St Andrew aim for three-peat

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

More than 1,260 athletes from across the 14 parishes will descend on the National Stadium today to vie for the 28th renewal of the two-day Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA)/Sagicor National Primary, All-Age and Junior High School Athletics Championships.

Eight finals will be contested on today's opening day, which is slated to begin at 11 a.m., while tomorrow's action will commence at 10 a.m. The two days of competition will feature a total of 52 events, 26 each for boys and girls.

The athletes will be participating in a wide range of track and field events, including 80m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 500m, 800m, long jump, high jump, discus and shot put. A champion boy and girl will be crowned at the end of the meet, with both set to receive academic scholarships.

St Ann are expected to field the most athletes - a total of 100. All other parishes will field 90 athletes, with the exception of Trelawny, which will have 91. Each parish team is made up of athletes from the top-performing schools.

Two-time defending champions St Andrew, who have won 16 titles, to make them the most successful parish, are expected to receive strong competition from last year's runners-up, Portland, as well as Kingston, Clarendon and St Elizabeth.

Last year, St Andrew amassed 328 points, 58 clear of Portland, and sports coordinator for the former, Stephon Brown, anticipates another good showing from his charges.

"If we gel as how we normally do, then I don't think we should have a problem," Brown pointed out. "If the unity in the camp is all right and the students come together and train properly and execute then we shouldn't have a problem."

Odane Watt and Brittany Matthews are expected to lead St Andrew's quest. Watt, who attends John Mills, was the Class Two boys champion at the All-Age and Junior High Schools Athletics Championships last month.