THE ANNUAL Blue Cross national Primary, All-Age and Junior High Schools Athletic Championships will be held over the next two days at the National Stadium.
Today's opening day will begin at noon while the contest will start at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who is also the Sports Minister, has been chosen as patron of the games, while national track stars Jermaine Gonzales and Holmwood Technical's Sonita Sutherland are this year's honourees.
This year's meet, which is the 23rd Blue Cross/Jamaica Teachers' Association Championships, is being sponsored to the tune of $2 million.
Two new events, the Under-13 400 metres for boys and girls, have been added to this year's programme, which St. Andrew will start as defending champions.
The Blue Cross of Jamaica Sports Scholarships champion boy and champion girl will each be presented with a scholarship valued at $15,000 per annum for five years.
About 2,000 athletes will compete at the meet.
