC Track meet, the Calabar Track Meet, and the St. Elizabeth High Track Meet.

Nevertheless, even with these track meets and the promise and heightened expectations they generated, the annual staple of the track season, The Gibson-McCook Relays, was forced to cancel, as there were no provisions made by the Government of Jamaica to accommodate the safe staging of the relays. Indeed, this was considered a major blow to the track and field season, given the fact that the shutdown had become protracted, causing much anxiety and apprehension for the staging of the 2021 edition of the ISSA Boy's and Girl's Championship.

The spike in COVID-19 cases and fatalities over the last few weeks made a bad situation worse. Time was running out for a decision to be made as to whether the championship would even be staged this year.  There were no words from the Government of Jamaica as to whether the greatest high school track and field event in the western hemisphere would be approved. The government was dithering. ISSA and major stakeholders became frantic, nervous even. And the National Parent Teachers Association of Jamaica was very vehement in its opposition to the staging of the Championship.

Champs is on

On Friday, April 16, 2021, the Government of Jamaica gave its seal of approval for the staging of the 2021 ISSA Boy's and Girl's Championship. For the most part, this was met with appreciation from ISSA, sponsors, sports enthusiasts and from the athletes who have been in training from the summer of 2019. Barring unforeseen occurrences, the 2021 ISSA Boy's and Girl's Championship will be held between May 11 - 15.  Indeed, 2021 is an Olympic year. And, notwithstanding the seriousness of the global pandemic, one anticipates a good showing by our junior athletes who have been put on pause but are now rearing to go.

Henley Taylor - Freelance Sports Writer

Edited by Raymond Byfield