The GraceKennedy (GK) Group has announced that it has signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with the Elite Performance Track Club, making its 876 Spring Water brand the official hydration partner of the Jamaican track club. 

Commenting on the new partnership, Group CEO Don Wehby explained, “Elite is one of the top performing track clubs locally, training some of Jamaica’s most talented athletes, including our very own GK Ambassador, world-renowned Olympic gold medallist and World Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce.”

“We are pleased to be partnering with Elite in this way. Sports impact our nation so positively, and GK is always proud to support the development and help hone the talents of world-class Jamaican athletes. Our sportsmen and women have done us so proud, setting the international track and field stage alight with their performances, and serving as positive role models for so many in Jamaica and around the world. This is just one way that our GK team can say thanks to our Jamaican athletes with a real Jamaican brand – 876 Spring Water!” he added.

The 876 Spring Water brand was acquired by GK in 2021 and has been distributed by World Brands Services (WBS), a GK subsidiary, since it entered the market in 2017. 

In addition to providing 876 Spring Water and nutritional support for Elite’s athletes from GK Foods, under the agreement, GK will also make incentive payments to Elite for outstanding performances by its athletes.  GK will also provide the club and its members access to their marketing, finance, and investment teams, to guide and consult on brand and business development matters.

Shaun McCallum, chairman of Elite expressed his excitement about the new relationship, “We are honoured to be in partnership with the GraceKennedy Group: a well-established company that has consistently been involved in track and field and its evolution for many years. We look forward to a successful and mutually beneficial partnership that will undoubtedly continue to improve upon the success of Jamaica’s track and field programme. Built by Elite, powered by Grace!”

Elite Performance Track Club was launched in 2016 and is the training home of several top-tier Jamaican athletes, including Fraser-Pryce, hurdler Rasheed Broadbell and sprinter Conroy Jones.

The club is led by Coach Reynaldo Walcott and is based at the Jamaica College campus in Kingston.