DEFENDING champions New Providence will begin their title defence of the 2015 Institute of Sports (INSPORTS)/Seprod Primary Schools Athletics Championships, which gets underway this morning at the National Stadium starting at 9:00.

The four-day Championships will have 93 participating primary schools from several parishes consisting of some 4,600 athletes in quest to become this year’s champions.

Participating schools are from Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, St Thomas, Clarendon, St James, St Mary, Portland and St Elizabeth.

Forty-one finals are up for grabs over the next four days, including the overall champion boy and girl, who will be awarded scholarships.

Only one final will be contested today, which is the girls cricket ball throw open.

Some of the schools who should be sharing the limelight other than champions New Providence, Greater Portmore and Naggo Head are, Harbour View, Spanish Town, Belmont Park, Black River, St Catherine and St John’s.

Last year, New Providence from St Andrew were crowned the overall champions with the combined boys’ and girls’ scores of 222 points, followed by Naggo Head from St Catherine 182.75 and Greater Portmore with 139 points.

New Providence won the girls’ section with 102 points from Greater Portmore 72 and Naggo Head with 63.75 points, while the boys’ section was also won by New Providence with 120 points, Naggo Head 119, and Greater Portmore with 67 points.

Terron Brown, coach of New Providence, said the athletes are very confident of retaining championship honours, but will not take the field for granted.

“My athletes have raced against other primary schools in development meets to see how far they are, but you cannot take any chances, as you have not seen all of them,” Brown said.

— Gerald Reid