Day 3

Day 3 was a momentous day which will live long in the memory of all involved in Team Birmingham.

After checking out from Breezes Trelawny we set off on our way to Spot Valley High School.  Spot Valley is up in the hills and it was interesting to see a modern new estate in the middle of the Jamaican Mountains.

We recieived a wonderful welcome from the principal and the staff and one of the teachers read an inspirational passage which related religion to sport and Athletics .

After devotians we  discovered that Xavier Brown one of Jamaicas leading athletes was going to help coach us.

Another school Green Pond joined us and we started our warm up.

After a thorough warm up we bagan working on our sprints starts. There was lots of Jamaican expertise on offer to improve our technique.

We mixed in well with our new friends and very soon we having little challenge races.

We completed the session with some races against the other schools and we did very well, which gave us confidence for the days to come.

Our coaches also learnt from Coach Henry from Spot Valley.  

After a wonderful session and a shared lunch we took a large group photo and left in the knowledge that we had created a strong link between our schools and theirs.

Spot Valley High School will now have a link with Hamstead Hall School and Hall Green School.

The journey to Kingston

Our journey to Kingston began and what an adventure it was.

We followed the coast road towards Ocho Rios and then took the mountain Road to Kingston. Andrew Clunis the Jamaican Information officer gave us a guide to the local area as we passed through some wonderful countryside. We passed through Columbas Bay where Christopher Columbas thought he had discovered America.

As we drove through the mountains the road became very winding and steep.

It was amazing to see cafe’s and shops in the middle of nowhere and as we climbed the weather became cooler.

We started to decend into Kingston and we passed through St . Catherines which is where Najee Palmer is from and a loud cheer went up from the whole team.

We started to pass along the Rio Cobra river the most dangerous river in the world towards an infamous bridge called Flatbridge

However our path was blocked by a road closure of the only road to Kingston. Andrew Clunis our guide spoke to the police officer and called in help from the government and between them they managed to open the road block and give us a police escort.

The police escort took us past essential road repairs and with loud cheers for the police motorcyclist we moved on our way.

Th weather continued to get worse and before long we were caught up in a monsoon which caused flash flooding all the way into Kingston.

Eventually after a long journey we arrived into Kingston and headed straight for the Minister of Culture & Sports Office.

We arrived to another warm welcome and Television cameras.

After an inspirational talk from the minister and an exchange of gifts we were asked to do some interviews for local television. John, Remy and Bryn were interviewed.

While in the bar later that day we were watching national television and were amazed to see ourselves being introduced to Jamaica.

We finished the day by arriving at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel with an evening meal together and then went to bed very tired and ready for our sleep.

2 Days to go to the Gibsons and tomorrow we will train at the National Stadium in Kingston.