IMMACULATE Conception and Stella Maris Preparatory schools will seek to retain their respective titles at the 17th staging of the Mayberry Investments Schools Swimming Championship at the National Aquatic Centre today.

The event is scheduled to get under way at 8:30 am, with the afternoon session set to begin at 1:30.

The exciting two-day championship commenced yesterday where defending boys’ and girls’ champions, Campion College and Immaculate, respectively, along with tertiary champions UWI, were among approximately 33 high schools and tertiary institutions in action.

Today, Stella Maris Preparatory will be seeking to better the 476 points accumulated last year which crowned them overall champions, while defending their boys’ title with runners-up Immaculate Conception (335) hoping to go one better and also defend their girls’ title.

This year, over 1,195 swimmers from 70 schools will participate in the 2015 Mayberry Investment Schools Swimming competition, which makes it the largest of its kind in Jamaica.

The meet, which has been the foundation for many of the top Jamaican swimmers, was on Wednesday sponsored to the tune of $400,000 and will see 37 preparatory and primary schools competing.

Famous alumni include world record holder Alia Atkinson, past national representative Ramon James, Gillian Millwood, Brad Hamilton and current national representatives Sidrell Williams and Timothy Wynter. This year’s meet will include 22 swimmers who recently competed at the Carifta Swimming Championships in Barbados.

Mona Preparatory, Emmanuel Christian Academy, Sts Peter & Paul Prep, Wolmer’s Prep, Vaz Prep, St Hugh’s Prep, Ardenne Preparatory and Creative Kidz Learning Academy are some of the schools expected to figure seriously.

— Sherdon Cowan