Jamaica will start their hunt for a 37th-straight Carifta Games title when the 51st staging of the track and field championships get underway this morning at the Kirani James Stadium in St George’s, Grenada.

It is the third time the Spice Isle will play host to the top junior athletes from the region.

Eighteen gold medals will be on offer on day one, including four each in the blue riband event, the 100m, as well as the 400m; the 1,500m; the Under-17 girls’ high jump and shot put; and the Under-20 boys’ and girls’ discus throw events.

On Friday, Technical Leader David Riley told the Jamaica Observer that all was in place for another stirring performance by the Jamaicans who won 78 medals (40 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze) in The Bahamas last year.

“We are ready to go, we had a good workout at the stadium this morning and so far everything is going okay,” he told the Observer.

The hosts, who last year had the second-best haul of 46 medals (10 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze), and Trinidad and Tobago, who won 31 (nine gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze), are expected to offer the most challenge to the 80-strong Jamaican team. Jamaica’s athletes are all coming off last weekend’s Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Championships at the National Stadium.

Zavien Bernard, who broke the Class Three high jump record with 1.83m, could challenge the Carifta Championships record 1.85m set by Barbados’ Akela Jones in 2010.

Dionjah Shaw, the Under-17 girls’ discus throw champion last year, will hope to win the Under-20 title on her first attempt. She will be accompanied by Najhada Seymoure.

In the Under-17 boys’ long jump, Rodeeki Walters and Amani Phillips will hope to take the gold and silver medals.

Shaiquan Dunn will hope to improve on his silver medal in the Under-20 boys discus throw from last year, while Deijanae Bruce, who medalled in the Girls’ Under-20 high jump last year, will hope to get a medal in the Under-20 triple jump this time around.

It will be a busy day for the 100m runners who will compete over three rounds. The heats will be held in the morning session, followed by the semi-finals and finals in the afternoon session.

Natrece East and Poshannalee Blake will line up in the girls’ Under-17 event with Nyrone Wade and Malike Nugent set to feature in the boys’ Under 17; Thieanna Lee Terrelonge and Sabrina Dockery will carry the flag in the Under-20 girls’ section; and Javorne Dunkley and Raheem Pinnock are down for the Boys’ Under-20.