Panthers Elite International Track & Field Club members and Athletes posing with Digicel Sponsorship and Public Relations Manager, Troy Byrne, following the media launch.

Members of the Panthers Elite International Track & Field Club along with a representative from Digicel, today appeared on Antigua & Barbuda’s morning television program, Good Morning Antigua Barbuda, to officially announce their partnership just in time for the national track and field championships.

The Panthers Club has a wealth of experienced and qualified trainers who have not only represented Antigua & Barbuda in Olympic Games in the eighties and nineties but who have also made it their duty to instil discipline within the athletes to ensure they get the opportunities and take advantage of them.

Head coach and founding member of Panthers Sports Club, Evans ‘Jawakie’ Jones, wants only the best for his fifteen athletes in the program, age range from 9yrs – 24yrs, which requires the athletes not only to train hard but also utilize proper diet and vitamins as part of their training program.

Coach Jones commended Digicel for seeing his vision and working with the club saying, “The key to the success of our program is that we take pride in working and training our athletes not only on the field but we also encourage them to their best in their academics. With additional support from Digicel, the athletes are in a better position to be able to utilize proper diet and vitamins while training now that they are able to afford the essentials that’s needed for them to be a force to be reckoned with on the regional and international circuit.”

The club also boasts four Athletes who represented Antigua & Barbuda, making it to the finals in their respective disciplines, at the 2015 CARIFTA games in St Kitts. These Athletes are Shindell Henry, Kelvin Simon, Bliss Soleyn and Coull Graham. In addition to representing Antigua & Barbuda at the recently concluded 2015 CARIFTA games, Bliss Soleyn and Coull Graham also made a showing at the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing China, being ranked 4th and 12th in the world respectively; and capped it all by earlier this month by being awarded Antigua & Barbuda Youth Sports Woman and Man of The Year 2014.

While on the program, Digicel Sponsorship and Public Relations manager, Troy Byrne, said Digicel was truly honoured to be considered to be given the opportunity to partner with Panthers Club on this initiative. He continued, “Our support of this initiative also speaks to our unwavering commitment to the development of sports from the ground up. We are even more delighted that we are able to touch so many lives by giving these athletes hope to live out their dreams and represent for their club and country especially in the up-coming national track & field championships next weekend. We wish them the best of luck.”

The national track and field championships are scheduled for June 27th and 28th at the Yasco Sports complex and the Panthers Club athletes have promised to “Sting Dem”.