The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has announced plans to invest $250 million in athlete preparation and development for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
Ryan Foster, the JOA’s CEO and secretary general, revealed the unprecedented investment at the Olympic Salute awards ceremony held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston. The event also honoured Jamaica’s medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympics with cash donations, including a ‘Spirit Award’ presented to one athlete.
The funding will be distributed across four key categories: Olympic and JOA Scholarships, Equipment Grants, Coaching Scholarships, and Olympic Travel Grants.
Olympic and JOA Scholarships, valued at $80 million over the four-year cycle, will support 12 athletes aiming to qualify for Los Angeles. The funds will cover training, attendance at qualifying events, transportation, nutritional support, and technical upgrades to ensure access to cutting-edge technology.
An Equipment Grant of $50 million will assist athletes in acquiring essential gear for training and competition, while another $50 million will be allocated to Coaching Scholarships, aimed at developing national and elite coaches to prepare athletes for the Games.
“These scholarships are for national and elite coaches who are needed for the continued development and preparation of our athletes for the Olympic Games,”
and preparation of our athletes for the Olympic Games,” Foster noted.
The Olympic Travel Grant, totalling $70 million, will fund athletes’ participation in qualifying competitions throughout the quadrennial period.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Jamaica won six medals, including one gold, three silver, and two bronze, finishing 44th in the overall standings. Roje Stone secured gold in the men’s discus, while Shanieka Ricketts, Wayne Pinnock, and Kishane Thompson earned silver in the women’s triple jump, men’s long jump, and men’s 100m, respectively. Rasheed Broadbell and Rajindra Campbell claimed bronze in the men’s sprint hurdles and men’s shot put, respectively.
The JOA awarded $3 million to the country’s gold medalist, $1.5 million each to silver medalists, and $1 million for a bronze medal finish.
Nineteen-year-old triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert was presented with the inaugural JOA Olympic Spirit Award. Competing with an injury, Hibbert, the youngest jumper in the finals, narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth with a leap of 17.61m, just short of the 17.64m mark set by bronze medallist Andy Diaz of Italy.
Foster stated that the association will continue to reward Jamaican athletes for Olympic excellence.
“At the end of this Olympic cycle culminating in LA 2028 we will salute again and of course it is hoped that this investment of $250 million will reap even greater dividends for our athletes,” he said. “In anticipation of this the JOA will set aside $50 million for the next ‘Salute’ as we know that we will be coming back with more medals. Total investment is $300 million.”
Foster encouraged athletes to continue making the JOA and the Jamaican people proud.
