MONTEGO BAY, St James – Jamaica is expected to reap historic rewards from the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) and Pan American Games set to be held later this year, says Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President Christopher Samuda.
While claiming “historic” performances at several games since his administration took office, Samuda said Jamaica’s sports teams will continue to expand and come to fruition as they get ready for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
The JOA president was addressing the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce recently as he thanked them for their role in ensuring the recent historic visit of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
Bach made a three-day visit to the island which was highlighted by a sports extravaganza at Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall which, Samuda told the meeting, was “an expression of the JOA’s goodwill. We want to thank all of you who were involved in that very successful event”.
Olympian Juliet Campbell talks to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach during a sports expo at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James earlier this month.(Photo: Garfield Robinson)
He said, “The feedback that I have gotten from, not only President Bach but also President Neven Ilic [Pan American Sports Organisation] is that it was very well received, that they did not really expect what they experienced here, and the integration and unity that were demonstrated certainly was something that they were very pleased with.”
Samuda said so far his administration has seen success “in terms of most medal hauls, most sports represented, and largest contingents” at international sporting events — and they were looking for even more.
“For the CAC Games in El Salvador in July we are going to be making history again; we have several teams that have already qualified and we have individual performers who we know will excel,” he said. “The Pan Am Games to be held in Santiago in October will be historic and that will give us a good reading for Paris 2024 — which we hope, again, to be historic.”
