TWENTY-EIGHT students and three officials from Willowridge High School in South Africa arrived in the island on Monday for a 10-day visit, during which they will attend the Boys’ and Girls’ Championships at the National Stadium.

The group was met at the Norman Manley International Airport by Minister of Sport Olivia Grange, representatives from the South African High Commission and the Jamaica/South Africa Friendship Association.

Speaking with journalists at the airport, Grange said the ministry has arranged a number of activities for the group, including visits to schools such as St Jago, St Hugh’s and GC Foster College.

The Willowridge team was slated to attend the Champs Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium yesterday, and was later expected to visit the South African High Commission and attend a cocktail reception hosted in their honour.

On Saturday, the students will be at Champs, where they will witness the handing over of the Queen’s Baton.

Grange said the visit will further strengthen the bond between South Africa and Jamaica.

“Jamaica has to continue to strengthen its bond with the continent of Africa and we do not have enough visits and exchanges, and so this is a part of a deliberate effort to strengthen those ties,” she said.

The minister said during her visit to South Africa last year, the South African minister of sport had expressed an interest in bilateral co-operation with Jamaica in sports.

“I did meet with the minister of culture as well and we have signed that agreement, so what’s left to be signed is the bilateral agreement in sports between myself and the minister of sports on behalf of Jamaica and South Africa. And that will become a reality some time this year,” she added.

The visit was initiated by the school’s head coach, Olympian Geraldine Pillay, and approved by Grange during her visit to South Africa to attend the Fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture, which was staged by the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA) and the National Arts Council of South Africa, in Johannesburg.

Pillay said the idea to arrange the tour came about after attending the 2007 Boys’ and Girls’ Championships and observing the talent displayed by young Jamaican athletes.

“I thought it was a good opportunity for high school students to come and experience not only the vibes around the preparation that goes into it, but on the track and off the track.

“It’s also for them to get an opportunity to experience world-class performances and to meet and see the world’s best athletes,” she said.

According to Pillay, the trip was arranged last year after she was appointed as the athletics director at the school.

Pillay lived in Jamaica in 2007 and trained with Stephen Francis and the MVP Track Club at the University of Technology.