Defending champions Windward Road will look to retain their title when the 2016 Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Junior High Schools Athletics Championship begins today at the Stadium East at 9:00 am.

Five finals will be contested today, the Class One girls’ high jump, Class Three boys’ long jump, Class Two boys’ high jump, Class Three girls’ long jump, and the girls’ shot put Open.

Seven classes for boys and girls will be contested by approximately 1,800 athletes on show.

The three-day championship has attracted 20 schools with the newcomer being Rennock Lodge, while those returning are Rest All-Age and Green Park out of Clarendon.

Last year, Windward Road won with 520.5 points ahead of John Mills with over 450 points.

Over the years both schools have been in a battleroyal, with John Mills showing their superior class by winning for 16 consecutive years, until it was broken by Windward Road.

Once again, both coaches Oral Whilby of Windward Road, and Ransford Spaulding of John Mills are expecting a keen duel.

Whilby said he will be hunting a hat-trick of titles after winning in 2014 and 2015, though it won’t be easy, but that he has an all-round team to win the championship.

“The team is not as strong and powerful as last year, as I have lost six athletes from Class One to high schools, but nevertheless, we still have the firepower to hold off our rivals John Mills when the championship ends on Friday,” Whilby said.

“John Mills will be stronger this year, as they have filled the gap in the lower classes which they were beaten in last year. My Classes One and Two boys are very strong, and that is where I expect to pick up most of our points, while the remaining classes we can still hold our own and produce the fire power to hold off the challenges of John Mills,” he sdded.

Meanwhile, John Mills’ Spaulding was very confiedent of regaining the title

“John Mills is ready and prepared to take on our arch-rivals Windward Road, and we are aiming to return to our championship-winning ways.”

He said that Windward Road has a slight advantage due to the number of students that go to the school, enabling them to have more entries in the championship. “Nevertheless, we won’t look at that because I think it will be a close affair.

“Windward Road won by over 100 points in 2014, and we cut it to 50 points last year, and I think will be much more competitive and exciting, despite there will also be other schools expecting to pull off surprise wins,” said the John Mills coach.

Windward Road’s coach will have Janelia Brown competing in the 200m and 400 metres in Class One events for girls, while in the Class One boys he has Malix Bromwell in the 100m and 200m, and Raheem Thompson in the 200m and 400m.

Spaulding will look to Kevin Wilson in the Class One boys’ 100m and 200m, and Nemoy Cockett in the Class One boys’ high jump and shot put, while the Class One girls will see Tatiana Crawford in the 100m and long jump, and Shanice Benjamin in the Class One girls’ 400m and 800 metres.

The other events scheduled today are heats of the 800 metres, 200m, 150m, 800m sprint medley for girls, 1,600m sprint medley for boys, and the 4×400 metres relay open for boys and girls.