Officials at the Ministry of Health have given the all clear for the 2009 staging of the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in T&T from July 31 to August 1. This was confirmed by Ephraim Serrette president of the National Amateur Athletics Association in an interview with the Trinidad Guardian yesterday.
Since the cancellation of the inaugural Caribbean Games (July 12 -19), the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships (August 13-24) and the Caribbean Football Union's Youth Cup over influenza H1N1 fears, many had expected the Championships, to suffer the same faith.
However, after several meetings between the ministry and the NAAA it was confirmed that the Games will take place as planned. "The government has given us the assurance that we will have no problems in hosting the Games," said Serrette.
While the Championship is expected to attract over 45 countries, more than the 14 expected for the Caribbean Games there is a major difference in the number of participants expected, this according to Serrette was the difference which allowed for the event to go along as planned.
"The Caribbean Games would have brought about 1500 athletes into T&T. However, the Pan Am Juniors will bring a maximum of 600 that was one of the major factors looked at by the ministry when they were considering our case." He added: "Even though Pan Am Championships is more countries, its less athletes and only one venue will be used, compared to the Caribbean Games, which were scheduled for five venues."
The period over which the event was being held may have also been a factor in the discussion taken. "The Caribbean Games would have ran from July 12 to 19 while Pan Am Junior runs from July 30 to August. One event is seven days while the other is three," said Serrette.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have reported 52,160 cases of the Influenza A H1N1 virus in 99 countries worldwide, with 231 deaths. With over 40,000 cases reported in the western hemisphere. Among the countries set to take part are USA, Chile, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Jamaica.