by SHERRYLYN A. TOPPIN

STARTING today, Springer Memorial and Harrison College will be working to retain the titles they won last year in the Barbados Secondary Schools' Athletics Championships (BSSAC).

Starting today at 10 a.m., all of the other schools will be working to wrest those titles away.

Springer Memorial have won the girls' title for the past four years and eight of the last nine, while Harrison College will be going after a hat-trick of boys' titles.

The movement of athletes will play a big role in this year's championships.

Springer Memorial have lost very few of their athletes, but have made good gains from those coming out of the primary system, including multi-talented Akela Jones and sprinters Tanice Watson and Desiree Joseph. Reisha Lorde has transferred from Grantley Adams Memorial. Add these to the squad they already have and they should be able to retain their title.

Their stiffest challenge is expected to come from The Lodge School who were second for the past five years. They have Mara Weekes, Sade Sealy, Halana Gittens and the dependable Rashida Belgrave, among others.

Challenge

Queen's College and Harrison College will also provide a challenge.

Harrison College have lost Alvaro Holder, Raphael Greenidge, Rondell Griffith, Adrian Gale and Daniel King. These were the backbone of the team over the past three years, and others like Tyrell Forde, Shem Payne and Saeed Norville will have to step up and shoulder some of the load.

The Lodge School have benefited from the addition of last year's victor ludorum Shaquille Hollingsworth and middle-distance runner Christian Rock who switched from Coleridge and Parry.

Rock joins an already strong Under-20 group which includes twins Fabian and Kemar Norgrove; Mario Scott and Chad Puckerin.

Also gaining athletes are dark horses Queen's College who have added Rohan Waithe, Stefan Goodridge and Chynna Glasgow, all from The St Michael School; and they have Shakir Sandiford, Taurean Greenidge, Kemar Jones and Jerome Jones among the juniors.

The Lester Vaughan School have lost sprinters Ramon Gittens and Liann Kellman as well as hurdler Ryan Brathwaite and thrower Daina James. Their dominance on the track will not be as evident, but they have strengthened their field events.

Ellerslie, Combermere, The St Michael School, St Leonard's Boys' and Foundation will all be in the mix, splitting up the points. The boys' title should be decided on the final day.

Five finals will be contested today, all in the field events. These will be the Under-13 girls' and boys' high jump; the Under-17 and Under-20 girls' long jump and the Under-17 boys' javelin throw.

BSSAC Day 1 Programme

Finals

Under-13 Girls' high jump

Under-17 Girls' long jump

Open Boys' discus pentathlon

Under-20 Girls' long jump

Under-13 Boys' high jump

Open Boys' 110m hurdles

Heats

Junior Boys' 75m hurdles

Junior Girls' 80m hurdles

Under-17 Boys' and Under-20 Girls' 100m hurdles

Under-20 Boys' 110m hurdles

Junior Girls' and Junior Boys' 1 500m

Under-15 Girls' and Boys' 400m

Under-17 Girls' and Boys' 400m

Under-20 Girls' and Boys' 400m

Final: Open Boys' pentathlon 200m

Heats: Under-17 Girls' 300m hurdles

Under-17 Boys', Under-20 Girls' and Under-20 Boys' 400m hurdles