A new event, the Class Four boys’ 600 metres, will be introduced at this year’s 20th staging of the Wesley Powell Benjamins Track and Field Meet at Excelsior High School on December 9, starting at 8:30 am.
The meet, mostly over-distance events, was launched on Wednesday at Excelsior’s Auditorium.
Keynote speaker, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) and principal of St Elizabeth Technical High School, Keith Wellington, addressed student-athletes eligibility and the governing body’s enforced mechanisms to guarantee fairness and fair play.
Wellington shared that ISSA relies on the integrity of member schools and that entries in the competitions must be reviewed and signed off on by principals, which he stated are a part of their duties.
Director of the meet, David Riley, thanked PA Benjamins for coming on board as a new sponsor. He also outlined the concept for introducing the Class Four boys’ 600 metres.
“Over the years, coaches from the various primary schools have requested us to invite their athletes to contest the event, and now we have heeded their calls. These athletes would run the 800 metres at their championships, but once they come into the high school programme, they have to resort to sprinting events, and it is only fair for them to continue doing the event when they enter high school for continuity,” Riley said.
According to Riley, the meet, happening in early December, will guide coaches about their respective programmes.
“It is not about chasing times for champs at this early stage as we are moving away from qualifying standards. The meet is less about qualifying for champs. It is more about coaches evaluating the preparation of the athletes and being able to assess their performances and make changes,” Riley said.
It was announced that Excelsior’s Penn Relays pioneers will be honoured at the meet this year. Excelsior were Jamaica’s second high school to participate at Penn Relays in Philadelphia in 1965. In 1967, they won the boys’ 4×100 metres relay and were second in the 4×400 metres relay. Ten members will be recognised.
A total of 71 events will be contested at the meet. On the track, there will be 150 metres, 300 metres, 600 metres, 1,000 metres, 3,000 metres, 5,000 metres, 4×300 metres relays and 4×300 metres mixed relays for primary schools.
Field events will be long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin throw.
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