MORE fire-works are expected today as the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys and Girls Athletic Championships, the centennial edition of the boys’ section, gets underway at the National Stadium with action in the field, starting at 8:15 am.

Despite only three finals set for completion today, two on the girls’ side and one on the boys’, the action promises to be intense from the start as the quest for points commences.

Additionally, there will be competition in several other events, including the boys’ Heptathlon, which will see four of the seven events — 110m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m — the preliminaries of the boys Class 1 discus; 200m all classes; 800m all classes; both 400m hurdles and 4x100m in all classes.

Kingston College (KC) on the boys’ side and Holmwood Technical on the girls’ are the defending champions, but are expected to be severely tested by former champions Calabar and Edwin Allen, who are seeking their first title, respectively.

Edwin Allen, who were second last year, well behind Holmwood, won the Central Championships and are widely expected to win here as well.

However, while they have lost a number of points-earners over the past two years, Holmwood are still to be respected as the coaching staff, headed by Maurice Wilson, will be fighting for every point.

The boys’ section is expected to be a straight fight between defending champions KC and the team they dethroned by 1.5 points last year, Calabar.

Today’s highlights could come in the field events where two new National Junior Records could be set in the discus for Class 1 boys and girls.

IAAF World Youth Championships bronze medallist and National Youth and Junior record holder Traves Smikle has battled Calabar teammate and close friend Chad Wright all season and they meet in the preliminaries at 8:30 am.

Wright, who improved his NJR to 59.52m, set the Champs record of 51.43m last year and that mark could go today.

St Hugh’s Candecea Bernard, who broke the girls NJR, will be seeking to avenge last year’s loss against Edwin Allen’s Vanessa Levy.

Levy has since transferred to Vere Technical, but is still Bernard’s top rival and together they could produce a stirring battle as they did last year.

This year, however, the stakes are much high as Bernard has pushed the mark to 48.52m and expectations are that the Champs record of 45.13m could go. Levy won with 43.51m last year.

The girls’ triple jump Open final will also be contested, and St Elizabeth Technical’s Rochelle Farquharson should retain her title as she is the only girl to have achieved over 13.00m this season.

It will be a busy first two days for Farquharson and Bernard as they return tomorrow for the Class 2 long jump and shot put, respectively.

The only boys’ final on the day will be the Class 1 long jump where Wolmer’s Kamal Fuller should win with teammate Ramone Bailey and Munro College’s Dexter McKenzie — who has a season-best 7.34m while retaining his title at the Milo Western Relays in mid February — expected to be the main challengers.

Meanwhile, ‘Champs 100’ was officially launched last night with a glitzy high-energy ceremony as the build-up to the four-day meet culminated.

Under the theme, ‘Peace and togetherness’, the day started with a 100-mile torch relay starting in Manchester and ending at the Stadium with athletes from several eras, including Jamaica’s first IAAF World Championships gold medalist Bertland Cameron, Vilma Charlton, World and Olympic 100m champions Shelly-Ann Fraser and two prep school runners to signify the future.