Irie Jam keeps Jamaicans in the New York area locked to Gibson Relays
THE Jamaican Diaspora in the New York area of the United States was able to keep track of the happenings at yesterday’s Gibson Relays athletics meeting through live reports broadcast via Irie Jam Radio.
Irie Jam’s Executive Vice-President, Louis Grant, a Kingston College and St Jago High School alumnus, told the Sunday Observer that the New Rochelle, New York-based radio station has been facilitating coverage of the relays to the Jamaican and wider Caribbean public in New York City since 2002.
Irie Jam Radio is also the Caribbean media partner of the Adidas Grand Prix, which is held annually in June at Randall’s Island in New York, and where triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt first broke the 100m world record in 2008.
Grant said the event was special this year because of the death of relays founder, Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook, whose memorial is being held today at the Kingston College Chapel on North Street.
“We’re happy to be a part of his vision. It’s, bar none, one of the biggest relay meets in the world,” Grant said.
“It’s a great thing when you’re there. I have the fortune to be able to come, so it is a big deal to be able to hear exactly what is going on at the Gibson Relays or at ‘Champs’,” he concluded.
— Dania Bogle