Intercol sports hit by COVID-19

NO CHAMPIONS will be crowned this season for intercollegiate second-semester sports.

Intercol sporting events have become the latest to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Up to yesterday, Jamaica had 163 confirmed cases of the virus. Twenty-five persons have recovered, while there have been five deaths.

Several Intercol competitions for the semester were actually in progress and in their latter stages. These include 50-overs cricket, Rugby 13s, men’s and women’s volleyball and women’s basketball. Table tennis, badminton, field hockey and track and field did not get off the ground.

Hudson Gayle said athletes in their final year of competition will get an added year.

“Athletes in Intercol competition are entitled to five years of eligibility, and these athletes will be given an added year once they are registered students of their respective colleges and universities,” the head of athletics, development and training at UWI Mona said.

At the meeting, three student-athletes spoke about the impact the virus has had on their careers.

DISAPPOINTING SEASON

University of Technology final-year student and cricketer Jamie Laurence has described the season as a very disappointing one.

“I am someone who likes to be very active. It was a hard pill to swallow when we knew that competitions would have been postponed or cancelled but, after realising that it was for our best interest healthwise, I began to accept it,” he said.

Track and field athlete at The Mico University College, Danielle Heslop, and female volleyball captain of the University of West Indies, Erica Harris, shared the same sentiments.

According to Heslop, training each evening is like a family reunion for her.

“When we meet up with our teammates for training, it helps to keep the mind and body in a positive frame of mind,” she said.

“Knowing that this was my final year, I wanted to leave on a high,” Harris said while adding that she is deeply involved in sports.

Coach Okeile Stewart of UWI, the man who guided Rushell Clayton to a 400m hurdles bronze medal at the 2019 Doha World Championships, stated that he has to put together more individual training programmes.

“It is time-consuming, as I have to stay in touch on a regular basis to give them support. It is also very challenging, but there is no other option, as I try to ensure that they do not stay idle,” he said.