THE Southern Games 2024, which will take place on March 17 from 3 pm at the recently refurbished Skinner Park in San Fernando, will pay tribute to Jimkin Clarke, the former chairman of the organising committee who died last year.

The heats for the athletics segment of the games will be held on March 16 at 9.30 am.

The Southern Games organising committee thanked all those who have supported the event in a media release.

"The San Fernando City Corporation has graciously accepted the challenge to design and mark a customised athletic track in the inner field of the cycle track. His Worship, the Mayor of San Fernando councillor Robert Parris and the National Association of Athletics Administrations, under Mr George Comissiong, have facilitated this venture."

The games are being held at Skinner Park and not at its traditional grounds – Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre. Guaracara Park is no longer suitable for the hosting of sport events due to the closure of Petrotrin.

The games will however continue its signature format of combining athletics and cycling in one single meet. The organisers are awaiting confirmation of the participation of foreign cyclists. One of the last combined athletic and cycling meets held at Skinner Park was in 1997 at the San Fernando Games.

The Southern Games committee is asking for more support.

"The business community is being invited to be part of this venture as we strive to keep alive a truly rich sporting tradition which originated in 1938, especially as we no longer have our large corporate sponsor Petrotrin."

The last Southern Games was staged in 2019 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella (athletics) and at Siparia’s Irwin Park Sporting Complex (cycling), before the covid19 pandemic put a halt to the event.

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