Clement Radcliffe, president of ISSA (left), Don Wehby, deputy head of GraceKennedy and CEO of GraceKenndy Investments (centre), and Dave Myrie, chairman Boys and Girls Champs, show off some of the trpohies up for grabs at the official launch of the 2007 Grace Kennedy/ISSA Boys and Girls Athletic Championships at the Terra Nova Hotel yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
THE 2007 GraceKennedy/ ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships are 'Build to be Bigger and Better' organisers announced yesterday.
As he did at the launch of GraceKennedy's sponsorship of the event in January, ISSA's president, Clement Radcliffe, said "for the first time, Champs will pay for itself, even before the first ticket is sold".
GraceKennedy has committed $14 million to this year's Championships while associate sponsors Cable & Wireless has contributed $10 million and media partners CVM said its contribution in cash and kind will run to more than $10 million.
Apart from GraceKennedy's main sponsorship, Grace Foods will be giving $35,000 each to the top boy and girl athletes; the First Global scholarship ($135,000 payable over three years at $45,000 each year) is to be awarded to a male and female athlete, to attend a local tertiary institution; The Herb McKenley Award will go to the winning Boys and Girls school of the mile relays ($30,000, sponsored by First Global) and the Building Hope Award will go to the Most Improved boys and girls schools ($20,000 - Grace Foods).
Don Wehby, deputy head of GraceKennedy and CEO for GraceKennedy Investments, said his company would also salute former JAAA president the late Adrian Wallace, who was a director at GraceKennedy.
In doing so, they will award the Adrian Barrington Wallace Award to a Class Two male athlete who "displays a love for the sport while performing well at the Championships and consistently excelling academically".
This award will be $90,000 payable over three years at $30,000 each year.
"We are committed to build Boys and Girls Champs," said Wehby, who told the gathering that he was Class Three sprint hurdles champion in 1978.
"GraceKennedy has always seen fit to contribute to the development of the nation's youth and we have demonstrated this in many ways," added the double silver medallist in 1981.
Though the sponsors will take care of all overhead expenses, spectators will be asked to go a little deeper in their pockets this year as a season ticket will now cost $2,200 - up from $2000.
To enter on Saturday it will be: Grandstand $1500 - up from $1200, and Bleachers $700 - up from $500.
On the Friday, the day the opening ceremony and 100m races will be held, grandstand patrons will pay $1,000 and bleachers $500, while Wednesday and Thursday for the grandstand only it will be $300 (adults) and $50 (students in uniform). Tickets will go on sale within 10 days for the March 28-30 Championships.
Feedback: anthony.foster@gleanerjm.com
