JAAA on track with France

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

The Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) has entered into a partnership with the French Federation of Athletics (FAA), which will see the local body sharing its expertise and ideas with the regional French territories, while receiving assistance with competition management from their French colleagues.

The move is expected to reap rewards for both associations and it is also hoped to have a direct impact on the development of the sport in France's regional territories; Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guyana in particular.

It is understood that the agreement was signed in Guadeloupe at the end of May by JAAA president, Howard Aris, and his French counterpart, Bernard Amsalem, and will feature several other components such as a bilateral seminar on technique, scheduled for October this year and a four-day Caribbean youth camp, which may also get under way within the next few months.

When asked to confirm the developments, Aris described that agreement as a step in the right direction and highlighted that it will also help the country to realise its push to develop other areas of the sport outside of sprinting.

"The JAAA is very pleased to partner with the French Federation of Athletics in an exchange of technical, administrative and competition arrangements that can only benefit both countries towards the further development of athletics," said Aris.

"They (French authorities) are trying to develop athletics in their islands here because that is where the talent comes from."

Much to be gained

Aris also pointed out that there is also much to be gained by the Jamaicans, as they look to strengthen other areas of the sport after already claiming total domination in the sprint events.

"We must continue to progress in all areas of Caribbean athletics. This agreement with the FFA must equally serve us in improving other disciplines outside of sprint, like competitions and middle-distance, in which we are still a little behind," Aris continued.

Amsalem, through a statement from his association, expressed confidence that the partnership will reap rich dividends, and used Jamaica's success on the global stage as a mark of reference.

"This partnership will add dynamism to the practice of athletics in the Caribbean. Jamaica's success serves as the perfect example in many sectors," said Amsalem.

The agreement follows an earlier meeting which took place in February of this year and both parties are expected to meet again at the end of the year to assess the agreement and discuss other possibilities.

The four-day camp is hoped to serve as an important first step towards preparations of budding regional talent for the 2016 Olympic Games, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Some of the island's top sprint coaches and instructors are expected to share their wealth of knowledge at the seminar, which will also involve top coaches from the European country.