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'We're on track to have a great meet'

Published:Thursday | May 12, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Ian Andrews (right), administrative director of INSPORTS, accepts a sponsorship cheque for $4 million from Carl Domville (left), chief operating officer of Seprod Limited, as Olivia Grange (second right), minister of sports, youth and culture, and Marcia Kitson-Walters, sales/marketing manager of Seprod, look on during the press launch of the 31st staging of the INSPORTS/Swizzzle Primary Schools Athletics Championships at The Wyndham hotel in New Kingston yesterday. A record 65 schools and more than 3,000 athletes are down to compete at the meet which begins next Wednesday, May 18, and ends Saturday, May 21, at the National Stadium. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer

Three-time champions St Benedict's Primary will be missing from this year's Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Swizzzle All-Island Primary Schools Athletics Championships.

This year's meet, which will run from May 18-21, will not be short of competitors, however, as more than 3,000 athletes from 65 schools are down to compete.

St Benedict's Primary, who won three consecutive titles between 2006 and 2008 before they were dethroned by two-time defending champions Naggo Head Primary, are said to be experiencing internal administrative problems resulting in them being absent from the 31st staging of the championships.

The competition is slated to commence at 10 a.m. on the opening day and 9 a.m. on the remaining three days. Meet director Glen Mills assures that everything is in place for a good staging.

"We (the organising committee) have meetings on a weekly basis and we are well on track to have a great meet," said Mills at the media launch, held at The Wyndham hotel yesterday.

no new event

This year's championship will not feature any new event and Mills attributes this to the large number of participants.

"Due to the fact that we have so many competitors, for us to have additional events we would have to add an additional day and at this stage we are not able to do that," Mills said.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange, who was also present at the launch, is of the view that the Primary Champs is of utmost importance.

"This meet is very important, because it is the foundation; it is the base on which we launch the career of our athletes," Grange said. "It is an opportunity to spot the talent, to train the talent and to hone discipline and focus," she added.

Seprod, through their product Swizzzle, are back on board for the sixth consecutive year as the main corporate sponsors. In addition to providing breakfast for all the competitors, a cheque valued at $4m was presented to INSPORTS at the launch.

"Seprod is extremely happy to be associated with the INSPORTS Swizzzle All-Island Primary School Athletics Championships," Seprod's Chief Operating Officer Carl Domville shared.

"Seprod has a policy of always trying to work with the youth, as we believe that the future is with the youth," he added.

For the first year, associate sponsors are on board to fund individual events. Musson Jamaica Limited will be sponsoring the Class Three girls' 100m, Class Two boys' 100m and the girls' Open high jump. Facey will be responsible for the Class One boys' 400m, Class Three boys' 4x100m and the girls' Open high jump, while Kendal will be backing the Class Two boys' 4x100m.

- Ryon Jones