2 Athletics Meets, 1 Day of Competition, The Preliminary Results & The Approval Process

It is not uncommon to have 2 athletics meets being staged in 2 separate locations on the same day. But, it has great significance during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Yesterday, Saturday, December 11, 2021, the 2021-2022 athletics season was officially kicked off when organizers of the Tyser Mills Classics and the Wesley Powell HIC Meet hosted their respective meets in separate locations.

Tyser-Mills Classics

The Tyser Mills Classics 21 was staged at the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport. Earlier reports hinted of a location change, due to the conflicting schedule with the GC Foster Over-distance & Field Events Meet. Organizers of the Tyser Mills Classics considered moving the meet to Calabar High School but decided to stay at GC Foster when the Over-Distance meet was announced cancelled due to issues surrounding COVID-19.

Wesley Powell Meet

The Wesley Powell HIC Meet was staged at its usual grass track at the Excelsior High School. No scheduling conflicts there, it was simply a matter of ministry approval and sponsorship which they apparently got, evident in the successful staging of the meet.

Indeed, to stage a meet these days, organizers have to go through a rigorous process to receive that all-important Health Ministry’s approval.

Ministry Approval

COVID-19 has impacted the lives of our athletes and the sport of athletics in ways in which we may not fully comprehend. To the Sponsors and the Fans, it cannot be expressed enough how grateful we are for your continued support. Continue to support our athletes and athletics, make this season the best yet with a view to better times ahead.

To meet organizers, the JAAA will help to guide you in applying for the necessary approvals to host your meet.

Last season, the JAAA, together with meet directors across the island submitted numerous proposals and revised proposals to receive the Ministry’s approval. In fact, meets scheduled for early January 2021, were postponed because they did not receive the approvals in time.

Qualification Series

After the requisite approvals were granted, the meets happened fast. On some days, weekdays, not weekends, there were up to 4-5 meets on the same day. Jamaica College, Calabar, G.C. Foster, Stadium East and (in some cases) National Stadium were all used as prefered locations. This combination of meets was coined the JAAA Qualification Series and repeated for 2-3 weeks leading up to the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys & Girls Champs.

Destiny Series

Later on, the JAAA/JOA partnership had the Destiny Series. While the Qualification Series catered for Juniors, the Destiny Series catered primarily to the Seniors.

Preliminary Results & Calendar

The Calendar of Events has been published. The Meets have started. The results will be posted here, on our website, for your convenience.