By Anthony Foster, Trackalerts.com writer
World-renowned track and field coach, Glen Mills says the Racers Grand Prix is one of the “creative ways” identified to get funding for his group.
“Over the years I have put maybe 70 cent of every dollar from my pocket into running the club, trying to develop athletes,” he said.
Noting that business is “very expensive” because according to him “a lot of them (athletes) came with a lot of injuries and we have sent people all over the world for treatment.”
“So, as it gets harder we think of more ways,” he added.
Mills said his star athletes, including “Usain Bolt, Blake, all of them, supported the efforts of us putting on a meet and they would contribute to it by preforming.”
Now, Mills continues that, he is hoping “it goes well and we will be able to fund the development of the club.”
Warren Weir and Zharnel Hughes are other high profiled Racers athletes down to take part at the meet.
Former 100m world record holder, Asafa Powell, world 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams, London, 2012 110mh bronze medallist, Hansle Parchment, LaShawn Merritt, the 2013 world 400m champion and last year's one lap, world champion, Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, are just some of the other 112 athletes that will be competing in 15 events.
Also down to compete, are sprint hurdlers, Americans Queen Harrison, Lolo Jones, Isiah Young, Bryshaun Nellum, Tori Bowie and Jason Richardson along with Trinidad and Tobago’s sprinters, Michelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Shaunae Miller from The Bahamas.
However, while those listed, are not the ones Mills referred to when he said, “I sat down and realized a lot of developing athletes ( find it) hard to get to Europe, most meet promoters don’t want to pay for them to come, and you have to find the money, so if you can develop them here in the region, where we have meets of this quality where they can compete with the best in the world and at the same and earn."
“And as we grow, the Caribbean and more Jamaican athletes is in it so they can benefit greatly … I think it’s a win, win for everybody, it will enhance sports tourism,” added Mills while promising many more big names in the coming weeks.
The events to be contested are 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, Javelin and discus. The women will compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m hurdles, high jump and triple jump.
