MORE THAN 240 participants from 12 eastern high schools will be vying for top prizes at the Jamaica Public Service-sponsored Eastern Cross Country Athletics Championships today.

The event is set to take place at Oberlin High School in Lawrence Tavern and will see defending champions Glengoffe gunning to retain their title, which is expected to be huge challenge.

Oberlin High, who won the title for 21 consecutive years - a record which was broken recently by Yallahs, who subsequently relinquished the top position to Glengoffe in 2004 - should pose a serious challenge.

Other schools down to participate are St. Mary High, Tacky, Annotto Bay, Islington, St. Mary's College, Marymount, Buff Bay, St. Thomas, St. Mary Technical and Fair Prospect.

The race, set to start at 2:00 p.m., was part of the Eastern Secondary Schools Championships for more than 20 years and will offer medals to top finishers.

Four categories will be on the cards: junior and senior girls and junior boys will run three miles, while senior boys will race over four.