The 29th renewal of the JAAA/PUMA Development meet in Kirkvine, Manchester and the sixth staging of the Douglas Forrest Invitational in the national stadium, take centre stage as the local track and field season continues today.

Chairman of the oragnising committee of the Douglas Forrest meet, Brian Smith, told Sporting World that two new events will be introduced this season, which they were unable to offer at the Stadium East Field before.

“Because we are now inside the National Stadium, we have now included the discus and the pole vault events,” Smith said.

Athletes, who opt to remain in Kingston, will also get the opportunity to compete in the sprint hurdles, 400m hurdles, 3,000m, 5,000m, 200m, 1500m as well as the 4x400m relay.

Smith confirmed that overseas athletes from the Bahamas and Columbia University will be joining athletes from approximately 65 local schools at the meet.

The two special guests for the meet — American Olympian Maurice Greene, who won three world 100m titles as well as Bahamian Olympian Tonique Williams-Darling, who won 400m gold medals at the Olympics and World Champions are also in the island.

In the meantime, the JAAA/PUMA Development meet to be staged at Kirkvine will offer athletes the opportunity to compete in the 100m, 400m, 800m, 3,000m, 5,000m and 4x400m relays.

Chairman of the organising committee ,Patrick Anderson, said that all is set for the meet, which will be honouring five persons including veteran coach Glen Mills for his contribution to sport in central Jamaica. Approximately 2,000 athletes from 50 schools are down to participate at the meet.