Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

LUCOZADE SPORT'S injection of $200,000 has accommodated Jamaica's hosting of the prestigious Caribbean Junior Squash Championships which are set to get under way this month.

With the competition set for the Liguanea Club from July 26 to August 2, Lucozade announced its sponsorship yesterday at the competition's launch at the New Kingston club.

The championships were initially set for the Bahamas, but that country pulled out and Jamaica stepped up.

Wisynco, through its Coca-Cola brand, has also got on board with a contribution of $100,000, while the National Commercial Bank, KeyCard and Pan Caribbean Financial Services have invested $50,000 each to the competition.

The tournament has attracted a number of other smaller sponsorships as well with the West Indies Alliance Insurance Company, Jamaica National Building Society and COK Co-operative Credit Union giving $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

The championships will feature eight countries and more than 120 players competing for the title of the Caribbean's junior players.

The competitors are The Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Guyana, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Jamaica.

NECESSARY EXPOSURE

Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) president, Major John Nelson, indicated that the competition was a necessary one, not just for the Caribbean, but for Jamaica's young players who need the kind of exposure that only international competition can bring.

With that in mind, the JSA president thanked the sponsors for their help, given the short time frame they were afforded.

The Jamaicans will be led by 17-year-old Chris Binnie, the Caribbean's reigning Under-17 champion, who will now be competing in the Under-19 category. In this new age group, Binnie is expected to face stiff competition from Kristian Jeffrey of Guyana, Josh Pinard of Trinidad and Tobago and Andrew Stout of Bermuda.

On the girls' side, Jamaican Kristine Bell, currently ranked number two in the Under-17 age group, is looking to improve her ranking and she will most likely have to fend off top Caribbean athlete Barbados' Cheri-Ann Parris.

The Jamaican team is completed by (girls) Laurian LueYen (captain), Jessica Perkins, Brooke Burrowes, Lauren Mahfood, Loya Lambie, Tracy Binnie, (boys) Ashante Smith, Josh Mahfood, Jordan Schwier, Dilup Mahipalamudali, Bruce Burrowes, Dane Schwier.