Kingston College’s (KC) principal, Dave Myrie, has indicated that preparations for next month’s full start of the track and field season are well underway as the school aims to continues its preparations towards what he hopes will be a successful defence of its Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ Championships crown.

The famous North Street-based institution, the most successful school in boys’ championships history, with 35 titles, has come out on top at the last three championships and will be looking to continue towards its latest dynasty.

The Leaford Grant-coached KC team secured this year’s title with ease after amassing 335 points, well ahead of rivals Jamaica College (278) and Calabar (194).

Champs 2025 might be over three months away, but Myrie told the Jamaica Observer that all systems are already in place, noting that his boys have been preparing rigorously for next year’s championships and that the ‘Purples’ are determined to retain their title.

“The coaches, under the guidance of Leaford Grant, have been doing what needs to be done, because we know we are the defending champions, and we have to go out and defend our crown. So we are doing what we need to do,” Myrie said. “It doesn’t matter if we feel that our team is not as strong as last year or the year before, we are going out there to fight because we are Fortis and we are KC.”

“Here is what I am saying, come Champs, we are going to be ready to get out there and do what we need to do,” Myrie noted.

The principal underlined that his institution will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary next year and having already won three football titles with the Manning Cup, Olivier Shield, and Corporate Area Under-14 crowns, they will be looking to continue the celebrations on the track with yet another hold on the Mortimer Geddes trophy.

“I know there are many who would love to depose us in our centenary year, but you know something, just as they are planning to depose us, we are planning to make sure we are just as strong and we are doing what we need to do to be successful,” Myrie said.

“I think the preparations have been good. They have done their background work and they are going into camp for the Christmas holiday. All indications are: so far, so good, because things have been going fairly well,” he pointed out. “You may have seen us out there in some of the road races doing pretty well, so we feel pretty good about our team.”

Myrie, who has been the principal of KC for the past 12 years, also noted that the achievements of the school’s footballers would certainly lift the spirits of their track and field athletes schoolmates.

“The mood is good and the mood is even better now that we have won the Manning Cup, Olivier Shield, and Under-14 competitions. This gives us a way to get the boys fired up, if you like,” he said.

“Since I have been at KC, every time we win the Manning Cup, it gives the school a huge boost, and it energises the teams going forward to the other competitions. So I am looking forward to the same thing happening here,” Myrie added.

The 2025 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships will be held from March 25-29 at the National Stadium.