Persons trying to get tickets for the four-day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the ticket office facing the National Stadium yesterday. Less than an hour after tickets went on sale yesterday, THE STAR was informed that they had been sold out. The championships begin tomorrow and end on Sunday. - Ricardo Makyn

Less than an hour after tickets to the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships went on sale yesterday, STAR Sports was informed that the tickets had been sold out.

The championships, which is scheduled to take place at the National Stadium this Thursday to Sunday is said to be the biggest in Jamaica's history.

Long lines, no order and tardiness on the part of workers were what many persons claimed to have experienced when they turned up to purchase tickets.

Stewart Tomlinson* a very disgruntled ticket hopeful told STAR Sports that he visited the Stadium ticket office yesterday and after hours of waiting he was unable to get a ticket.

"I am very upset, tickets for the Trials went on sale today (yesterday), I got someone to go there at 5:30 a.m., because I knew tickets are in-demand. I personally went there about 8:30 a.m., they started selling tickets very late, after 9 a.m., I was the third person in line and when I went to the window and asked for three season tickets the girl said there were no season tickets available."

STAR Sports has been informed that several scalpers were observed to be selling the tickets outside the ticket office for double the price.

Analeah Simmsanother ticket hopeful said: "Something is obviously wrong, there are a lot of scalpers trying to resell tickets for more money."

back-door deals

It is believed that these 'scalpers' were able to acquire tickets through back-door deals.

When contacted, Ludlow Watts, chairman of the organising committee for the championships, told STAR Sports that the committee had done all they could to ensure a smooth process.

The complaints, he said, stem from the high demand for tickets to see what has been labelled by some as the most important National Trials in years.

"You have a grandstand area that can hold 4,600 to 4,700 persons and all the people want grandstand and finish line tickets," he said.

Watts admitted that tickets were sold to corporations, but this, he said, did not affect the general availability of tickets.

"You will have corporate people making purchases. Large companies would be buying 1,000 tickets, but we don't have a system or there is no suggestion that the majority of the tickets are going to them," he said.

Watts also said that the committee could not stop scalpers from buying tickets and selling them for inflated prices.

Meanwhile, STAR Sports also learnt that persons who visited various other ticket locations experienced the same issues.

Not real names. Names changed on request.

Ludlow Watts - file

Thursday's events

9:30 a.m: 400m hurdles women heats

9:45 a.m: 400m hurdles men heats

10:00 a.m: 100m men heats

5:30 p.m: Javelin men final

6:05 p.m: 400m women heats

6:20 p.m: 400m men heats

6:50 p.m: 100m women heats

7:15 p.m: 100m men quarter-finals