The Chief Executive Officer, Marlene Hylton-Williams of the Jamaica International Gymnastics Foundation has set up a GoFundMe page to support the Jamaica senior national team who will be competing at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany and is aiming to qualify gymnasts to the 2020 Olympic Games in Toyko, Japan.
The Jamaica International Gymnastics Foundation is asking for $10,000 in donations, saying that their resources are limited. The team, lead by 2016 Olympian Toni-Ann Williams, has been competing successfully for the past several years. Toni-Ann is the first Jamaican gymnasts to compete in the Olympics and her success has not only inspired her fellow senior teammates but the junior team members as well.
A few weeks ago at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Danusia Francis finished seventh in the all-around and qualified for the balance beam final, the first Jamaican gymnast to qualify for an apparatus beam final.
Even with their recent success, additional funding for competitions are necessary to help pay for the team to compete at major international events (airfare, accommodations, meals, fees, etc. for each of them and their coaches). Parents and family members have been doing their best to save as much money as possible, but costs are still high and they cannot fund events alone.
For this reason, the Jamaica International Gymnastics Foundation, a 501(c)3 was formed to raise funds so they can continue to pursue their athletic goals. They are in the process of building a website.
Jamaica current senior national team members:
- Toni-Ann Williams – First Jamaican gymnast to compete at Olympic Games; three time World Championship competitor; 2019 Pan-American Games competitor; top Regional NCAA Division 1 gymnast, University of Berkeley, Berkeley, California graduate; numerous awards and accolades.
- Danusia Francis – Two time World Championship competitor; 2019 Pan American Games All Around and Beam Finalist; high level Regional NCAA Division 1 gymnast, University of California Los Angeles, California graduate.
- Kiara Richmon – World Championship competitor; 2019 Pan American Games competitor.
- Reiss Beckford – First Jamaican gymnast to compete at Commonwealth Games; three time World Championship competitor; 2019 Pan American Games All Around Finalist.
- Caleb Faulk – Three time World Championships competitor; 2019 Pan American Games competitor; NCAA Division 1 gymnast; graduate with Distinction, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
- Michael Reid – Three time All American; two time NCAA pommel horse Champion; top NCAA Division 1 competitor; graduate of the University of Oklahoma.
For more information or to support the Jamaica senior national gymnastics team, go to www.GoFundMe.com
