Cornwall Champs bid hampered by vax hesitancy

Western Bureau:

EVEN THOUGH strict mandates for the COVID-19 vaccination take-up have been removed, it is a case of damage already done for Cornwall College as many athletes from the Montego Bay, St James, school had refused to take the jab and pulled out of training.

Up to a fortnight ago, ISSA, high school sports' governing body, acting in accordance with the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA), announced it would lift a ban on its stipulation surrounding athletes who were not fully vaccinated, clearing their way for participation.

However, Cornwall College's coach Shawn Rhooms, while welcoming a full return of schools and greater competitiveness this year, said the previous guidelines had already presented a drawback for their participation in the annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championship.

"We never stopped competing," Rhooms said, pointing to their build-up, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. "But we're more competitive than last year and it also still has some drawbacks as well, because a number of our youngsters won't be able to participate because they never took the vaccine, so we are still at a disadvantage in that area, but happy that we can compete at a full scale level this year."

Asked to elaborate on the impact vaccine mandates had on his team, he explained: "A big impact because most of our Class Three youngsters didn't come out this year for training.

"I was begging some of them to take the vaccine and they still refused," he noted, relating to the week prior to an announcement by the Government to lift DRMA measures, which was followed days later by ISSA shedding its rules for fully vaccinated athletes only.

"And it's not the youngsters, it's the parents who are the ones who disagree, saying that they don't get enough information on the vaccines so they are not allowing them," Rhooms added of his school, which is chasing its first Boys' Champs title.

There was no Champs in 2020 due to the pandemic and at last year's scaled down version, the Montego Bay-based institution finished 11th with 18.5 points.

PREPARATION

The Cornwall College coach said they started preparation at the time they usually do and the programme built slowly to attract a large number of athletes. However, he said the numbers started to dwindle with an earlier announcement that requirements for full vaccine take-up was prerequisite.

"We were able to get the programme off very early in August, with about 24 athletes, and then in November our numbers grew to about 36, and come January it went up to about 60. And then when the information came about COVID, then it started dwindling, right down to 30-odd," Rhooms pointed out.

"Last year we had Kaheem Reid in the hurdles final, he's not here because of the vaccination. We've Keifa Grant, he made the final last year, he's not here, he's gone to play football. We also have a few others who didn't turn up, same way, who were there last year."

Despite the setbacks, Rhooms said they have a very enthusiastic group of athletes and he reckons they will make their presence felt.

"The ones who we have are very enthused," he said. "We've a nice little team overall. The work will just get better and better each day."

The area in which they are looking to score most points is field events, with Class One thrower (discus and shot put) Tiojosh Mowatt, triple jumper Kishawn Rhooms, who cleared 13.29 metres at Carifta Trials, Class Two high jumper Amiuki Beckford, and Lansford Cunningham, who cleared 7.01m in the high jump at the season's first meet at JC, among their main charges.

The coach expects much from his namesake, Kishawn.

"He jumped 13.29 metres at the Carifta Trials. So I'm looking to see him jump at least 14m coming Champs because that (Carifta Trials) was his second attempt at the triple jump. He just started the triple jump in February. He's adapting certain things from his brother, so I know he's coming out hard," he observed.

Kishawn's elder brother, Kobe Jordan Rhooms, excelled in all three jumps (triple, long, high) at Cornwall and is now at Morgan State University.

Along with the jumpers and throwers, Rhooms expects several of their athletes to stake good claims on the track.

"We're looking to Richardo Thompson (co-captain) in the 400 metres hurdles, Matthew Webster doing well in the 400 metres, along with Mario Birch, a finalist at Champs last year in the Class Three 400m," he said.

Webster clocked 51.81 to win his heat at the JAAA/Puma Development meet in January, finishing 12th overall on the day.

"Webster just ran 52, he has a slight injury and we're looking for a good show from the medley team and the Class Two 4x1," Rhooms noted, adding that Champs finalist Zachary Cox is also being nursed to contribute for Cornwall this year.