NECESSITY, they say, is the mother of invention, and the annual Queen’s/Grace Jackson Track and Field meet will this year, through necessity, become the first local development meet to start at one venue — the Stadium East — and conclude at another — the National Stadium –in the same day.

The meet, set for Saturday, was launched yesterday at The Queen’s School, but had been in danger of not being held this year.

The poor track condition at the Stadium East forced meets usually held there inside the National Stadium this season.

However, meet organisers found themselves in a quandary three weeks ago when they were informed that a convention of the religious group, Jehovah’s Witnesses, as scheduled for the National Stadium on the same day.

“It has been a challenging 2010,” chairman of the Organising Committee, Olive McNaughton, said at yesterday’s launch.

Noting that the meet, now in its ninth year, was the first of its kind to be held at the Stadium East, McNaughton said a few adjustments would be made to the schedule to facilitate the conflict.

The meet will start at 9 am at the Stadium East with three track events — Class 1, 2 and 3 Boys 1500m, Class 1 and 2 Girls 1500m, Class 3 Boys and Class 3 and 4 Girls 200m, Class 3 Boys and Girls 400m — as well as the long jump for Under 17 Boys and Girls and Open Male and Female events.

The action will move to the National Stadium at 3:45 pm following the lunch break with the 400m for Class One and Two Boys and Girls and Male and Female Open events, 800m 200m for Classes One and Two Male and Female, 4x400m Relay Open as well as the high jump, and triple jump Open.

There will also be an Invitational 100m Male and Female at the special request of Olympic Gold medallist Nesta Carter.

Beijing Olympics 100m silver medallist Sherone Simpson is expected to make her return at the meet after a year out due to injury.

World Championships gold medallists Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Asafa Powell and Melaine Walker, as well as 400m silver medallist Shericka Williams, will also open the 2010 season at the meet.

McNaughton pointed out that use of lane one at the Stadium East would be limited due to its badly-worn surface.

There will also be several incentives geared towards athletes. Most Outstanding Performance awards for both male and female will be presented by the Asafa Powell Foundation; two tickets to the Penn Relays will be given to the top Class One and Two 200m, and a track scholarship in the name of late principal, Yvonne Keane-Dawes, will be presented to Queen’s student Danielle Williams.

McNaughton also thanked the Jehovah’s Witnesses whom she said had done its best to aid the organisers by condensing their programme to accommodate the meet.

She added that a part of the proceeds from the meet would go towards the Haiti Earthquake Fund and beseeched patrons to bring non-perishable items which could also go towards the relief effort.