Young athletes to run the world at Arnos Vale

The 2018 schools’ track and field season culminates this week, with the staging of the National Lotteries Authority Inter-Primary Schools’ Athletics Championships (IPSAC) and the Inter-Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships (ISSAC), with the big stage being the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

The grand finale begins on Wednesday with the staging of IPSAC and on Thursday, it will the turn of the secondary schools’ athletes, as they vie for honours at the ISSAC.

When proceedings get going tomorrow, keen competition is expected among the primary institutions, and already, Stephanie Browne Primary of Union Island leads the standings in IPSAC on 64 points.

Former winner Buccament Government, is second on 46 points, with the Canouan Primary and the Cane End Government Schools locked on 23 points. They are ahead of 2017 champion Kingstown Preparatory School, who is level on 17 points with Diamonds Government.

In the ISSAC segment, despite the controversy emerging from the heats, the St Vincent Grammar School go into Thursday final seeking its seventh straight lien on the male title.

Perennial male champion, the St Vincent Grammar School, has established a sizeable lead over second place Thomas Saunders Secondary, which has thus far compiled 72 points.

Meanwhile, Central Leeward Secondary is third on 65 points, ahead of St Martin’s Secondary (54) and Georgetown Secondary (40 points), to cap off the top five schools in the points standings.

In the female segment, defending champion Central Leeward Secondary heads the standings with 129 points.

Trailing the CLSS is the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown on 95 points, Bethel High School, 60, with Girls’ High School on 59 points and Thomas Saunders Secondary on 56.

Apart from the overall champions, athletes would be seeking individual honours in the various age categories, along with the major awards of victor and victrix ludorum.

Following the staging of the IPSAC and the ISSAC, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College is set to host its athletics championships as well, on Friday, also at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.