Team Jamaica Bickle boosts Penn Relays prizes for Jamaican schools

PHILADELPHIA, USA — Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) has raised the value of incentives available to Jamaican institutions that participated in the 130th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, following an extra US$5,000 from the Burton-Hutchinson Family Fund.

According to a release from the organisation, TJB has for several years provided rewards for leading Jamaican high school relay teams. This year, however, the initiative was broadened to cover field events and to create incentives for tertiary institutions.

TJB said Jamaican teams that captured Championship of America high school titles in the 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m relays remained eligible for US$1,000 awards. The organisation also paid bonuses to winners in the discus, shot put, triple jump, high jump and long jump.

“The Burton-Hutchinson Family Fund is proud to support Team Jamaica Bickle’s School Nutrition Program,” Julie Hutchinson was quoted as saying in the release. “This investment reflects both our belief in the program’s continued success and a personal connection to its impact. Our family’s journey was shaped by similar opportunities that empowered our patriarch, Dr Gladstone ‘Fluney’ Hutchinson, to pursue significant scholar-athletic achievement. We are committed to helping ensure the next generation has access to that same foundation.”

The release said the expanded programme forms part of Team Jamaica Bickle’s continuing support for Jamaican student-athletes competing at the Penn Relays. It noted that overall prize assistance had increased, with opportunities now stretching across track and field.

After introducing prize money last year, the organisation again made payments to the schools of Jamaican boys’ and girls’ teams that won Championship of America 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m relays. For 2026, each winning team secured a US$1,000 contribution for its school.

TJB further stated that its field event incentives were extended to the high school championship discus, shot put, triple jump and long jump. In each listed event, the best Jamaican high school boy and girl earned a US$1,000 donation for their institution.

More than 50 high schools and five tertiary institutions from Jamaica competed at the Penn Relays, and TJB said two US$1,000 prizes were set aside for Jamaican college teams.

“This expansion reflects a growing commitment to supporting student-athletes throughout their academic and athletic journey,” the release said.

Irwine G Clare Sr, chairman and chief executive officer of Team Jamaica Bickle, said the organisation’s work with schools now reaches beyond a single area of support.

“At Team Jamaica Bickle, nutrition is at the heart of what we do. Proper nutrition is essential to performance, recovery, and overall well-being. By directing these funds to school-based nutrition programmes, we are making a direct investment in our student-athletes, ensuring they are properly fuelled to compete at a high level and succeed beyond the track,” Clare said.