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Foreigners invade 32nd Gibson Relays
... in hopes of qualifying for Olympics
BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter
bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Teams from the Netherlands Antilles, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas have indicated their intent to compete in today's 32nd staging of the Gibson Relays at the National Stadium, in hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The teams will compete in the 4x100m event at the relay carnival which is being used for the first time this year as an Olympic Games qualifying meet, after it was approved as such last year by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
IAAF rules state that for relays, only the best 16 national teams which meet the qualifying standard between January 1, 2007 and July 16, 2008, will be eligible to compete at the Olympics which will be held in China from August 8-24.
Meanwhile, close to 3,000 athletes have been confirmed to participate in the relays, which are expected to boast teams from St Jago, Holmwood, Wolmer's, Calabar, Kingston College, and Jamaica College participating in 37 events, including eight Championship races.
The 4x100 High School Boys' Class One; 4x100 High School Girls' Under-19; 4x100 Institution Men; 4x800 High School Boys' Open; 4x800 High School Girls' Open; 4x400m Institution Men; 4x400 High School Girls' Open, and the 4x400 High School Boys' Open are the championship events.
Meanwhile, sponsors Pepsi will be offering a $500,000 prize award for record-breakers at the Relays. The Gatorade record-breakers prize is to be shared by any local athlete or institution that sets a new mark in any of the events on offer.
Pepsi introduced the cash award, then valued at $250,000 last year when 13 records were broken in the boys' 4x400m relay open; boys' 4x100m in Class One - Four; 4x100m relay institutions men and women; male and female mile relay open; men's long jump open; boys' 4x60m Under-12 primary and 4x60m Under-10 prep, and the girls' 4x100m Under-12 prep.
The 24-year-old record 45.5 seconds in the 400 metres Open set by former world champion Bert Cameron in 1984 is the longest-standing Gibson record to date.
Finals and Championship events for the Relays will begin at four o' clock, following the Opening Ceremony, which starts at 3:40 pm.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company will be providing six special shuttles from the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre to the National Stadium for patrons attending the Relays.
Buses will be ready for boarding at 3:00 pm and will cost $50 per ride. The buses will also be available at the National Stadium after the meet to take patrons back to the Transport Centre.
Foreigners invade 32nd Gibson Relays
... in hopes of qualifying for Olympics
BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter
bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Teams from the Netherlands Antilles, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas have indicated their intent to compete in today's 32nd staging of the Gibson Relays at the National Stadium, in hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The teams will compete in the 4x100m event at the relay carnival which is being used for the first time this year as an Olympic Games qualifying meet, after it was approved as such last year by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
IAAF rules state that for relays, only the best 16 national teams which meet the qualifying standard between January 1, 2007 and July 16, 2008, will be eligible to compete at the Olympics which will be held in China from August 8-24.
Meanwhile, close to 3,000 athletes have been confirmed to participate in the relays, which are expected to boast teams from St Jago, Holmwood, Wolmer's, Calabar, Kingston College, and Jamaica College participating in 37 events, including eight Championship races.
The 4x100 High School Boys' Class One; 4x100 High School Girls' Under-19; 4x100 Institution Men; 4x800 High School Boys' Open; 4x800 High School Girls' Open; 4x400m Institution Men; 4x400 High School Girls' Open, and the 4x400 High School Boys' Open are the championship events.
Meanwhile, sponsors Pepsi will be offering a $500,000 prize award for record-breakers at the Relays. The Gatorade record-breakers prize is to be shared by any local athlete or institution that sets a new mark in any of the events on offer.
Pepsi introduced the cash award, then valued at $250,000 last year when 13 records were broken in the boys' 4x400m relay open; boys' 4x100m in Class One - Four; 4x100m relay institutions men and women; male and female mile relay open; men's long jump open; boys' 4x60m Under-12 primary and 4x60m Under-10 prep, and the girls' 4x100m Under-12 prep.
The 24-year-old record 45.5 seconds in the 400 metres Open set by former world champion Bert Cameron in 1984 is the longest-standing Gibson record to date.
Finals and Championship events for the Relays will begin at four o' clock, following the Opening Ceremony, which starts at 3:40 pm.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company will be providing six special shuttles from the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre to the National Stadium for patrons attending the Relays.
Buses will be ready for boarding at 3:00 pm and will cost $50 per ride. The buses will also be available at the National Stadium after the meet to take patrons back to the Transport Centre.
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