Over 4,000 athletes for INSPORTS Primary Champs
THE 37th staging of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Primary School Athletic Championships has attracted over 4,000 male and female athletes who will showcase their talents at National Stadium between today and May 13. Action is slated to start 8:00 am each day.
This was disclosed at the media launch held at National Indoor Sports Centre on Monday.Meet Director Anthony Gibbs said four classes for boys and girls will feature at the four-day championships.He said that a total of 94 primary schools, incuding Louise Bennett-Coverley and Mayfield All-Age from Clarendon, are to participate. Louise Bennett-Coverly has competed in the Junior High Championships.“Last year we had a total of 93 schools, but the highest number was in 2014 when we had 95 participating schools. Apart from schools in the Corporate Area [Kingston and St Andrew] and St Catherine, who have the majority of participating schools, we have from other parishes such as Clarendon, St Elizabeth, St Thomas and Portland,” Gibbs said.Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the minister of sport, delivered the main address to officially launch the 2017 edition of the athletics championships.She said it is the premier event of INSPORTS each year.“Presently several athletes who are now representing Jamaica on the international arena in various different championships and games have started their rise to stardom from this INSPORTS Championships, and the now new generation are expected to come through to the world stage,” Grange said.Grange named a few athletes who went through INSPORTS Primary Schools Athletic Championships, such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Melaine Walker, Waren Weir, Jazeel Murphy, Ramone Williams, Christopher Taylor, Raheem Chambers and Tyreke Wilson.She noted that ten years ago there were 54 schools participating in the championships, but today that has nearly doubled.Grange called on the participating schools to bring their communities, parents and friends to the championships and let them cheer on their respective schools, as entry will be free to all patrons.
