Young Athletes Urged To Give Of Their Best

State Minister in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Alando Terrelonge, is encouraging young athletes competing in the 38^th Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Primary School Athletics Championships to give of their best.

“We want to encourage you to play fair, believe in yourselves and be the best that you can be. There is a champion inside every single one of you…  . You are representing yourselves, your families, your schools and in time, the best of the best will go on to represent Jamaica,” he told them.

He was bringing greetings on behalf of portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, at the opening ceremony for the Championships held on May 11 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Mr. Terrelonge told the students that they will have to work hard if they want to become future track and field stars.

“If you want to be the next Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell or Elaine Thompson, this is where it starts — at these Primary Championships,” he said.

Director of the Safety and Security in Schools Programme, Assistant Superintendent Coleridge Minto, who represented Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, commended INSPORTS for organising the event.

“This competition, no doubt, will produce champions at this level, and several of you will emerge as national and world-class champions. Sporting events such as these… create athletes with discipline, dedication and determination, traits that they will need as they progress through their schooling and their careers,” he noted.

For his part, INSPORTS Director, Allan Beckford, said next year’s staging of the Championships will be bigger and better, as the Institute plans to recruit more schools and expand the featured events.

The 2018 staging of the INSPORTS Primary School Athletics Championships, from May 9 to 12, has attracted 2,700 male and female athletes from 90 schools.

Naggo Head Primary from Portmore is the defending champion.