Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Maurice Smith ... special guest at Saturday's meet. - File

THE DEVELOPMENT of track and field in Jamaica received a significant boost on Tuesday as Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, through its affiliate brand Gatorade, signed on as title sponsor for the sixth annual staging of the UWI Track and Field Invitational which will take place at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Pepsi-Cola Jamaica has been a consistent presence at athletics meets so far this season and has extended its support of track and field development as title sponsor of the meet.

Athletes participating in the event will have continuous access to the Gatorade hydration stations throughout the day's competition.

Committed to sports

According to Andre Largie, brand manager for Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, at the press launch of the sponsorship at UWI, his company is committed to the support of sport as it relates to the deve-lopment of young people.

"We hope that our presence at this event serves as a constant reminder to our athletes to focus not only on winning, but to also ensure that they do so while taking care of themselves, both physically and mentally," Largie said.

The event, which is expected to begin at 9:00 a.m., is the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for the upcoming Boys and Girls Championships next month.

Grace Jackson, Student Services and Development Manager for Sports at UWI, indicated that more than 50 schools have registered for the meet so far and a number of others have expressed an interest in being a part of the competitions. Jackson indicated that the meet will cost an estimated $700,000, including the rental of the National Stadium.

"We are expecting to attract a large number of persons to attend the event whilst exposing aspiring young athletes to taste what lies beyond the National Stadium." Jackson said.

Hurdler Brigitte Foster-Hylton will be one of the featured national athletes while decathlete Maurice Smith will be a special honouree.

Other sponsors for the Invitational include Puma, Cari-Med, Cooyah, The Gleaner, Mitsubishi Motors, Happy Ice, Island Grill, WB Trophies, Grace Kennedy, Hot off the Press, MegaMart, Guardsman Group, Laribo Marketing and Sunset Jamaica Grande.