The cancellation of the 2026 staging of the Western Relays has sent shock waves through the track and field community in western Jamaica, with coaches describing it as a major setback for the sport, particularly for athletes seeking to qualify for the ISSA Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships set for March.
The organisers announced yesterday that the track at GC Foster is slated to undergo resurfacing, but with no confirmed start date for the project, they had no choice but to cancel this year’s staging. Track resurfacing typically takes three to four weeks to complete.
Rodrick Myles, coach of William Knibb Memorial High, expressed concern about the financial strain on schools and the region, noting the importance of the event for development and participation.
“It is so bad that the Western Relays is out of the region already. It is definitely a blow to the region. For us, it is a knock on the budget. It will most likely affect Western Champs, I think, as well,” Myles said, noting that it was a setback for the region’s development, especially for athletes who rely on participation for growth and exposure.
The meet, which was scheduled for February 14 at GC Foster Sports College in St Catherine, has long been regarded as one of the region’s premier platforms for emerging track and field talent.
“It is one of the meets that actually understands the region and is trying to keep the sport in the region. It is one of the meets that would have waived some entry fees to participate and also seek to assist us with some transportation. We are here wondering about qualifications for Champs,” added Myles.
This would have marked the eighth year the Western Relays was being staged outside of western Jamaica as the Montego Bay Sports Complex track remains in need of repairs.
“We are wondering what is going to happen to the region. I hope it doesn’t go back to the state it was in during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you look at the results of Champs, it is one school (St Elizabeth Technical) in the top 10 for a while. It takes the schools a while to get back,” Myles said, stating that many greats have come from the region.
Meanwhile, Andrew Henry, coach of Mount Alvernia High, said the cancellation would hinder teams’ qualification for the national championships as Western Relays is a crucial qualifier for many schools.
“With Western Relays out of the way, it will be extremely difficult for a team to qualify for the national championships. Camperdown Classic and also Gibson McCook Relays are really the only two relay meets that remain for a number of teams. I am not sure if a lot of us will be able to travel to the Camperdown Classic because we had already set our thing (plans) around Western Relays,” said Henry.
“We are hoping that ISSA, in light of he devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, will be able to do something in terms of helping the western teams to compete for spaces at the national championship,” added Henry.
Formerly known as the Comets Relays, the Western Relays has traditionally been held on the second Saturday in February since its inception in 1978.
