Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

THE UNIVERSITY of Technology's (UTech) department of sport could, in the near future, have one of the best student/athlete sports programmes in the world.

At a Gleaner-sponsored breakfast on Tuesday for high achievers in sport at the institution, director Anthony Davis outlined a vision for the development of a broad-based programme at the institution.

In a wide-ranging presentation, Davis highlighted the national and international achievements of athletes based on the UTech campus, and the institution's plans to improve both the quality of facilities and support for student/athletes.

The world famous MVP Track Club is based at UTech, along with the International Association of Athletics Federations-funded High Performance Training Centre (HPTC). Former world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell is a member of MVP, while current holder, Usain Bolt, is one of the outstanding athletes at the HPTC.

Medal winners

Davis presented statistics which indicated that for the last two IAAF World Championships, UTech-based athletes were among the premier medal winners for Jamaica. In Helsinki, UTech-based athletes, who constituted 12 per cent of the Jamaican team, won 25 per cent of the country's medals.

Two years later, at the Osaka Championships, UTech-based athletes, who comprised 20 per cent of the team, won 50 per cent of the medals. Amazingly also, UTech-based athletes now own the four fastest times ever - Bolt's 9.76 seconds and 9.72 and Powell's 9.77 and 9.74.

In a bid to give more academic support to student/athletes, the university is planning to have greater flexibility in its matri-culation requirements.

Student/athletes who do not meet the basic entrance levels could be accepted but must satisfy these requirements while enrolled at the institution.

Athletes who are required to travel frequently to overseas meets will be facilitated by the rescheduling of examinations. These athletes could also be allowed to do assignments while on duty abroad.

Nurturing atmosphere

UTech's president, Professor Errol Morrison, said one of the main aims of the institution's current thrust was to provide a "more nurturing environment for young athletes".

The UTech president said that as an academic institution it was particularly concerned about life after sport.

"As such, we are looking at ensuring that our young student/athletes are brought in with as much support as possible for the academic programmes. We are offering a slightly longer pro-gramme so that they can take a lesser demanding number of modules in any one academic year," Morrison said.

"So, for a four-year programme we are organising these modules so that they can do it over a five-year period and allow them that greater time for their training and to pursue their academics. That's one of the major things we are doing as an academic institution, to ensure that we support them," he said.

To boost his case for more support, Morrison called for an education fund for high-performing student/athletes.