ORGANISERS of the Jamaica College/WATA/R Danny Williams Invitational track and field meet are expecting “quality performances” and good competition as the development meet, which will be held at Jamaica College, returns to the local calendar after being cancelled last year.

The meet, which has attracted nearly 45 teams plus unattached athletes, will see the introduction of the javelin throw for both male and female and the return of the shot put event.

Ian Forbes, chairman of the organising committee, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that the meet will see females competing in the first session, set to start at 8:00 am, followed by the males later in the afternoon at 1:30 pm, in keeping with some of the COVID-19 protocols that were introduced last year.

“We are expecting quality performances,” Forbes said, before adding that “the schools with the strong programmes will be here as well as the other schools who also possess quality individuals, so we are looking forward to strong performances”.

Twenty-three all-girl schools — led by defending Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Girls’ Champs winners Edwin Allen High, as well as Hydel High and St Jago High — are down for the first session, with 20 all-boy schools — led by Jamaica College, the ISSA boys’ champions, as well as Kingston College, Calabar High and St Jago — expected to compete in the afternoon.

Forbes also said that some schools would be seeking to get athletes qualified early for the ISSA National Championships that will be held in April.

The events that will be contested today are: 100m, 800m, 1500m 3,000m, 5,000m, 400m hurdles, sprint hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, javelin and pole vault, in all classes and Open for both genders.

— Paul Reid