Samuda: ‘Welcome to history’ JOA prepares for hectic July schedule with Commonwealth, CAC Games running simultaneously

he Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) is gearing up for one of their busiest months ever as the organisation will field two contingents of athletes at the Commonwealth Games and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games simultaneously.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, and run from July 23 through to August 2.

At the same time in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the 2026 CAC Games will run from July 24 to August 8.

JOA president Christopher Samuda said the association is up to the mammoth task and believes both Games will be a historic landmark for the country.

He explained this will be the largest contingent of athletes ever fielded by Jamaica, and marks the 100th year since the first-ever CAC Games, which was founded in 1926.

“As of this year, the CAC Centenary Games will mark the largest Jamaican contingent in the history of Jamaica; the largest contingent in regional and international Games,” Samuda said.

Jamaica’s will send a delegation of 259 persons to the CAC Games, consisting of 184 athletes across 26 sporting events.

Jamaica will compete in athletics, badminton, basketball, track and road cycling, boxing, fencing, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, hockey, wrestling, netball, rugby, squash, taekwondo, table tennis, shooting, sailing, swimming, diving, chess, golf, volleyball, and e-sport.

The delegation will be led by Raymond Grant, vice-president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

10 SPORTING DISCIPLINES

At the Commonwealth Games, the island will be represented by a delegation of 109 persons, which includes 76 athletes across 10 sporting disciplines.

Jamaica will compete in athletics and para-athletics, basketball, boxing, judo, lawn bowls, netball, weightlifting, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, and swimming.

The delegation will be led by Rohan Wilson, president of the Jamaica Rifle Association.

Despite the massive task, Samuda said the association has been preparing for over a year and has set protocols in place to manage the workload.

He also said the JOA is confident in Grant and Wilson’s ability to lead the delegations throughout the competitions.

“Our management team has been in place for some months now, if not over a year. They have taken on the task of managing logistically and managing financially as well, because we have ceded some of the responsibilities of the Games to our managers,” Samuda explained.

“I have absolutely no doubt that based on their own experience in their particular sports that they’ll be able to execute the Games,” he continued.

“We have established from the inception of this administration a policy that governs all Games, and part of the policy deals with logistics, so there are protocols in place.

“As I said, you’re dealing with persons who have already managed, albeit a smaller delegation, in the past with their particular sports.”

$150M INVESTMENT

JOA’s general secretary, Ryan Foster, said with the record number of athletes and officials travelling, the association has invested over $150 million to compete in both Games.

He said that while a massive figure, it is a symbol of the JOA’s commitment to the development of Jamaica’s athletes and their ambitions on the world’s stage.

“For the first time, the Jamaican Olympic Association and its federations are going to be stretched by having two Games happening simultaneously,” Foster said.

“As you can very well imagine, having these two Games running simultaneously requires significant financial funding by the Jamaica Olympic Association. We are looking at an investment of over $150 million to get our athletes, coaches, managers and just our general athletic federations to participate in these two significant Games,” Foster continued.

“As we have demonstrated in the past, the JOA is committed to providing full support to our athletes and member federations as they pursue their goals in these fierce sporting events.”

In order to deliver the required funds, the JOA partnered with several corporate sponsors, including Marathon Insurance Brokers, Red Stripe, PUMA, Mayberry Investments and Supreme Ventures, among others.

Marathon’s Joseth Brown, manager of business development, marketing and public relations, said they are proud to continue their long-term partnership with the JOA in support of Jamaican athletes.