THE 27th staging of the 2013 two-day Jamaica National Building Society Eastern Schools Sports Association Championships begins this morning at the National Stadium, starting at 8:30.

Twenty-two schools from the eastern parishes of Jamaica will be participating over the next two days in 80 events for boys and girls. The boys will compete in classes one, two and three, while the girls will compete in classes one, two, three, and four.

Today's first day will see 20 finals to be completed, while tomorrow's final day sixty are scheduled.

The 1,500 metres for all classes will be finals, with heats in the 100 metres, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m relays, 4x400m, javelin, 110m for boys, 100m hurdles for girls, shot put, high jump, long jump for boys, and girls.

Oberlin are the defending champions, with Buff Bay High from Portland just failing by 2.5 points to clinch the championships last year.

It was the final event, the Class One boys 4x400 metres that decided the eventual winner of the championship.

The other participating schools are, Glengoffe High, St Mary High, Seaforth High, Yallahs High, Morant Bay High, St Thomas Technical, Happy Grove High, St Mary Technical, Titchfield High, Oracabessa High, Robert Lightbourne, Paul Bogle, Fair Prospect, Port Antonio High, Iona High, Islington High, Tacky High and Brimmervale High.

Meet director, Garth Gayle said that once again he is expecting a keenly contested and exciting championships.

This championship is also a qualifying standard event for this year's Boys and Girls Track and Field Championships to be held next month.