Michael McIntosh, head coach of the Jamaican team to the Pan-American Under-20 Championships in Costa Rica, said all the targets set for last weekend’s camp were met and the early departure to the Central American country would help the team to achieve their targets.

Most members of the team, including all the locally based athletes, attended the three-day camp put on by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association at which roles were assigned to the coaches and the athletes went through their paces as they continued to prepare for the three-day championships set for Friday through Sunday.

The 40-member team and the officials left the island Tuesday for San Jose, and McIntosh said they were expecting an improved performance from two years ago when Jamaica won a single gold medal, five silver, and a bronze in Puerto Rico.

“All targets were met, every single one,” McIntosh told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday. “At the camp we went through the normal relay practices and worked on team spirit and camaraderie.

“We had our meetings and reinforced some targets that we established during camp, and the mission is to do extremely well in Costa Rica,” the head coach said.

He reported there were no major injuries, “just some niggles that are expected at this time of the season; the physiotherapists and massage therapists were at camp and worked with those who needed attention”.

Getting into San Jose on Tuesday, he said, would be beneficial as the youngsters would get additional training sessions at the stadium as well as more rest after a long trip with some members travelling via Panama and others through Miami.

“It will help getting in a little early as we will get time to settle and get extra practice at the stadium,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh said, while he was satisfied with the strength of the team and the balance between the male and female members, he would not make any predictions about medals, but said the athletes had been working hard and had set their own targets, “Some of the athletes, especially those in their final year as juniors, have set their own targets.”

—Paul Reid