DEFENDING champions Buff Bay High School will try to maintain their hold on the Eastern Secondary Schools’ Sports Association (ESSSA)/Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Track and Field Championships, scheduled for the National Stadium next Monday and Tuesday at 9:00 am.

The two-day meet, which is being sponsored by JNBS for the 29th consecutive year, was launched at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, yesterday.

Approximately 1,300 athletes from 20 high schools are set to participate in approximately 80 events at this year’s staging of the ESSSA/ JNBS Champs, which organisers say will offer a fuller package for patrons.

The event, which is one of the major meets on the high school track and field calendar, is a qualifier for the annual Boys’ and Girls’ Track and Field Championships, slated for March 25-29.

The event will see 20 schools from the parishes of St Thomas, Portland, St Mary; rural St Andrew and east rural St Catherine participating.

Among the schools taking part are the Portland-based Buff Bay High; 16-time champions Oberlin High; 2009 champions St Mary High and the promising pair of Glengoffe and Yallahs High.

Meanwhile, JNBS will broaden its School Savers’ Promotion to secondary schools participating in this year’s Eastern Champs, having always been tailored to primary schools.

“These championships have also afforded us at JNBS, each year, for 29 years, a chance to improve the financial literacy of students participating in these games, a skill we consider important for our people to acquire if we are to get our economy back on the right track,” Leon Mitchell, assistant general manager for JNBS, said.

He added: “We live in a society where our people are not saving, although they know they should, and through events like these we can introduce our children to these good habits, so that they can be better prepared for the future.”

Mitchell also revealed that JNBS will be rewarding the school which records the most savers from March to May with a cash contribution towards its sports department, and a scholarship to the top student saver.

“It is a fact that this meet continues to provide extraordinary talent over the decades. But we must be careful that we don’t waste the opportunity to demonstrate the real life lessons that sports has to offer and the secondary skills we can teach our young people,” Mitchell explained.

The assistant general manager also said that this year’s Eastern Champs will offer more to patrons through the reintroduction of the cheerleading competition, in which the top three schools will be rewarded.

Richard Thompson, ESSSA’s chairman and principal of Titchfield High, said that while last year’s top three teams should emerge, there are no clear favourites this year and so fans should expect a very competitive meet.

“We anticipate a very upbeat showdown, with high-energy performances from emerging stars, such as Collin Sewell of Titchfield in the boys’ Class One 200-metre and 400-metre events; Lovell Evans of St Mary High in the girls’ Class Two 100-metre, 200-metre and 400-metre races; Gawayne Lawson, also of St Mary High in the boys’ Class One 800-metre and 1,500-metre races,” he said.

He also promised a smooth and secure two-day championship.

And Garth Gayle, the meet director, said he expects keen competition, even as he urged all athletes to strive for excellence.

“I expect a high standard of competition in the events this year… I expect a clean, fair and competitive championship. I implore all students to strive for excellence and I applaud JNBS for its continued support in nurturing young talent…,” he confirmed.

Wisynco, through its brand WATA and Power Aid, is now an associate sponsor for the event, providing hydration for the athletes.