Over 1,500 participate at CVSS Summer Games

Saffrey Brown, chairperson of the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) Summer Games, said she was impressed with the talent on display at this year's staging of the event, which was held on Saturday at the UWI Bowl.

GraceKennedy and Staff Community Development Foundation emerged champions of this year's championships, which saw over 1,500 participants from 20 affiliate agencies.

The participants competed in football, netball, basketball and track and field during the one-day event.

"This was the 12th staging of the CVSS Summer Games and every year it gets bigger and bigger and more well supported," said Brown.

"It is really important because it brings young people from inner-city communities out of their communities to engage in friendship and other sporting activities, so that they can showcase their talents in front of others," she said.

"It was also an opportunity for the young people with disabilities to compete in competitive support, and hopefully, in the years ahead people, who would have started here, can become Olympians," Brown added.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medallist Hansle Parchment, who was the patron of the meet, said the championship forms a very important part of youth development.

"It is a pleasure to be part of such an important event, youth development and youth building is one of the most important things that we need for Jamaica," said Parchment.

"We really need to build on our youth because we need them to learn as they go forward in their everyday life that sports is a way for them to get out and make themselves into better individuals of this country," Parchment said.

Meanwhile, the Usain Bolt Foundation and the National Baking Company Foundation both donated $1 million each to this year's staging of the event.