Youngster Goldsmith meet kicks off Digicel Grand Prix

The new Digicel Grand Prix High School Athletics Championships begins today with the 2015 staging of the popular Youngster Goldsmith Track and Field meet at the National Stadium.

Today's meet begins at 8 a.m with the Under-18 girls' 400-metre hurdles .

The Digicel Grand Prix was launched earlier this week and will include seven track and field disciplines at six meets. The top male and female teams will win $1-million worth of gym equipment for their schools while there will be cash prizes for top male and female coaches.

Today a lot of attention will be focused on hurdles as all the events scheduled for next month's Boys and Girls' Championships will be on the programme.

St Jago High have been the most dominant female team in the hurdles. Leading the way for them is defending Class One 100m hurdles champion Peta Gaye Williams and teammate Andrenette Knight who both clocked 13.9 seconds a week ago.

Following victories at Jamaica College and at the Queen's/ Grace Jackson meet, St Jago's Safia Thompson will be going for her third win in a row in the Class Two event.

In the Class Three 80m hurdles, Hydel High's Jada Campbell, who ran well at JC, will face the impressive Shanette Allison of Holmwood, who had the best overall time at the Queen's meet.

After a dominating performance at JC where she clocked a fast 11.19 seconds to win the Class Four 70m hurdles, Holmwood's Diandra Gray was even more impressive last week where she posted a fast 10.8 seconds at the Queen's meet. She is one to watch today.

Kingston College (KC) have been doing well in the boys' hurdles event and they will want to maintain that momentum.

In today's 400m hurdles, St Elizabeth's outstanding pair of Marvin and Okeen Williams should dominate. KC's Sherwayne Allen, Chad Miller, Davian Baker and Orlando Smith should also do well.

The Class One 110m hurdles is expected to be hot. Calabar's Seanie Selvie, KC's College Jovaine Atkinson and St Jago High Roje Jackson-Chin are the leading contenders after all thee clocked 13.4 at a recent meet.

Dejour Russell and Alex Robinson give Calabar a strong hand in Class Two. Both clocked 13.8 seconds last week to emerge from the meet with the fastest times.

KC's Wayne Pinnock will be seeking his third win in a row in the boys' Class Three 100m hurdles following two impressive wins so far. He clocked a fast 13.6 seconds last week.