Milo pumps $4.5m into Western Relays
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Nestlé, through its brand Milo, will continue its relationship with the Milo Western Relays for the 19th year after announcing a $4.5-million sponsorship at the launch of the 35th staging of the event at the Gloucestershire Hotel in Montego Bay yesterday.
It was noted that $2.1 million of the total sponsorship package will go directly to the running of the meet, while the majority of the rest will go into marketing for the meet scheduled for next week Saturday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
Patron of the meet will be Munro College’s head coach Neil Harrison, and athletes Delano Williams, the Munro College Boys’ Champ 2012 sprint double champion, and MVP’s Janeive Russell will be the honorees.
Karen Willis-Mussington, consumer marketing manager, Milo, reiterated her company’s commitment to Jamaica and its youth. “This year the overall sponsorship package is over $4.5 million and it cements our wholehearted commitment to the development of Jamaica and the country’s assets, and the development of Jamaica’s youth, and Milo is dedicated to nourishing future champions.”
Olympian Ray Harvey, meet director, said the meet will offer cash prizes for some teams. “Once again, this meet will offer substantial cash prizes for successful teams totalling $360,000. There are six races that will attract cash prizes — Class One boys’ and girls’ 4×100, 4×400, 4×800-metre relays. In the clubs and institutions, the highlight will be on the MVP Track Club that will be out in full force.
Double Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Nesta Carter, London Olympics relay gold medallist, and former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell are expected to participate in the meet, which is scheduled to start noon and end at 9:00 pm.
Motivational speaker, Olympian and national junior record holder in the 800m, Neville Myton, challenged the athletes to study and do well academically, as “athletics is a means to an end”.
Milo will be running a number of workshops leading up the meet for athletes and coaches.