Welcome!

We are proud to share with you the exhilarating and excellent performances of our athletes at this the 48th staging of the Gibson McCook Relays.

It is a pleasure to witness the teams from the Cayman Islands and those individuals from around the Caribbean who attend school and train here as they compete for the top spots in the events here today. Th e landscape of the Gibson McCook Relays will always include overseas team as we broaden our horizons and encourage all athletes to exchange experiences and create friendships and new networks.

This year we join the Kingston College (KC) family in their Centennial Celebrations. A true milestone of this formidable and far-reaching institution, which was founded by the Anglican Bishop Percival Gibson on 16 April 1925. Since then, students, families, communities, Jamaica and the wider world have benefi tted from the prowess and high standards displayed and maintained in many fi elds, including academics and sports. We salute the growth of KC over the years and the legacy which is constantly buoyed by the ‘Fortis’ family through its unbreakable bond which each student, during their formative years and beyond!

The Gibson McCook Relays Organizing Committee is seeking your commitment in creating an environment that focuses on celebrating achievements throughout the lives of each and every Jamaican. Nation-building is a process which instils and requires a strong sense of national identity and sharing successes as life lessons, while supporting those who are working towards a common goal of excellence.

We remain committed to maintaining the high standards that are embodied in our Mission Statement which emphasizes the aim of furthering the development of track and fi eld athletes, coaches and administrators through the provision of world-class meets and other development programmes.

Track and fi eld in Jamaica in the future must keep pace with the changing landscape of the sport globally and institutionalize best practices at all levels. In this regard, we know that we can depend on the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) to guide meet organizers and those who partner with them to ensure
that opportunities created for athletes to maximize their full potential are in keeping with all World Athletics requirements.

We are proud that the status of World Athletics Ranked Event – Tier 2 has been maintained by the Gibson McCook Relays. As stated on its website, World Athletics has created a global ranking system where athletes score points, based on a combination of result and place, depending on the level of the competition in which the result is achieved. We know that it is the wholistic development of our athletes that must be cemented in the values to be upheld by all who influence their paths. This starts with families and by extension the communities, which must assist in the transition of our athletes through the various phases of their growth and development.

I would like to encourage the spirit of volunteerism as an integral part of sport and thank our many volunteers, especially those who have been with the Gibson McCook Relays for its entire fi fty-two years. We could not have done it without you! I would like to thank our Presenting Sponsor, PUMA, major sponsors TVJ and Wisynco, race sponsors and those who have contributed to this 48th staging of the Gibson McCook Relays.

To the athletes, coaches and other support personnel, we look forward to exhilarating performances! Do your best! To the spectators in the National Stadium and those viewing elsewhere in Jamaica and overseas, “Enjoy the event and see you next year”!

Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse
Chairman, Gibson McCook Relays Organizing Committee
Medical, Health and Anti-Doping Director