JAAA locks in Tottori Camp for Beijing 2027 campaign

The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is already looking ahead to the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, having secured an early agreement with Tottori, Japan, to host Jamaica’s pre-championship training camp.

Following the signing ceremony yesterday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, JAAA President Garth Gayle said finalising the arrangement a year before the championships will give Jamaica’s athletes, coaches and managers ample time to prepare for the event.

The early agreement is also expected to allow the association to secure accommodation, travel arrangements and other logistical requirements well in advance of the championships.

“Well, the earlier the better because we are able to book enough tickets,” Gayle said.

“We can also have the coaches be aware of the plans for leading into Beijing 2027.”

The agreement builds on an existing relationship between the JAAA and the Tottori prefecture. Jamaica’s pre-championship camp was based in Tottori last year ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Gayle said the renewed agreement is intended to strengthen the relationship with Tottori, while securing a valuable long-term partner for the programme.

“We are especially pleased that during this visit, we will sign, again, another agreement for the 2027 training camp in Tottori, leading into the Beijing World Championships in China,” Gayle said.

“Our relationship with Tottori has not been merely about the facilities of the training camp. It’s mainly about people. Every time we visit Japan, we feel as if we have returned to our hometown.”

He also explained that hosting the pre-championship camp in Tottori will help Jamaican athletes acclimatise ahead of the championships because of the similarities in climate between Japan and China.

“The camp provides that athletes also are able to acclimatise. There’s not much difference between Japan and Beijing, China. So this is again an opportunity for coaches and athletes and managers to be able to get ready for a successful staging,” Gayle said.

Gayle noted that Tottori’s support has expanded since Jamaica first established ties with the Japanese prefecture, citing improvements in facilities, technical assistance, meals and other arrangements available to the Jamaican delegation.

MORE THAN TRAINING

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange said the agreement represents more than securing a venue for Jamaica’s pre-championship preparations, describing the relationship between the two countries as one built on mutual respect, shared values and a commitment to excellence.

“What began in 2007 in the wake of the World Athletics Championships in Osaka has evolved into more than a training arrangement,” Grange said.

“It has become a lasting friendship between Jamaica and Tottori, one that has spanned nearly two decades.”

Grange pointed to the success of Jamaica’s 2025 training camp in Tottori, where world-class facilities and support services allowed athletes and staff to focus fully on their preparations.

She said the relationship has also created opportunities for cultural and community exchanges, including interactions between Jamaican athletes and students at Hakuto Special Needs School, as well as kindergarten children in Tottori.

“It is in the moments beyond sport that this partnership is most meaningful. It is reflected in the bond of friendship, community and shared humanity,” Grange said.

“Today’s signing is more than a procedural step. It is a clear statement of intent, a renewed commitment to partnership, friendship and mutual progress.”

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com