Marlene Hylton-Williams, who is with the Jamaican International Gymnastics Foundation, has created a GoFundMe page designed to support the country’s senior national team, which is scheduled to compete at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, in hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The Foundation is looking to raise $10,000 in donations for the team, noting their resources are limited. The team, which is headed by Toni-Ann Williams, 2016 Olympian, has successfully competed in the past, with Toni-Ann becoming the first Jamaican gymnast to compete at the Olympics. Her success has acted as an inspiration for her senior teammates and also the members of the junior team.

The team has had many successes in recent competitions. Team member Danusia Francis competed at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, several weeks ago and finished in seventh place in the all-around and qualified for the balance beam final as well. She is the first Jamaican to qualify on an apparatus beam for the final. Yet even with these successes, the team is short of funding required to continue its competitive efforts at major international events. Parents and other family members are doing what they can to support the team, but more funding is needed. That is the reason for the GoFundMe page.

The Jamaica International Gymnastics Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit was established to raise funds needed to finance the pursuit of the team’s athletic goals. Jamaica’s current senior national team includes Toni-Ann Williams, Danusia Francis, Kiara Richmon, Reiss Beckford, Caleb Faulk and Michael Reid.

For more information or to support the Jamaica senior national gymnastics team, go to www.GoFundMe.com.