Financial windfall for Paris qualifiers in track and field

THE 2024 track and field team to the Paris Olympics will have a lot to smile about after this weekend's JAAA-Puma National Junior and Senior Championships at the National Stadium.

At a Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) press conference at its head office on Tremaine Road, Kingston, yesterday, Minister of Sport Olivia 'Babsy' Grange revealed that the Government will be assisting those athletes with their preparations for the Games. Each athlete will be given $360,000 to help with these preparations.

President of the JAAA, Garth Gayle, hailed the gesture by the Government.

"I am extremely pleased by this gesture of the Government through the Ministry of Sports as this will go a far way in helping the athletes with their preparations," said Gayle.

The four-day championships, which begins on Thursday, has attracted a record number of entries as some 680 athletes, including juniors and seniors, will compete at the meet.

In a final attempt for the men's 4x400m relay team to qualify for the Olympics after three failed efforts, the scheduling of the men's 400m has been adjusted to facilitate this as the athletes can get more time to rest in order to compete in the relay at 8:05 p.m. on Sunday's final day of competition.

The preliminary round of the 400m will get under way at 10 a.m on Thursday's opening day. Later that day the semifinals will get under way at 6: 50 p.m.

The final of the event will be contested on Friday's second day at 8:50 p.m. giving the athletes for the relay one full day's rest.