Establishment of the High Performance Training Centre (HPTC) Kingston, Jamaica

Some years ago, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), in an effort to raise the standard of athletes throughout the membership, decided to establish training centres worldwide. Each centre so established would have a specific training function. A centre would train athletes in one of the following disciplines:

1. Sprints and Hurdles

2. Throws

3. Distances

4. Jumps

The Centre in Kingston, using the campus of the University of Technology (UTECH) concentrates on sprints and hurdles.

(b) Aim of the Centre

Some four years ago, IAAF President, Mr. Lamine Diack, said that by the year 2009, every member country of the IAAF family should have at least one “B” standard athlete. It would be the responsibility of the Centres to assist in this programme of development.

(c) Type of Athletes

The Centre caters to several types of athletes. Athletes can come for short, medium or long-term programme, depending on a particular goal. Preference will more often than not be given to those athletes from countries that presently have programmes pointing their athletes towards the President’s stated goal.

(d) Information on the Centre

The Centre in Kingston is located on the campus of the University of Technology (UTECH), 237 Old Hope Road, Kingston. The Head Coach is Mr. Fitz Coleman and assisting Coach Coleman on a part time basis is Coach Glen Mills.

Telephone contact: 1-876-970-3672

(e) Athletes at the Centre

Presently there are athletes at the Centre from Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Jamaica. Athletes from the Cayman Islands and Haiti have attended for short term periods.

Athletes now preparing at the Centre include World Junior Champion Usain Bolt, and 400 metres Bronze medallist at the 2002 World Juniors, Jermaine Gonzalez.

(f) Tenure of Centre

There is no time frame for the tenure of the Centre in Kingston, but it is fair to say that as long as the Centre is functioning to the expectations of the IAAF, it will be here to support the development of athletics as the President has outlined.