With fierce competition on display and the energy of over 1,300 young athletes lighting up the National Stadium, St Elizabeth surged ahead on Day 1 of the 40th JTA/Sagicor National Athletics Championship.

The 2023 title holders closed the curtains on Friday’s opening day with 52.83 points. Portland followed with 44.5 points while St Catherine rounded out the top three with 30.83 points, setting the stage for a closely contested final day on Saturday.

The annual two-day meet brings together Jamaica’s top student-athletes from primary, all-age, and junior high schools across four age groups. This year’s staging is especially symbolic, with Olympian and event alum Veronica Campbell Brown serving as patron, returning to the meet where her journey began.

Standout performances lit up the track and field as several young athletes achieved personal bests at the championships. Marnika Coke of St Elizabeth impressed with a time of 4:13.49 in the 1200m Girls Open U15 Heat 1; Theokane Hines of Westmoreland soared to a personal best of 1.40m in the Boys Open Senior High Jump Final; and Natalia Haughton of St Catherine delivered a strong finish in the 150m Girls U9 Heat 4, clocking a personal best of 24.41 seconds. Rounding out the highlights was Daniel Baugh of St Andrew, who posted a personal best of 23.06 seconds in the 150m Boys U9 Heat 4.

Andre James, sports coordinator for St Elizabeth expressed that he is looking forward to day 2.

“When we won in 2023, we were also leading on day 1. Our chances of taking home the title is very strong because we are in a number of finals and once we execute, we should be able to get enough points to maintain the lead,” James said.

This year, the Sagicor Foundation has donated J$12 million to support the championship, bringing its total investment in the event to over $100 million, since the start of the partnership. The event continues to serve as a critical platform for identifying and nurturing Jamaica’s next generation of athletic talent. It is estimated that 75 per cent of Jamaica’s national athletes began their journey at this very meet.

Nicole Campbell Robinson, vice president – communications, social media and corporate social responsibility at Sagicor Group Jamaica, reflected on the milestone event.

“This championship is a celebration of possibility. For 40 years, it has helped to shape the future of Jamaican athletics by giving young athletes the stage to discover their potential. Sagicor is honoured to walk alongside them in that journey,” she said.

Day 2 of the Championship continues on Saturday, June 21, when finalists in sprint and field events will compete for the coveted title of Parish Champion with St Elizabeth aiming to dethrone defending champions St Thomas.