Grange: Time to Accelerate Gymnastics Development

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange, has said it is time to accelerate the development of the sport of gymnastics in Jamaica.
Minister Grange was speaking before she officially opened the Jamaica Gymnastics Association’s International Development meet on Saturday (Nov. 28) at the Ishimoto School of Gymnastics in Kingston.
Gymnastics is being taught in 20 primary schools and there are 200 active gymnasts across the island.
“I want to see increased participation. I want to see gymnastics in more of our schools so that more of our students are exposed to the sport. We are a gifted and talented people, and I believe that we have potential gymnastics champions in Jamaica,” the Minister said.
The Minister commended all those who laid a strong foundation for gymnastics in Jamaica including the Government of Japan, USA Gymnastics, the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), administrators, coaches, parents and athletes. Minister Grange said it was now time “to accelerate the development of gymnastics in Jamaica and take the sport to a new level of popularity and participation.”
To this end, Minister Grange told the opening ceremony, attended by the First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica, Mr. Tadahiko Yamaguchi, that the Japanese had agreed to discuss further areas of co-operation in sports, including gymnastics.