Eastern Champs starts today at National Stadium

THE first of four regional championships leading up to next month's GraceKennedy ISSA Boys and Girls' Champs, the Eastern Secondary Schools Sports Association's Eastern Athletics Championships will get under way today at the National Stadium, starting at 9 a.m., and will run over two days.

A qualifying meet for the Boys and Girls' Championships, the meet will see 21 teams in action, with St Mary High and Titchfield entering as defending girls' and boys' champions, respectively, following impressive wins last year.

Sixteen field event finals are scheduled to be contested today, while there will be six 1500 metres finals on the track, with the girls' Class Three event set to be the first, starting at 9 a.m.

The discus for Class Two boys and Class One girls will be the first set of field events, with both scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

Today will also see preliminary round action on the track in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m, along with the 4x100m, 4x400m and sprint medley Open relays for both males and females.

Two other regional meets will be held this week, as the two-day Corporate Area Championships will get under way at the Ashenheim Stadium, Jamaica College, on Friday, while the Western Athletics Championships will be held at G.C. Foster College of Sport and Physical Education on Saturday.

The Central Athletics Championships will close out the regional meets next Tuesday and Wednesday at G.C. Foster College.

- R.G.