MORE THAN 3 700 athletes from 83 schools will be competing this week when the 2011 Pine Hill National Primary Schools’ Athletic Championships (NAPSAC) get underway on Monday at the National Stadium.
A total of 3 712 athletes from 73 public and ten private primary schools will compete in various disciplines ranging from the 50 metres dash to the 800 metres run as well as the tennis ball throw, cricket ball throw, long jump, high jump and standing broad jump.
The opening ceremony will start 9:45 a.m. on Monday, and the first race is scheduled to run off at 10 a.m. when the Obadele Thompson Zone 1 gets the annual track and field fiesta underway.
Just over 700 athletes are registered to take part in that zone which will see defending champions Good Shepherd taking on all challengers in an attempts to win back both the boys’ and girls’ titles.
They will be followed on Tuesday by the Patsy Callender Zone 5 which leads all with 789 athletes and both defending overall champions, Bayleys’ girls’ and St Stephen’s. The zone champions are Charles F. Broome and West Terrace.
On Wednesday, the Andrea Blackett Zone 2, with 687 registered athletes will be on show. Selah will be going after their third straight boys’ title, while St Alban’s will be seeking their fourth in five years among the girls.
St Matthew’s boys will also be chasing their fourth title in five years on Thursday at the Anton Norris Zone 3 meet, while Hillaby Turner’s Hall will be looking for a hattrick among the girls. Some 767 athletes are registered in that zone, one more than the James Wedderburn Zone 4 which will bring the preliminary meets to a close on Friday.
Unlike the other zones where the titles have been spread or even Zone 1 which has been dominated by Good Shepherd, schools tend to do things in pairs in Zone 4. Hilda Skeene did the double from 2006 to 2008, then Grantley Prescod followed suit in 2009. Last year, it was Arthur Smith Primary which stunned the favourites, winning both sections.
It is expected to be a loud, lively atmosphere as musical instruments are allowed.
Last year, there was a hiccough with the Photo Finish on the first day which caused a late finish. Chairman Vaman Harbin told NATIONNews.com Ryan Toppin and crew were scheduled to do their tests on Sunday evening at the National Stadium.
His one concern was that some schools which attended Agrofest last Friday hadn’t collected their packages, and he hoped that wouldn’t slow down the start.
