Jamaican sprinter eyeing top administrator role

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC-Reliable Jamaican sprinter, Michael Frater, is hoping to be elected as a vice-president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) when elections are held November 29.

Frater, a 2005 IAAF World Championships 100m silver medallist, has been officially introduced as the candidate for the JAAA third vice-president position on the slate of incumbent president Dr Warren Blake.

The male captain of Jamaica’s historic London Olympics team a few months ago, said he wants to give the athletes a voice on the JAAA executive.

“I think this is where we (active athletes) actually have a voice”Frater said in an interview with the Gleaner.

“When you look at the JAAA over the years, it has always been former athletes who are finished with the sport for years or officials who have been there for a while, so this is a first and I am very happy for the opportunity to try and represent directly for the athletes that we have competing right now,”

Over 300 JAAA members are expected to vote in a confidential ballot to be conducted by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).

Frater, a key member of the country’s dominating 4x100m team since 2008, says he intends to advocate for welfare, pension plan and medical insurance for athletes.