Having monopolised the championship for the last 14 years, the school based in the Cross Roads area are highly fancied to capture yet another crown in the field of 29, with ace challenges expected from Windward Road mainly, even though they have lost some top athletes to high schools.

Calabar and Central Branch are also viewed as contenders.

A fairly huge number of the year's participating schools never took part in last year's championships and five will be competing for the first time.

The debutants are Highgate from St Mary, Trelawny schools Lowe River and Rest All-Age, Cedar Valley of St Thomas and Dallas.

Meanwhile Constant Spring, Louise Bennett-Cloverly (formerly Gordon Town), Osbourne Store from Clarendon and White Marl are schools that weren't involved in last year's competition.

Five finals are down to be completed on today's first day of the three-day meet. They are the Class One girls high jump, Class Three boys long jump, Class Two girls high jump, Class Three girls long jump and the shot put open for girls.

"I am confident that John Mills will triumph again but it won't be that easy as last year as there are schools that are expected to pull off surprising upsets," observed John Mills' coach, Winston Spaulding.

Coach of another leading contender, Dennis Kildare of Windward Road, has vowed to do his best.

"I have a fairly good and all-round team. Most of our athletes from last year have gone to high schools but nevertheless, we will be putting out our best and only the best is good enough," he said.

Kildare also pointed out that with most of the G.C. Foster College graduates now involved in coaching the schools, the meet should be very exciting.