FIFTY-ONE schools have entered the three-day 13th staging of the 2013 INSPORTS Basic Schools Athletics Championships scheduled to be held from June 12-14 at the National Stadium, beginning at 9:00 am each day.

Of the record 51 schools expected to participate, there are 20 new schools among the entries. Last year 40 schools participated in the championship with Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)/RJR the defending champions.

The new schools are Chisholm Basic, Christ Temple Basic, Early Achievers Learning, Excel Pre-paratory, Guava Ridge, Holy Family, Kidz Palace, Kinder Village Learning Centre, Luara’s Basic, Suthermere Pre-paratory, Emmanuel Christian, New Life Prep, Leiba Gardens Basic, Mamby Park Basic, Nadz Kidz World ECI, Nannyville Early Childhood, Neil’s Learning Centre, New Dawn Learning, One Way Early Childhood Centre, Porter Centre for Knowledge, Roosevelt Avenue Early Childhood Centre, Smurfs Early Childhood Centre and Villa Park Early Childhood.

Other participating schools are St Francis, Elim Early Childhood, Covenant Christian Academy, Alpha Infant, Kid’s Choice, Ascot, Torrington, New Haven SDA, Amy Bailey, Ananda Marga Kindergarden, Bethany, Drew’s Avenue, Harvest Temple, Galilee, Excelsior Pre-paratory, Herrick, Hydel Group of Schools, Jahmona, John Mills Infant, Kid’s Choice, Knollis, Lalyce Gray, Lannaman’s, Obistan Kinder, Real Success, Red Hills Basic, Silverstone and SOS Hermann Gmeiner.

The championships will feature 26 finals with semi-finals to be run on Thursday with all finals scheduled for Friday. The preliminary rounds will begin today.

Rudolph Barnes, who is the assistant National Sports Co-ordinator of INSPORTS, said this year’s championships should be exciting with the new entrants

Meanhwhile, Ricky Martin, sales and marketing executive of sponsor Hi-Lyte Sport Drink, said he is very pleased to see the turnout of the coaches at the press launch of the Basic Schools Championships.

“The Basic School Championships have always been exciting over the years. With this overwhelming record entry, the championship is not only a good one, but a competitive one,” said Martin.

Ian Andrews, administrative manager of INSPORTS, told the coaches attending the launch not to force or pressure the children to win.