Inspired by the theatrics seen at Diamond League meets and Grand Slam Track, Ricky Martin, CEO of the Corporate Area High School Championships, said this year’s staging of the regional meet will bring a spectacle for fans and athletes alike.
Speaking at the meet’s media launch yesterday at the National Housing Trust (NHT) Sports Club, Martin announced a number of changes and improvements.
Corporate Area Champs stands as one of the four regional meets before the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, featuring schools from Jamaica’s Corporate Area.
Martin said in a bid to raise the standards of junior track and field in Jamaica, the organising committee will implement changes that will deliver a ‘world-class’ atmosphere for its athletes.
Some of the key changes will see athletes rewarded with a bouquet as they cross the finish line in each final and being given individual recognition ahead of each final.
“The reality is we are always trying to improve. I always try to think outside of the box when it comes to track and field. So outside of just kids running up and down and throwing and jumping, it’s about giving them an experience,” he said.
“Grand Slam came with something similar, where they had music in between and interviews on the track and all of this,” Martin continued.
“We have fireworks at the end, we’re going to turn off the lights, to introduce them by name, by school, by qualifying times that they come into the finals with, and then to really celebrate them.”
Martin explained the reason behind the changes is to provide an unforgettable experience for each athlete, particularly the ones who will not go on to compete at Champs.
He explained that the Corporate Area Champs, like other regional meets, are often the pinnacle of a number of students’ athletic career.
He said it is important for these athletes to be recognised and to be celebrated where they can.
“For these kids, this may be their biggest shining glory because when they actually go to the big championship; the Boys and Girls’ Championship, some of them may not make it outside of the semi-finals,” Martin said.
“So we want to have something that they can live with for their entire life, something that they see when they’re representing their school, their community, their parents. Track and field is not just track and field. It represents the country, the community, your parents, and where you come from.”
Corporate Champs is set to be held on February 20 and 21 at the Jamaica College (JC) Ashenheim Stadium.
Kingston College (KC) are the defending boys’ champions while Excelsior High are the defending girls’ champions.
