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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Organisers aim at safest Champs yet</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KAYON RAYNOR Observer staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, March 09, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>WITH more than 2,300 athletes from 167 teams slated to compete at the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' & Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium March 28-31, organisers are aiming to make this year's event the safest ever.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Some 89 teams will participate in the Boys' section, while 78 teams seek the Girls' crown.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dave Myrie, in tandem with new title sponsors GraceKennedy - who have committed $14 million over the next three years - said they will continue to build on the successes of last year's event, which was incident free due to a massive security operation.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=360 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Don Wehby (centre) of GraceKennedy and CEO of GK Investments holds the Girls Championship Trophy along with Dave Myrie (right) of the Organising Committee at yesterday's launch at the Terra Nova All SUite Hotel in Kingston. ISSA president Clement Radcliffe with the Mortimer Geddes (Boys') Trophy shares in the moment. (Photo: Bryan Cummings) </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>"As such, all security measures implemented last year will be used with further improvements and enhancements in some areas," Myrie disclosed at yesterday's launch of the popular high meet at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in Kingston.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Associate sponsors Cable & Wireless, Pepsi Cola Ja Ltd and the CVM Group have provided a further $8 million towards the meet, which according to Myrie, carries a price tag of $17 million.
In addition to improving the security, which consists of local police and private security companies - up from the 800 last year - Myrie said this year's plan will have other features.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Improved security features on tickets to eliminate possibility of duplication; entrance to the stadium for the duration of the championships will only be via (valid) ticket or accreditation; permanent erection of security fence thereby stopping access from the car park onto the stadium complex; a sterile stadium for the duration of the championships; limited number of tickets will be sold for bleachers so as to stay within our safe capacity, which is 24,000 for Bleachers and 5,000 for Grandstand; training for ticket takers; increase in the number of rapid response/ejection teams (Hawkeye); remote search area; heightened security for Stadium East and surrounding areas; the placement of police officers in bleachers supported by private security," he stated.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Rangers and Atlas security services will also be providing security for the ISSA-run event, for which Kingston College (KC) and Holmwood Technical are the Boys and Girls champions. KC tallied 233.5 points for their sixth straight hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy last year, ahead of Calabar (231.5) and Jamaica College (139.3).
Holmwood tallied 319 points for their fourth straight lien on the JAAA's Girls Championship Trophy. Vere Technical (302.5) and Edwin Allen (235) were next.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Meanwhile, Deputy CEO of GraceKennedy Ltd and CEO of GK Investments, Don Wehby, said in addition to his company's official sponsorship, they will be doling out another $460,000 in prizes to assist top performers and schools.<P class=StoryText align=justify>According to the winner of the Class Three sprint hurdles gold medal for St Georges at the 1978 Boys
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KAYON RAYNOR Observer staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, March 09, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>WITH more than 2,300 athletes from 167 teams slated to compete at the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' & Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium March 28-31, organisers are aiming to make this year's event the safest ever.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Some 89 teams will participate in the Boys' section, while 78 teams seek the Girls' crown.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dave Myrie, in tandem with new title sponsors GraceKennedy - who have committed $14 million over the next three years - said they will continue to build on the successes of last year's event, which was incident free due to a massive security operation.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=360 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Don Wehby (centre) of GraceKennedy and CEO of GK Investments holds the Girls Championship Trophy along with Dave Myrie (right) of the Organising Committee at yesterday's launch at the Terra Nova All SUite Hotel in Kingston. ISSA president Clement Radcliffe with the Mortimer Geddes (Boys') Trophy shares in the moment. (Photo: Bryan Cummings) </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>"As such, all security measures implemented last year will be used with further improvements and enhancements in some areas," Myrie disclosed at yesterday's launch of the popular high meet at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in Kingston.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Associate sponsors Cable & Wireless, Pepsi Cola Ja Ltd and the CVM Group have provided a further $8 million towards the meet, which according to Myrie, carries a price tag of $17 million.In addition to improving the security, which consists of local police and private security companies - up from the 800 last year - Myrie said this year's plan will have other features.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Improved security features on tickets to eliminate possibility of duplication; entrance to the stadium for the duration of the championships will only be via (valid) ticket or accreditation; permanent erection of security fence thereby stopping access from the car park onto the stadium complex; a sterile stadium for the duration of the championships; limited number of tickets will be sold for bleachers so as to stay within our safe capacity, which is 24,000 for Bleachers and 5,000 for Grandstand; training for ticket takers; increase in the number of rapid response/ejection teams (Hawkeye); remote search area; heightened security for Stadium East and surrounding areas; the placement of police officers in bleachers supported by private security," he stated.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Rangers and Atlas security services will also be providing security for the ISSA-run event, for which Kingston College (KC) and Holmwood Technical are the Boys and Girls champions. KC tallied 233.5 points for their sixth straight hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy last year, ahead of Calabar (231.5) and Jamaica College (139.3).
Holmwood tallied 319 points for their fourth straight lien on the JAAA's Girls Championship Trophy. Vere Technical (302.5) and Edwin Allen (235) were next.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Meanwhile, Deputy CEO of GraceKennedy Ltd and CEO of GK Investments, Don Wehby, said in addition to his company's official sponsorship, they will be doling out another $460,000 in prizes to assist top performers and schools.<P class=StoryText align=justify>According to the winner of the Class Three sprint hurdles gold medal for St Georges at the 1978 Boys