Published: 16 Aug 2025

THE Jamaica Para­lympic Asso­ci­ation (JPA) is set to host two intens­ive train­ing camps this month, aimed at expand­ing oppor­tun­it­ies for para ath­letes, coaches, and offi­cials while lay­ing the found­a­tion for long-term growth in Para­lympic sport across the island.

The first camp, focused on wheel­chair fen­cing, is sched­uled August 18–21 at the Sir John Gold­ing Rehab­il­it­a­tion Centre and Hope Val­ley Exper­i­mental School.

A second camp, ded­ic­ated to para power­lift­ing, is to be held August 25–27 at the same ven­ues, with an addi­tional day at New Phase Gym.

These camps are part of a series of events under the Grass­roots Project, which will cul­min­ate with the JPA’S Con­fer­ence and Fest­ival in Septem­ber. The ini­ti­at­ive, sup­por­ted by the Devel­op­ment Bank of Latin Amer­ica and the Carib­bean (CAF) and the Amer­icas Para­lympic Com­mit­tee (AMPC), is being delivered in stra­tegic part­ner­ship with the Min­istry of Cul­ture, Gender, Enter­tain­ment and Sport, and World Para Fen­cing.

These camps are part of a series of events under the Grass­roots Project, which will cul­min­ate with the JPA’S Con­fer­ence and Fest­ival in Septem­ber. The ini­ti­at­ive, sup­por­ted by the Devel­op­ment Bank of Latin Amer­ica and the Carib­bean (CAF) and the Amer­icas Para­lympic Com­mit­tee (AMPC), is being delivered in stra­tegic part­ner­ship with the Min­istry of Cul­ture, Gender, Enter­tain­ment and Sport, and World Para Fen­cing.

Bring­ing inter­na­tional expert­ise dir­ectly to Jamaica, the train­ing will provide more than 30 par­ti­cipants with world-class tech­nical instruc­tion while also fos­ter­ing an inclus­ive sport­ing envir­on­ment. This approach reflects the JPA’S broader mis­sion to expand the range of sport­ing oppor­tun­it­ies for per­sons with dis­ab­il­it­ies and to strengthen the national tal­ent pipeline for future regional and global com­pet­i­tions.

Bring­ing inter­na­tional expert­ise dir­ectly to Jamaica, the train­ing will provide more than 30 par­ti­cipants with world-class tech­nical instruc­tion while also fos­ter­ing an inclus­ive sport­ing envir­on­ment. This approach reflects the JPA’S broader mis­sion to expand the range of sport­ing oppor­tun­it­ies for per­sons with dis­ab­il­it­ies and to strengthen the national tal­ent pipeline for future regional and global com­pet­i­tions.

Chris­topher Samuda, pres­id­ent of the Jamaica Para­lympic Asso­ci­ation, under­scored the organ­isa­tion’s com­mit­ment to ath­lete devel­op­ment and leg­acy build­ing.

Chris­topher Samuda, pres­id­ent of the Jamaica Para­lympic Asso­ci­ation, under­scored the organ­isa­tion’s com­mit­ment to ath­lete devel­op­ment and leg­acy build­ing.

“At the JPA we are all about empower­ing our ath­letes, coaches and offi­cial and giv­ing our youth choices as they seek to self-actu­al­ise in the arena of sports,” Samuda explained. “The camps in Para fen­cing and Para power­lift­ing will provide more options and are oppor­tun­it­ies the JPA is provid­ing to ath­letes, coaches and offi­cials — our local internal stake­hold­ers — to learn from experts, build self-know­ledge, cre­ate an insa­ti­able appet­ite for excel­lence, and be inspired to leave a leg­acy.”

“At the JPA we are all about empower­ing our ath­letes, coaches and offi­cial and giv­ing our youth choices as they seek to self-actu­al­ise in the arena of sports,” Samuda explained. “The camps in Para fen­cing and Para power­lift­ing will provide more options and are oppor­tun­it­ies the JPA is provid­ing to ath­letes, coaches and offi­cials — our local internal stake­hold­ers — to learn from experts, build self-know­ledge, cre­ate an insa­ti­able appet­ite for excel­lence, and be inspired to leave a leg­acy.”

That vis­ion for empower­ment is shared by the Amer­icas Para­lympic Com­mit­tee, which views the Grass­roots Project as a trans­form­at­ive step for the entire region.

“Thanks to the vis­ion­ary

sup­port of the Devel­op­ment Bank of Latin Amer­ica and the Carib­bean, and in stra­tegic part­ner­ship with the Jamaica Para­lympic Asso­ci­ation and the Min­istry of Cul­ture, Gender, Enter­tain­ment and Sport, the Grass­roots Project sets out to dis­mantle three long-stand­ing bar­ri­ers: tech­nical capa­city, access­ib­il­ity, and sus­tain­ab­il­ity,” said Michele For­monte, exec­ut­ive dir­ector of the Amer­icas Para­lympic Com­mit­tee.

sup­port of the Devel­op­ment Bank of Latin Amer­ica and the Carib­bean, and in stra­tegic part­ner­ship with the Jamaica Para­lympic Asso­ci­ation and the Min­istry of Cul­ture, Gender, Enter­tain­ment and Sport, the Grass­roots Project sets out to dis­mantle three long-stand­ing bar­ri­ers: tech­nical capa­city, access­ib­il­ity, and sus­tain­ab­il­ity,” said Michele For­monte, exec­ut­ive dir­ector of the Amer­icas Para­lympic Com­mit­tee.

“Par­ti­cipants will learn from World Para Fen­cing and World Para Power­lift­ing experts. Yet, the true value is not the cur­riculum, it is the mis­sion each par­ti­cipant takes home to mul­tiply inclu­sion, to turn an empty court into a field of dreams. Para sport is more than com­pet­i­tion, it is edu­ca­tion, health, equal­ity and dig­nity. Let us keep build­ing a Carib­bean where oppor­tun­ity is defined by effort, never by cir­cum­stance,” For­monte noted.

“Par­ti­cipants will learn from World Para Fen­cing and World Para Power­lift­ing experts. Yet, the true value is not the cur­riculum, it is the mis­sion each par­ti­cipant takes home to mul­tiply inclu­sion, to turn an empty court into a field of dreams. Para sport is more than com­pet­i­tion, it is edu­ca­tion, health, equal­ity and dig­nity. Let us keep build­ing a Carib­bean where oppor­tun­ity is defined by effort, never by cir­cum­stance,” For­monte noted.

The Grass­roots Project is designed not only to pre­pare Jamaica’s next gen­er­a­tion of Para­lympi­ans but to cre­ate a regional blue­print that can be rep­lic­ated in Bar­ba­dos, Trin­idad & Tobago, and bey­ond.

SOURCE: https://www.pressreader.com/similar/281754160405385