UK track and field journalist Lillian Okolie has covered some of the biggest events globally, but none has left her in awe like the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

Okolie, founder of “The Inside Lane”, attended the five-day high school meet for the first time, where she watched from both the bleachers and grandstand of the National Stadium to get the full experience.

She’s had the experience of major athletic events in different parts of the world including the World Championships, Diamond League and European Championships with her videos garnering millions of views across all platforms.

Despite seeing star athletes in major venues, Okolie says nothing compares to Boys’ and Girls’ Champs.

“Each day, I felt like I gained a deeper understanding as to why track and field is so important to Jamaicans. Just from the outside and experiencing it, I have genuinely never been to a track meet like this, like, ever,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“The vibe, the energy, the support, and it’s not as if it’s for the biggest athletes in the world; it’s for high school students. So, they’re literally seeing the journeys and riding for them. I’ve never experienced that before.”

Okolie says she was impressed by the level of support and enthusiasm around a non-professional event.

“I’ve smiled the whole time because we don’t have that in London, we don’t have that support for young athletes, we don’t have that vibe or turnout at track meets,” she said.

“I came here thinking it’s a family event in terms of, like, an athlete has got their whole family coming out. But no. They are just riding for their schools and for the athletes, I’ve genuinely just enjoyed the spirit.”

The 2025 edition was riddled with a number of technical issues which affected dozens of athletes in various events.

However, Okolie says the young stars have been first-class for their attitude and quality.

“I’m super-impressed by the athletes because they’ve had to show a level of professionalism that hasn’t been afforded to them with the disqualifications, and how they’ve been treated. We see it in the professional space where athletes run under protest or they challenge the officials, they’re not met with the level of what they’ve been receiving,” she said.

“Even despite that, the athletes have turned up and shown out. They’ve shown a big respect for their craft, they’ve trained hard and given their all. Also to be so young as 13, 14 and performing [before] such a big crowd. We see it on TV and think it’s okay but actually that’s crazy. The level of confidence that’s needed to do that at such a high level is crazy, for me. Records have been smashed so we’re getting good performances; it’s been amazing, man.”

Okolie believes seeing Champs first-hand significantly helps with her own professional growth.

“I’m very intentional about being on the ground and learning more about the sport, which is why I’m at Champs for the first time experiencing this because, as a fan of the sport, you need to learn every aspect of it to appreciate the sport in the depth I want to,” said Okolie.