Olivia Grange hails young athletes as Spanish Town Primary wins INSPORT Champs

Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia "Babsy" Grange says she was encouraged by the quality of young athletes competing at the INSPORT All Island Track and Field Championships, which ran for three days and ended last Saturday at the National Stadium.

Spanish Town Primary finished as overall champions, taking the crown from Lyssons Primary, who entered the meet as defending champions.

Speaking with The Gleaner after the championships closed, Grange said she felt pleased with the progress being made each year. She said Jamaica's future in track and field appeared bright, noting that the performances she saw from the children suggested they were ahead of where some current athletes had been at the same age. In her view, that gives the country reason to believe the sport can keep advancing as a new generation carries the tradition forward.

Grange also pointed to what she described as her Government's role in building the sport from the primary-school level. She said the primary championships had become a nursery for track and field, and that the system was being well handled.

The minister credited several people for helping to deliver the meet, naming chairman Custos Ian Forbes, Assistant Executive Director Ms Ann Marie Heron, the wider INSPORT team, and meet director coach David Riley for special praise.

She added that she was confident the legacy associated with figures such as the late Herb McKenley, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and others would continue, saying the country had exceptional young talent coming through and that she was proud to serve as minister of sports.