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Champs impresses US track official
Paul Reid
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Given Jamaica's love affair with the Penn Relays it was only a matter of time before senior officials of the United States' largest annual track meet made it to Champs.
Alanna W Shanahan, senior associate director of athletics at the University of Pennsylvania with oversight for the Pen Relays, arrived in the island as part of a 20-member strong International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) delegation, and despite being at Champs for a few hours and having seen just a handful of races, immediately noticed several similarities between both meets.
SHANAHAN... impressed with the high calibre of athletes that represent the various Jamaican high schools. (Photo: Paul Reid)
"There are several interesting similarities that come to mind immediately, the numbers of athletes, the enthusiasm and the fact that both meets are sponsorship driven," she said.
Shanahan, who is in her fifth year with the University of Pennsylvania, said she finally gave into "entreaties by Irwine Clare and the Team Jamaica Bickle" who have been inviting her for several years to visit Champs and get a first hand view of the meet.
She said she has been impressed with "the high calibre of athletes" that represent the various Jamaican high schools at the Penn Relays and revealed that Jamaica's 23 entries this year is the most by any country other than the United States.
It was also revealed that a record 985 schools have entered the meet which will celebrate its 115th staging this year, April 25-27.
There will be one significant difference at the meet this year. Shanahan revealed that the USA vs Rest of the World relays that have been well received have been shifted to later in the day on Saturday and will run between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm as per request of the television stations carrying the event live in prime time.
Jamaican teams has been a main attraction during the US vs Rest of the World relays and won two events last year.
Paul Reid
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Given Jamaica's love affair with the Penn Relays it was only a matter of time before senior officials of the United States' largest annual track meet made it to Champs.
Alanna W Shanahan, senior associate director of athletics at the University of Pennsylvania with oversight for the Pen Relays, arrived in the island as part of a 20-member strong International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) delegation, and despite being at Champs for a few hours and having seen just a handful of races, immediately noticed several similarities between both meets.
SHANAHAN... impressed with the high calibre of athletes that represent the various Jamaican high schools. (Photo: Paul Reid)"There are several interesting similarities that come to mind immediately, the numbers of athletes, the enthusiasm and the fact that both meets are sponsorship driven," she said.
Shanahan, who is in her fifth year with the University of Pennsylvania, said she finally gave into "entreaties by Irwine Clare and the Team Jamaica Bickle" who have been inviting her for several years to visit Champs and get a first hand view of the meet.
She said she has been impressed with "the high calibre of athletes" that represent the various Jamaican high schools at the Penn Relays and revealed that Jamaica's 23 entries this year is the most by any country other than the United States.
It was also revealed that a record 985 schools have entered the meet which will celebrate its 115th staging this year, April 25-27.
There will be one significant difference at the meet this year. Shanahan revealed that the USA vs Rest of the World relays that have been well received have been shifted to later in the day on Saturday and will run between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm as per request of the television stations carrying the event live in prime time.
Jamaican teams has been a main attraction during the US vs Rest of the World relays and won two events last year.
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