media_artricles :: 2016

Smith woos T&T

... wants strong presence at Atlanta Georgia Relays

IAAF World Championship medallist Maurice Smith was in Trinidad and Tobago recently to promote the 2017 Atlanta Georgia Relays (AGR). On the whirlwind two-day visit, the Jamaican decathlete met with the National Association of Athletics Administrations, the Tobago House of Assembly and school and club officials.

Smith, who earned silver at the 2007 Worlds in Osaka, Japan, is the spokesman for Atlanta Georgia Relays. Accompanying him on the T&T visit was AGR co-founder Taneisha Murray. At a press conference held at the Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain, Smith said the welfare of young athletes is high up on AGR's agenda.

"The meet is an international platform for the youth athletes. The main focus is supporting the youths and youth development in track and field.

"I got a scholarship in 1999 to a junior college in Arizona," Smith continued. "I was national junior college champion in the decathlon, and from there, I got a scholarship to Auburn University. I made my first Olympic team while there. College coaches will be at Atlanta Georgia Relays, looking for new talent to give scholarships to. We are providing a platform to pay for the college education of young athletes."

Triple Olympic silver medallist Richard "Torpedo" Thompson and his Trinidad and Tobago teammate Khalifa St Fort were among the athletes on show at the 2016 edition of the Atlanta meet.

"St Fort represented your country at the press conference," said Murray, "and she did exceptionally well with the media."

Murray also spoke about the success of this year's AGR.

"We started the brand in 2015. The 1996 Olympics was the last big track and field in Atlanta, so we decided to bring an international meet to the city. Keith Murray, Sheldon Smith, Maurice Smith and I became partners. And in 2016, the brand grew. Seven Caribbean countries, and sponsorship from Sportsmax, Grace, Agape. We had 169 track clubs and 69 unattached athletes.

"We're here to present the brand to you to get more support from the Trinidad and Tobago community," Murray continued. "We want you to come out and compete in Atlanta. This will be a very successful brand. We had Marc Burns endorsing us, Bahamian Chris Brown came out. These top elite athletes and the kind of sponsors supporting the brand proved to us we're doing something right."

The 2017 AGR will be staged on May 27 and 28 at the Langston Hughes Stadium.

"We're here to encourage coaches and athletes to come and support the meet," said Smith. "We want a strong Caribbean presence. The region is on a high in track and field. Not just Usain Bolt in Jamaica, but athletes from the Caribbean on the whole are doing really well. The greater the Caribbean presence, more teams from the United States will be attracted to come as well."

Smith said that while he is not comparing the Atlanta Georgia Relays to the popular Penn Relays, there are advantages to competing at his meet, including warmer weather.

"Penn has a lot of history. But at the same time, we want Caribbean schools and teams to be a big part of Atlanta Georgia Relays as we grow. We have major sponsors on board, and one of them, Golden Krust, will provide lunch and dinner for all the international athletes. We want to make sure we take care of the Caribbean athletes, first and foremost."

Smith explained that the AGR represents an opportunity for younger athletes to showcase themselves on a big stage.

"We're trying to give back to the sport and provide a channel for Caribbean athletes to come and display their talent. And not just seniors. We start at eight and under. Younger athletes that don't get international exposure can come to the meet and display their talent in front of college coaches. And even if they're not ready to be recruited, the college coaches can follow their careers.

"There will also be open events for professional athletes. There will be traditional and non-traditional relays as well, so you could possibly run in a shuttle hurdle relay. And Olympians will be there, signing autographs."

Murray said arrangements have been made to facilitate T&T clubs and schools at AGR 2017.

"We are already in contract with a lot of hotels, so the price will be feasible if you book under Atlanta Georgia Relays. And we are getting the Caribbean associations to support track clubs and athletes who are coming.

"A big thank you to Miss Joyce Thomas," Murray continued, "who is president of the Trinidad and Tobago Association. Last year, Genesis Athletic Club experienced the hospitality of the association. When it comes to support in the stadium from the Trinidad and Tobago community, you'll feel like you're at home in the Atlanta arena."

Following his brief visit to T&T, Smith travelled to Grenada and St Lucia for more AGR promotional meetings.

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