Neville 'Teddy' McCook, chairman of the Organising Committee (second left), chats with sponsors, Janice Henlin (left), JNBS marketing manager, Ruthlyn Johnson, corporate communications officer of JPS (second right), and John Burrowes, general manager of Pepsi Jamaica, at yesterday's Gibson Relays sponsors luncheon at the Courtleigh Hotel. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

RECORD-BREAKERS will leave the 31st staging of the Gibson Relays, the Carib-bean's biggest relay festival, at the National Stadium on February 24 with cash rewards.

Andre Largie, brand manager (non-carbonated beverages) of Pepsi Jamaica, said athletes were always faced with challenges and his company believed it was fitting to recognise good performances.

"In recognition of these challenges and the remarkable performances that we produce in spite of these hardships, Gatorade has decided to provide an incentive to all participants of the Gibson Relays for continuing our heritage of athletic excellence," Largie said at yesterday's sponsors luncheon held at Courtleigh Hotel.

That incentive will be the Gatorade Record-Breakers Prize.

"This prize will be in the amount of $250,000 and will be shared by the athletes and schools that break Gibson Relay records," he said.

Fourteen records were broken in 2006, 12 fell in 2005 and 10 in 2004.

Mounting interest

Meanwhile, several Caribbean countries are down to compete at this year's event.

Relays organiser, Neville 'Teddy' McCook, said: "We have entries from the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao and Haiti. We also have interest from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigua and Turks and Caicos Islands."

He said Trinidad and Tobago were also expected to participate. We are trying to get the Austin Sealey winner (from the Carifta Games), Gavin Nero of Trinidad and Tobago, to run the one-mile event."

McCook said he anticipated an excellent competition.

"If you look at the events that have taken so far this year, there is a lot of talent out there - new people have come on the scene," he said.

Events

At yesterday's sponsors drawing, the championships events included the High School Boys' Class One 4x100m (sponsored by The Art Printery), High School Girls' 4x100m Under-19 (JMMB); Institution 4x100m Men (JNBS); High School Boys' 4x800m Open (VMBS); High School Girls' 4x800m Open (Western Union); Institution 4x4 00m Men (Port Authority); High School Girls' 4x400m Open (Jamaica Biscuit Company) and High School Boys' 4x400m Open (Security Adminis-trators).

Another hot event will be the High School Girls' 4x200m Open, which will be sponsored by Esso.

Send feedback to: anthony.foster@gleanerjm.com