Training camp starts; 27 athletes already in Moscow
MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Jamaican pre-World Championships training camp officially opened yesterday in Moscow, Russia, with just under 30 of the 44 athletes named on the team going through their paces under the watchful eyes of their coaches.
Team Press Liaison Officer Dennis Gordon told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that “27 athletes have arrived thus far and the entire contingent is expected to be here by Sunday”.
Along with the local-based athletes including Olympic sprint hurdler Hansle Parchment, who left the island with members of the coaching staff on Wednesday, the Observer understands that all three female sprint hurdlers Danielle Williams, Andrea Bliss and Shermaine Williams, Patricia Hall, as well as male intermediate hurdlers Leford Green and Isa Phillips were also present.
The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) had named a 45-member team, but with the late withdrawal of 400m runner Akheem Gauntlett, only 44 will report to camp. The late withdrawal of the US-based Gauntlett has also prevented the JAAA from replacing him, as his withdrawal came after the July 29 deadline for entries to be submitted.
Meanwhile, Gordon said that things at the camp have been going smoothly so far with the staggered arrival dates of the athletes to the camp, which the JAAA said was not mandatory.
“There are no issues thus far with compliance based on the dates agreed on for their respective arrival dates,” Gordon said, before he added that the athletes who were in camp were all in good spirits “and getting ready for competition”.
The camp ends on August 8, two days before the start of the competition.