WESTERN BUREAU:
ST ELIZABETH Technical High School (STETHS) will start the defence of their County of Cornwall Athletics Association's (COCAA) Girls Western champs title today when they host the eliminations in Santa Cruz, starting at 9:30.
The finals of both the boys and girls events will be held next Tuesday at the Catherine Hall Stadium.
Seventeen schools had up to yesterday confirmed their entries in today's meet including Hampton High, Albert Town and BB Coke who are returning after varying periods of absence.
Montego Bay High will be represented by one athlete, sprinter Llondie Kaye Spence who will be competing in Class Two after talking the Class Three 100/200m double last year.
The list of teams taking part are - William Knibb, Muschett, Mt Alvernia, Herbert Morrison, Montego Bay High, Maldon, Rusea's, Mannings, Grange Hill, STETHS, Black River, Balaclava, Hampton, BB Coke, Albert Town, Lewisville and Lacovia.
Former champions Mannings School are expected to challenge STETHS for this year's title after finishing over a 100 points behind the St Elizabeth school last year.
Mt Alvernia who were surprise third last year will not challenge for a top five place this year but Herbert Morrison Technical and Lewisville will make a good run at third place.
IAAF World Junior Champion-ships finalists Nickiesha Anderson of Herbert Morrison and Davita Prendergast of STETHS will add quality to the meet and their clash in the Class One 400m will be interesting.
Anderson, who is odds on favourite to win the sprint double, had also won the 400m last year. Prendergast has come on strong since then and has a personal best of 52.88 seconds that was set on the lead off leg of the girl Mile relay team at the WJC.
