Jamaican schools to compete at first NY International Showcase meet

Four Jamaican high schools will send athletes to the inaugural New York International Showcase later this month at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, New York.

Calabar High, Hydel High, Excelsior High, and Muschette High will represent Jamaica at the two-day indoor meet on January 24-25. The event, envisioned as an annual fixture, is the creation of Jamaican Olympian Sanjay Ayre, who also organises the East Coast International Showcase.

Ayre, a track and field standout during his time at DeWitt Clinton High School in New York, won two U.S. high school national titles before securing a silver medal for Jamaica in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The showcase is expected to feature up to 2,500 participants, including athletes from Australia, Canada, Jamaica, and the United States.

“The New York International Showcase is going to be an annual meet held in Staten Island, New York. The concept behind this meet is to highlight marquee matchups among high school athletes from all over the world,” Ayre said.

He emphasized the significance of the meet, noting that it bridges gaps in international competition for high school athletes who otherwise face limited opportunities to compete overseas.

“For a long time here in the United States, athletes have just been competing against each other all year round. It's the same thing with Jamaica, and they don’t get the opportunity to travel overseas and compete against their counterparts unless they are racing for their national team,” Ayre explained. “With my event, we are giving the kids added opportunities to run in a showcase where top universities will be scouting them and providing international opportunities so they can be seen by a broad spectrum of track and field fans.”