DEFENDING champions John Mills will be going for their 16th straight triumph as the INSPORTS-sponsored three-day Junior High School Athletics Championships gets under way this morning at the National Stadium at 10 o’clock.

Twenty-nine schools are scheduled to participate at the meet, with the others being Windward Road, Central Branch, Swallowfield, Calabar, Mico Practising, Shortwood Practising, Louise Bennett-Cloverly, Highgate, Melrose, Rock River, Red Hills, Seaward, Rock Hall, Greenwich, Green Park, Allman Town, Balcombe Drive, Lowe River, Bull Bay, Dallas, Cockburn Gardens, Hayes, Maverly, Melrose, New Day, Norman Gardens, Osbourne Store, Rest and Stony Hill.

Returning to the meet are Bull Bay, Cockburn Gardens and Stony Hill, while the schools coming from out of the Corporate Area are Green Park, Rest, Rock River, Hayes and Osbourne Store from the Parish of Clarendon, Highgate from Parish of St Mary and Lowe River from the Parish of Trelawny.

Last year, John Mills swept the meet with an overall score of 537.50 points, followed by Windward Road 320, Central Branch 179, Swallowfield 143.50, Calabar 128 and Mico Practising with 100 points.

John Mills won the boys and girls sections with 254.50 and 283 points, respectively.

Five finals will be completed today — the Class 1 girls high jump, Class 3 boys long jump, Class 2 girls high jump, Class 3 girls long jump and shot put Open for girls.

Coach of John Mills, Ransford Spaulding, said he has a rounded team despite losing some outstanding athletes.

“We have a similar standard as last year and are going to make it 16 in-a-row,” he said.

“Should John Mills come out victorious on the final day, they should surpass Vere Technical’s record of joint 15 straight wins and become the record-breaker for any school championships in Jamaica and the Caribbean,” he said.

Spaulding also expects keen competition from perennial rivals Windward Road

According to Spaulding, outstanding performances should come from Brandon Sewell in the Class 1 boys 100 metres and 200m; Class 2 sprinter Jovan Ashley; Ronique Gray in the Class 1 girls; Racquel Ricketts in the Class 1 sprints; Brittney Matthews in Class 2; Ayeshia Champagnie, Renae Medley and Cameka Whitter in the Class 2 girls events, as well as Shaquelle McKoy, Akeem Hemming and Okeal Rodney.

According to Windward Road’s coach Owen Henry, “Based on what I have seen, Windward Road is not as strong as in previous years, but should give a very good account of themselves. We had problems in getting the GSAT students to come out to training.”

However, he expects good performances from Class 1 athletes Sharlanjo Nelson, Javaughn Francis and Maurice Harrison.

Among the Class 1 girls, Mystry Chisholm and Lisa Blackburn should also feature prominently.

Other schools who should help set the stage for a riveting meet are Central Branch, Swallowfield, Calabar, Mico Practising, Louise Bennett-Cloverly and Shortwood Practising.