Elaine Thompson-Herah Headlining Grenada Invitational Canceled, Throwing Track and Field World in Chaos

The Grenada Invitational, which started in 2017, is known for presenting world-class athletes such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Kirani James. It successfully ran for three consecutive years. But there is some bad news. This year’s Grenada Invitational, where five-time Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah‘s presence was anticipated, has been canceled. And fans are not happy.

The 2024 event was officially introduced on May 16 at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in St. George’s. It is said that more than 100 athletes were going to participate and so the international section would have been a blast for fans to watch. Yet, on May 27, the officials again faced each other for a meeting and made the decision to cancel it. As reported by Track Alerts, this decision was taken because of socio-economic challenges.

Officials found it difficult to get the event back in the groove after COVID-19. Additionally, necessary sponsorship and support for the event was lacking. “Despite the best efforts of the Board of Directors and the Local Organising Team of the Grenada Invitational, the synergy, the enthusiasm, the energy, and the commitment to produce a once-in-a-generation event did not materialize,” the organizers stated.

“We are extremely pleased that we were able to bring to Grenada quality, world-class athletic competition. We would like to commend and extend a hearty thank you to all who contributed, in one way or the other, to the 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions of the Grenada Invitational.”

Visibly, fans were disappointed. One such fan expressed a teary-face emoji on the X, with the caption, “No Grenada Invitational.” The dissolution of the meeting means the audience will miss watching Elaine Thompson-Herah. Apart from her, several other world-class athletes will also miss the chance to compete.

Kirani James, the 400m legend, was set to compete in front of his home crowd. But he, too, will have to bow out. Along with Kirani, Grenadian Paris hopefuls like Lindon Victor and Anderson Peters have to find another contest. This begs the question – what are the future prospects for the event when the Caribbean athletic sphere already faces a shortage of international competitions?

Fans feel uncertain about the future of Caribbean track and field

For the last several years, the lack of funding has affected the track and field contests. Athletes like Noah Lyles, Michael Johnson, and Tara Davis-Woodhall have pointed out the factors that have dismantled the situation. Michael Johnson had gone one step further by announcing a new track and field league with a whooping investment of $USD 30M.

But could such high-moral steps benefit the rusty situation of track and field sports in Caribbean land? The fans have doubts. A fan remarked, “So the Grenada Invitational is done in perpetuity. It’s kinda sad as it was one of few international meets from the Caribbean.”

Adding to this, another X user expressed, “This is the second year in a row that the Grenada Invitational has been canceled.” Surely, such a lackluster ending disappointed people. Haron Forteau, a Grenadian photographer and track and field follower, elevated this point gently. “I wonder if I’ll be able to attend this meet since there isn’t any more Grenada Invitational.”

Further another person commented, “They said they’re cancelling the Grenada Invitational forever, that’s ridiculous…”

While visionary endeavors like Michael Johnson’s ambitious new league offer rays of promise on the horizon, bidding farewell to a beloved regional spectacle has fans lamenting the absence of a hallowed tradition. As the echoes of the Invitational’s song fade into memory, the region’s impassioned community yearns for new opportunities to revel in the talent and fervor that has long defined the Caribbean’s athletic soul.