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Windward Road determined to retain INSPORTS Junior High and All Age Athletic Championships crown

Published:Monday | April 13, 2015 | 12:00 AM
Contributed
Don Anderson (second right), chairman, Institute of Sports, announces details during a media briefing for the INSPORTS Junior High & All-Age Athletics Championship, at INSPORTS' boardroom yesterday. Looking on are (from left) Rudolph Barnes, assistant national sport co-ordinator, INSPORTS; Ian Andrews, administrative director, INSPORTS; and Owen Webster, sport officer, INSPORTS.

The 37th staging of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Junior High and All-Age Athletics Championship will be held at Stadium East, starting tomorrow and going through until Friday.

INSPORTS' administrative director, Ian Andrews, says cost was the biggest factor in shifting the three-day meet from its perennial venue, the National Stadium.

"It will cost us $3 million to stage this year's event," Andrews told the gathering at a media briefing held at the INSPORTS boardroom, yesterday.

"We are without any kind of sponsorship this year, which makes it very difficult for us financially. But the show must go on. We do not believe moving from the National Stadium will take away from the quality of the meet," Andrews added.

"A lot of top athletes have competed at Primary Champs or Junior High Champs - meets that are put on by the Institute of Sports - and that is the extent to which INSPORTS plays a vital role on the development of sports in this country," he also said.

A total of 23 schools are set to compete, headed by defending champions Windward Road and many-time winners John Mills.

Coach of Windward Road, Oral Whilby, is oozing confidence, after stopping John Mills, which had dominated for 22 years.

"We are defending champions and looking forward to retaining the title. We want to prove that last year was no fluke. The team is ready and raring to go," Whilby told The Gleaner.

"I feel optimistic about our chances; although, we had challenges in our preparation, including a week off during GSAT, as well as the Easter break. The school has done its part in alleviating some challenges," the coach disclosed.

The champions will look to athletes such as Tino Kelly, Kimarley Anglin, Tatiana Rhoden, Janelia Brown, and Davian Clarke to provide the bulk of the points.