A TWO-million-dollar sponsorship injection by the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) jump-started the return of the Western Relays to the local track and field calendar.
The 43rd staging of the relay carnival that is more affectionately known to be attached to Milo will get on the way with the absence of a title sponsor this Saturday at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport.
The meet was cancelled last year due to logistic issues and the coronavirus pandemic.
SDF’s General Manager, Denzil Wilks said at yesterday’s launch at the Deja Resort in Montego Bay that playing an integral role in the staging of the meet is good for his organisation given the significance of the meet.
“When we got the call that Milo had dropped out, we knew we couldn’t afford to let an institution like this fall down. It didn’t take much to convince the directors of the Sports Development Foundation and we were able to provide some level of assistance,” Wilks said.
“It is not only the Western Relays that we know we have to step up to. We know we were going to be called upon in a significant way. We have a responsibility and did make the effort to assist in some way,” he added.
Meet organiser Ray Harvey is excited by the return of the meet despite it being forced to scale down due to COVID protocols.
“This year’s Western Relays is different in several ways. Milo is not on board this year. We have been able to find several new sponsors as we tried to replace the funding that came from Milo. As usual, some of Jamaica’s most successful junior and senior athletes will perform. We expect an exciting day of competition,” Harvey said.
The COVID protocols required a reduced number of competitors which affected the number of events. The middle distance races (3000m, 1500m and 800m), hurdles, long and high jumps, 4x200m relays and the prep and primary races are not on the schedule this year.
Harvey outlined that while disappointed in not having fans, the organisers have made provisions for races to be streamed online via trackalerts and will be broadcast over three radio stations, including Power 106.
The major sponsors include Sports Development Foundation, Jamaica Olympic Association, WATA, Gibson McCook Relays, and Coca Cola.