Olympics mania! »

According to first vice-president of the JOA, Don Anderson, the tickets have been sold out despite the fact that Jamaica got three times the number initially requested and twice that allotted for the Beijing Games in 2008.

"In January, we were flooded with requests for tickets and by March, we had covered the allocation we got," said Anderson, who was addressing a public forum held yesterday at The Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew to officially launch The Gleaner's Daegu to London Olympic coverage.

Anderson, who said the JOA initially received almost 2,000 tickets, said the demand was a clear indication of Jamaica's prowess in track and field on the world stage.

He also noted the association was trying to source more tickets, but would not know until October if it would be successful.

Anderson said The Gleaner's project was "going to be extremely important" because the 2012 Olympic Games promises to be "the biggest ever" for the country.

The Gleaner Company, through its multidimensional platforms - print, online and radio - has embarked on a 14-month special coverage of track and field, inclusive of 13 major local and international meets.

The Daegu to London project got under way last month with the coverage of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures Limited National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston, and also featured extensive coverage of the IAAF World Youth Championships from Lille, France, and the Junior Pan Am Championships in Mirimar, Florida, both in July.

This IAAF World Championships in Athletics, scheduled for Daegu, South Korea, this month, is the biggest event on the track and field calendar this year, and The Gleaner will be represented in the Asian city in full force.

Among the meets to be specially covered are the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with 2012 bringing the Gibson Relays, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships, the Penn Relays, the JN Jamaica Invitational, the IAAF World Junior Championships, and the Olympic Games in London wrapping up the programme.

During the launch, Gleaner Managing Director Christopher Barnes said the company recognised the importance of sports, particularly track and field, as a unifying force in the society.

"The exploits of our athletes serve to elevate the national psyche and highlights the winning attitude that defines all Jamaicans," Barnes said.

President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, Howard Aris, endorsed the initiative, saying it would further elevate the profile of Jamaican athletes and other stakeholders.

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com  

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