The normal pomp and pageantry marked yesterday’s official opening of the 15th Biennial Student Track & Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad, where 14 teams including team Jamaica are participating.

Addressing the opening session, CUT President Marvin Andall praised the team effort of all units, noting that they were all operating in challenging times, and for them to make it to the meet was commendable.

Trinidad’s Education Minister Tim Gopeesingh reminded the participating students that the future of athletics was in their hands.

“You are on the threshold now of moving to being Olympic champions and world champions of the future,” he said.

Quoting the late Martin Luther King Jnr he reminded them that, “the longest journey begins with a short single step”, and as such he encouraged them to wear their colours well and to represent their territories as past and current Olympians.

Jamaican athletes have so far copped 11 gold, eight silver and one bronze to lead the pack ahead of the host nation after 25 events before rain halted the afternoon activities.

Jamaica’s (197) lead the points standing followed by Trinidad and Tobago (156), Barbados (153.5), St Kitts (72.5) and Guyana (70.5).

Arthur Edwards, one of Jamaica’s coaches, told journalists that the team is doing better than expected.

“We are expecting just as good or even better for Saturday’s final day and to be crowned CUT champion for 2014,” said Edwards.

Captain of the male team, Tyreke Wilson of Calabar, said that he is “looking forward to very good performances from my teammates tomorrow (today) and to take home the trophy”.

Brianna Liston is among the athletes who have broken records at the meet so far, after she ran 42.41 seconds in the Under-11 girls’ 300m to erase the 2012 record of 45.43 seconds set by O Bridgewater of St Kitts.