With cricket poised to make a landmark return at the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the LA 2028 Olympic Games, its first Olympic appearance in over a century, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) is laying the groundwork for regional competition.
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In a historic move, the JOA has partnered with the organizers of the Bolivarian Games to send male and female Jamaican teams to compete in an exhibition tournament at the South American multi-sport event later this month and into early December.
Partnerships forged through Olympic ties
JOA President Christopher Samuda hailed the initiative as a ground-breaking opportunity for Jamaican cricketers.
“The JOA has a solid relationship with the Peruvian National Olympic Committee, and this led to us being approached. Thereafter, bilateral discussions were held, which led to this ground-breaking partnership in sport from which our cricketers will benefit,” Samuda said.
The Bolivarian Games (Spanish: Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos) honor the legacy of Simón Bolívar, drawing athletes from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia.
“Sport is inextricably bound to the history of humanity, and these games, in celebrating the liberating legacy of Simón Bolívar, give our cricketers an opportunity to be an integral part in preserving history at the wicket while visioning their future in Lima and LA beyond the pavilion,” Samuda added.
Cricket as a stepping stone for major international events
As Jamaica gears up for qualification at the Pan Am and Olympic Games, JOA Secretary General and CEO Ryan Foster outlined the strategic importance of the Bolivarian Games as preparatory “test matches.”
“The JOA has pulled out of the station and is on a fast track in giving opportunities to our cricketers, and the Bolivarian Games are test matches which the JOA has facilitated as part of the preparation for the real deal in LA,” Foster said.
Building a sustainable talent pipeline
The initiative also aligns with the JOA’s broader mission of inclusivity and talent development under its “Sport for All, and All for Sport” policy.
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“Deepening and diversifying Jamaica’s talent pool in sport is the only way to build a sustainable reservoir that won’t run dry, and the JOA is all about irrigating talent,” Samuda emphasized.
Jamaican delegation ready for departure
The JOA delegation is scheduled to depart Jamaica for Lima shortly, joining teams from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Anguilla. The exhibition tournament offers Jamaican cricketers an invaluable opportunity to gain competitive experience ahead of their historic return to the Pan Am and Olympic stage.
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