Fast times and excitement are expected today as the Western Relays returns after a one-year break.

Action is to begin 11:00 am at GC Foster College of Physical Education & Sport in Angels, St Catherine.

Despite a reduced schedule of events — with about 50 per cent of the usual scheduled left off for this staging — the organisers say they are anticipating good performances.

Today, athletes will contest the 100m and 400m Open for both genders; 4x100m for high schools in all four classes for both boys and girls and for clubs and institutions; the sprint medley; and 4x400m and 4x800m relays.

The organisers have cut the 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m, sprint and intermediate hurdles events, the 4x200m relays, the long and high jumps and all events involving prep and primary schools.

“We are disappointed that we were not able to have our full schedule of events,” Ray Harvey, the meet director, told the Jamaica Observer.

“Based on what was allowed under the protocols, we had to scale back and as such, we have a much shorter schedule this year,” he said.

Harvey said while there were less events, he was expecting fireworks.

“We are expecting some good competition today, we have good entries from GC Foster and Sprintec in the clubs and institutions and also Kingston College, Jamaica College and Edwin Allen in the high school section.”

Harvey pointed out that it would be the first opportunity for most schools and clubs to get relays practice with the Gibson Relays coming up in another two weeks, plus the various regional high school championships, leading up to the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association championship.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Akani Slater will take on Jamaicans Demar Murray of Sprintec and MVP’s Adrian Tulloch in the men’s 400m event, while former national representative Christine Day will headline the women’s 400m race.

The women’s 100m race should provide some good competition with Kasheika Cameron of Speed Unit, Michae Harriot of GC Foster as well as Anastasia Le-Roy, Tovea Jenkins and Ashley Williams also going after the top prize.

The men’s 100m, which will be the first event down for competition, will see former champion Oshane Bailey, Chadic Hinds and Rasheed Dwyer from Sprintec, Sage Primus of St Vincent as well as GC Foster’s Earl Simmons.

In the high school relays, Edwin Allen High and Holmwood Technical are expected to once again battle out for the female events while Kingston College, who won most of the boys relays last year, are expected to defend most of their titles but will get competition from Jamaica College, Excelsior High and Herbert Morrison Technical.

— Paul A Reid