One local track and field coach is calling on the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association to have a greater focus on management as he believes they will continue to run the risk of losing athletes.
Evans ‘Jawakie’ Jones, spoke publicly on the matter and is of the opinion that a number of things need to be out in order by the ABAA, the main one being proper management.
In recent times, a number of athletes have switched allegiances and began representing other countries rather than Antigua and Barbuda following some public mishaps, or lack of communication.
Miguel Francis, the promising 200m runner who now represent the United Kingdom is one such athlete and now presently, Jess St. John, the country’s lone female shot putter has threathened to do the same due to a lack of communication and other managerial faults.
This Jones says needs to be rectified before more athletes decide to walk away.
“We have to do better in terms of mamangement. look at what happened with Miguel and now just last week we hear Jess is basically threatening to do the samething something needs to be done, somethings needs to change,” the former athelete said.
Jones also spoke on the issue of club development with in the country and also the delayed work at the country’s lone track and field facility, YASCO.
He admitted that the delay has been a mental hinderance for athletes. He however commended the coaches for continuing to push forward by keeping athletes training.
Despite that notion, Jones who is aslo the Assistant Director of Sports says the athletes need to compete.
“The biggest impact is the loss of competition.For some of these athletes they have never gotten the opportunity to represent their school at YASCO for Interschool Championships. You have guys like Ajani Daley who is a bright, young star and he has never competed for school. Others only ran once or twice like Barack Matthew and even my daughter Sonia Jones so we can see that loss there but I am still optimistic that the track will be ready by 2021,” Jones added.
Regarding elections which are constitutionally due this year, Jones does not agree with recent comments made by the President of the ABAA Everton ‘Mano’ Cornelous who had incated that due to the covid pandemic that elections could not be held tile next year. Jones is adamant that if the constitution calls for this year which was originally the Olympic year despite the one year delay that elections should be called and carried out.
