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Another Western Relays staging at G.C. Foster College - Organiser upset meet being held outside region
February 07, 2025
The 46th staging of the Western Relays will be held tomorrow at G.C. Foster College, starting at 10 a.m. However, meet organiser Ray Harvey is deeply disappointed that the event will not be held in western Jamaica for yet another year.
"This is a disgrace, as this will be the sixth consecutive year the meet will not be held in western Jamaica. I am very unhappy because we are robbing the fans and athletes from this region of a top-class event," said Harvey.
The running track at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, the only synthetic surface in the region, remains in a state of disrepair despite years of promises.
Despite his frustration, the veteran administrator expects an exciting day of competition.
"It should be a day of great competition, as some of the top high-school teams, along with clubs and institutions, are set to compete," Harvey said.
Defending Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) boys' and girls' champions, Kingston College and Edwin Allen High, respectively, will headline the high-school participants. Other male teams include Jamaica College, Excelsior High, Cornwall College, Muschett High, and Herbert Morrison Technical. Among the female teams set to compete are Holmwood Technical, St Jago, Muschett High, The Queen's School and St Andrew High.
As usual, MVP Track Club will lead the charge with its strong contingent of male and female athletes. Other participating teams include SprinTec, Swept, Dynamic, G.C. Foster and the University of Technology.
Cash prizes will be awarded in the 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m relays. Winners will receive $40,000, with second place earning $20,000, third place, $10,000 and fourth place, $5,000.
The late journalist and statistician Hubert Lawrence will be this year's honouree.
Meanwhile, Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High and Deandre Daley of Herbert Morrison Technical, who both excelled at last year's World Under-20 Championships, will receive junior awards for their outstanding performances over the past season.
"Hubert will be greatly missed, as he was part of the organising committee for over 20 years. He was an integral member, and his ideas were crucial in ensuring the meet's success," Harvey said of Lawrence's contribution over the years.
The meet will kick off with the women's Open 400m hurdles at 10 a.m. Flat events will run until 1:30 p.m., before relay action begins at 1:40 p.m. The meet will conclude at 6 p.m., with the men's 4x400m relay set to close the show.
Field events scheduled for the meet include the long jump, high jump and discus.
