BOGUE, St James — The inaugural Catherine Hall Primary Relays will be held today at Herbert Morrison Technical grounds, and the organisers are promising two firsts in track and field in the island.

Alecia Robinson, a teacher at the 41-year-old institution and the chief organiser, told the Jamaica Observer there will be mixed relays in Jamaica for the first time, while primary and prep school teams will also compete head-to-head for the first time.

Mixed relays, featuring two males and two females, were first introduced at the IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas; and since then, it has been duplicated in some parts of the world but not in Jamaica, until today.

The competition is set to start at 9:00 am and will see the 13 schools from three western parishes compete in heats and finals in five age groups, in classes five, six, seven and eight, and in the Open in both genders.

There will be 4x100m for both boys and girls in all four classes, 4x200m in classes five and six, and a mixed medley Open (100m, 100m 200m and 400m) as well as a 4x400m Open.

There will also be three individual events on the schedule, an 800m Open, and long and high jump as well.

High schools preparing for the Penn Relays will also get a chance to test themselves in a 4x100m relay for both genders.

The schools that have already confirmed for the primary school relays are hosts Catherine Hall, Howard Cooke Primary, Corinaldi Avenue Primary, Barracks Road Primary, Anchovy Primary, Mt Salem Primary, Buckingham Primary, St Mary’s Prep, St James Prep, Enfield Primary, New Works Primary, Granville Primary and Glendevon All-age.