Two regional sporting authorities have added their thoughts to the discussion around the importance of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), not only in Jamaica but also in their territories.

Champs is considered by many to be the biggest secondary school athletics meet in the world and has gained attention globally not just from members of the Jamaican Diaspora watching abroad, but also many other athletics enthusiasts because of the performances of young athletes, which sometimes match or better those of professionals from other countries.

That has also brought more international interest from junior athletes around the world to enrol in local high schools and compete.

Earlier this month at Champs’ press launch ISSA announced that more than 70 international athletes will compete this week at the 113th staging.

While a number are from Africa, many are from the Caribbean, causing heightened interest among these territories.

Sports journalist and former National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago selection committee member Dennis Taye Allen says interest in Champs in that country stems from the event helping to gauge their athletes’ preparedness for the Carifta Games, which follows just weeks later every year.

“Here in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica’s Champs is one of the most anticipated events,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Champs, usually, is between Carifta Trials and Carifta Games, so by the end of Champs we’d know if we’re going to medal or not.

“Champs has been
— for administrators, for media
— the benchmark for all of Caribbean sports. This is pro-level, club level, not just schools. It’s definitely a most eagerly anticipated event. Once it’s on
YouTube, we’ll see many Trinidad and Tobago sports fans watching.”

Trinidad and Tobago has almost 10 athletes competing this year, including Edwin Allen High School’s Natasha Fox in the Class One Girls’ 400m hurdles. Allen said they are all considered to be doing exceptionally well, creating more interest there.

“With a few exceptions, they’re podium-ready kids,” he said. “So, what we’ve seen is that the people who know, they are aware of what is going on and the contribution of these kids. Outside of that, the track and field community, who you’d really consider ‘super fans’, those persons would be interested in Champs. With the general audience, there’s very little crossover.

“People aren’t even interested in our events, far less something abroad,” he said with a chuckle. “The short answer is, unless it’s the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, not even the World Championships, Trinidad and Tobago fans aren’t heavily engaged in the sport as a whole.”

But Antigua and Barbuda-based Good Morning Jojo Sports Show host Joseph Apparicio said things are a bit different on those islands.

“In Antigua, we have a large Jamaican population here, and they help, of course, to build the interest,” he said. “You see them in the different colours and they get you to feel that hype.”

Like Allen, Apparicio said that Antiguans pay attention to Champs for comparisons.

“We gauge a lot of our Carifta athletes based on the times you see coming out of Jamaican Champs,” he said. “Let’s face it, everybody puts that measuring stick as to where you are, coming up against Jamaica and the times that their athletes would’ve done.

“So, we look forward to it and get into the hype, too. For me, personally, I’ve never been to Jamaica, but I like Calabar because I have a couple of friends who attended that school and they make you believe that Calabar is ‘numero uno’ (number one), then Jamaica College.”

Antigua and Barbuda has four athletes competing at Champs this year: Class Two long and triple jumper Gerilin Barnes, and Class Two middle-distance runner Hannah Charles who represent The Queen’s School, while Class One 400m hurdler Craig Prendergast competes for Calabar. Nicardo Clarke will take part in Kingston College’s Class One 4x100m relay.

Their national coach Kesswin Anthony said he always watches keenly for various reasons.

“As a coach, I look forward to the sprints,” he said. “The sprints always take precedence at Champs and as a sprint coach myself, it’s very informative to me as to how these junior athletes run so fast. Last year we saw Bouwahjgie Nkrumie [formerly of Kingston College] running 9.9 seconds and that was astonishing. I try to see what it takes to get our junior athletes over here in Antigua to reach that kind of level.”

Anthony said he would also like his Class One athletes to clock times done by some of Jamaica’s Class Two runners. He also watches as a supporter.

“I’m a Calabar fan,” he said. “That came from watching Champs years ago with Ramone McKenzie — I was always a fan of him. Then we have our own Craig Prendergast who went to Carifta for us in 2022 and 2023. He will be competing this week.

“It’s a big thing here, especially with the younger track and field athletes. We as coaches tune in to it but not just us. I was just leaving the track a while ago and a few of the youngsters were asking me if I have the pay-per-view for Champs already. The athletes that compete at Champs, they saw them during the Corporate Area Champs, so they’re looking forward to seeing them compete this week.”

One of the most famous regional Champs alumnae is St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, having represented St Catherine High School at Champs. She is the reigning World Indoor 60m champion. Another is former Kingston College athlete Zharnel Hughes. Although born in Anguilla, he went on to win 200m gold at the European Championships in 2022, and also bronze at the World Athletics Championships in the 100m at Budapest, Hungary, last year.