( l - r ) Ramone McKenzie - Calabar, Keiron Stewart - Kingston College

( l - r )Janieve Russell - Holmwood Technical, Gayon Evans - Edwin Allen

( l - r ) Dexter Lee - Herbert Morrison, Nickel Ashmeade - St Jago

The cream of the crop, the best local-based junior talent, will be on show today and over the next three days as the premier high school track and field competition - certainly in the Caribbean and perhaps in the world - the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletic Championships, take centre stage at the National Stadium.

With the brilliant exploits of Jamaica's athletes at last year's Beijing Olympics still fresh in the minds of track and field fans, the interest in this year's championships is very high.

As many as 2,702 athletes from 192 teams - 98 boys and 94 girls - are down to compete at the event, which starts at 8:15 a.m. today.

Four finals will be contested - girls' triple jump open, discus Class Three and discus Class One; and the boys' Class One long jump.

Ultimate objective

For some of the high school stars on show, the ultimate objective this season could be the sixth IAAF World Youth Championships, which will take place in Bressanone, Italy, from Wednesday, July 8, to Sunday, July 12.

Others will want to cement their places on the team for the Carifta Games, which will be held over the Easter weekend in St Lucia.

The main prizes, however, are the championships titles for boys and girls, now being held by Calabar High and Holmwood Technical, respectively.

Calabar, who won for the first time as far back as 1930, will be seeking their 22nd lien overall and third in a row, following triumphs in 2007 and last year.

Holmwood, known for producing quality athletes, lifted their first crown in 2003 and are seeking to make it seven in a row.

The defending champions are hot favourites to retain their titles.

Calabar are strong in Class One where 2007 World Youth 200m champion, Ramone McKenzie, is set to dominate rivals in the 200m and 400m. Calabar also look untouchable in the Class One sprint relay where they recently went under 40 seconds to break the Gibson Relays record.

Defending the title

Michael Clarke, coach of Calabar High, said yesterday that they are ready to defend the title.

"Most of our objectives have been met going into the championships," he said.

He added: "We have had injuries just like any other team, niggling injuries, but we have been managing them very well and, as such, I do not think they should be a major threat."

Clarke said Calabar were strong all-round with a bit more emphasis in Class One, and they should do well "right across the board in sprints, middle distances and field events".

The Calabar coach declined to name any one school as his main rival at the meet.

PAST WINNERS

Girls Champions

1957: - St Hilda's High1958-60:-No Competition1961:-Manchester High1962: -St Andrew High1963: -Titchfield High1964: -Titchfield High1965: -Manning's High1966: -Manning's High1967-68: -Vere Technical1969: -Manning's High1970-73: -Excelsior High1974-75: -Vere Technical1976-77: -St Mary High1978: -Queen's High1979-93: -Vere Technical1994-95: -Manchester High1996-99: -St Jago High2000-02: -Vere Technical2003-08:-Holmwood Technical

Boys Champions

1910: -Wolmer's1911-13: -Jamaica College1914: -St George's College1915: -Wolmer's1916: -Jamaica College1917: -Wolmer's School1918-19: -Jamaica College1920: -Munro College1921-23: -Jamaica College1924: -Wolmer's School1925: -St George's College1926: -Munro College1927: -Wolmer's1928: -Jamaica College1929: -Wolmer's1930-33: -Calabar High1934-35: -Munro College1936: -Calabar High1937: -Kingston College1938-39: -Wolmer's School1940: -Jamaica College1941: -Wolmer's1942: -Kingston College1943: -Munro College1944: -No Competition1945: -Munro College1946: -Calabar High1947-48: -Munro College1949: -Wolmer's School1950-51: -Kingston College1952: -Jamaica College1953-54: -Kingston College1955: -Calabar High1956: -Wolmer's1957: -Kingston College1958: -Calabar High1959: -Jamaica College1960: -Excelsior High1961: -Calabar High1962-75: -Kingston College1976-78 -Calabar High1979-80: -Kingston College1981: -Calabar High1982: -Clarendon College1983: -Kingston College1984-85: -Clarendon College1986: -Calabar High1987: -St Jago High1988-90: -Calabar High1991-92: -Jamaica College1993: -St Jago High1994-95: -Jamaica College1996-97: -Calabar High1998-00: -Jamaica College2001-06: -Kingston College2007-08: -Calabar High

Vere Technical's Jura Levy will anchor her team's hope of success.

Champs to sizzle

Schedule of events

Today

8:15 A.M: Heptathlon: Boys 110m hurdles FINALS

8:30 A.M: Boys Discus Throw Class 1 Prelims

8:30 A.M: Boys Long Jump Class 3 Prelims8:30 A.M: Girls High Jump Class 3 Prelims8:30 A.M: Girls 800m Class 3 Prelims9:00 A.M: Boys 800m Class 3 Prelims9:30 A.M: Girls 800m Class 2 Prelims9:30 A.M: Boys Long Jump Class 1 Prelims9:50 AM: Boys 800m Class 2 Prelims

10:35 A.M: Heptathlon: Boys High Jump FINALS

10:35 A.M: Girls 800m Class 1 Prelims10:55 A.M: Boys 800m Class 1 Prelims12:00 P.M: Girls 200m Class 4 Prelims12:35 P.M: Girls Triple Jump Open FINALS12:35 P.M: Girls 200m Class 3 Prelims1:10 P.M: Girls High Jump Class 2 Prelims1:10 P.M: Girls Discus Throw Class 3 FINALS

1:10 P.M: Heptathlon: Boys Shot Put FINALS

1:10 P.M: Boys 200m Class 3 Prelims1:45 P.M: Girls 200m Class 2 Prelims2:15 P.M: Boys 200m Class 2 Prelims3:00 P.M: Girls Long Jump Class 4 Prelims3:20 P.M: Girls 200m Class 1 Prelims3:40 P.M. Boys 200m Class 1 Prelims4:30 P.M: Girls 400m hurdles Open Prelims4:45 P.M: Boys 400m Hurdles Open Prelims4:45 P.M: Boys Long Jump Class 1 FINALS4:45 P.M: Girls Discus Throw Class 1 FINALS5:00 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 4 Prelims5:25 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 3 Prelims5:50 P.M: Boys 4x100m Class 3 Prelims6:20 P.M: Heptathlon: Boys 200m FINALS6:30 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 2 Prelims6:55 P.M: 4x100m Class 2 Prelims7:25 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 1 Prelims7:40 P.M: Boys 4x100m Class 1 Prelims

File photos

Natoya Goule ... one of the stars of the Carifta Games for the past four years.