DEFENDING champions Hydel are favourites to maintain their hold on the Bigga/JISA inter-Prep School Track and Field title at the June 3-5 Championships. Last year, Hydel triumphed in both boys and girls categories.

Meanwhile, Wisynco, through its Bigga brand, has promised sponsorship of $850,000, while Domino’s Pizza has chipped in with $400,000.

This fourth edition of the competition will be held at the National Stadium and chairman of the organising committee Wayne Robinson is promising a secure atmosphere for participants, officials and spectators.

“We’re very conscious of the safety of our athletes… we have employed the services of a security company and we have also been working with the police to ensure that the environs at the National Stadium are properly secured,” he said after yesterday’s launch at the Sts Peter & Paul Prep School.

The Corporate Area is still under a limited state of emergency after the Jamaican government was forced to react to an upsurge in violence in sections of Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine last week.

Some 52 schools have been confirmed to take part in this year’s Prep School Champs, including three newcomers in Valley Christian Ministries, Little Angels Child Development Centre and Sacred Heart Academy.

Former Olympic gold medallist Deon Hemmings-McCatty told the Observer that emphasis has to be placed on young talents at the primary level to facilitate their development into world beaters, like sprint sensations Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser.

“Meets like these are important because it promotes the development of youth. Developing them this early will help them through high school to be better athletes and beyond so that we may see some more Bolts and Shelly-Ann Frasers,” said the former star hurdler.

Hemmings is the first Jamaican woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she smashed the 400-metre hurdles record at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Almost 2000 athletes will compete in 34 events, which will be split across classes, ranging from one to three. Class One will comprise children eight years and under; Class Two 10 years and under, while Class Three is for students 12 years and under.

Competition organiser Bruce James says all International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) guidelines will be adhered to, barring the new false start rule, so as to support maximum participation in the events.

“The only IAAF rule that we will not be implementing this year is the false start rule because we feel at this stage that the participation of our athletes is more important that enforcing that specific rule,” James said.

Since January 2010, a zero-tolerance stance has been adopted by the IAAF at high-level meets so that sprinters who false start are immediately disqualified.

Previously, the rules stated that after such a violation was committed, all participants were warned and any subsequent false start by any athlete, or athletes, then led to immediate disqualification.