For the sixth time in the last ten years, it will be Harrison College and Springer Memorial once again putting their titles on the line when the Powerade Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships (BSSAC) get underway at 9:30 a.m. today at the National Stadium.
But it won’t be business as usual.
Springer Memorial have won nine titles from 2001 to 2010 and Harrison College six. But judging from the various inter-house competitions, no school seems to have a marked advantage, even among the girls.
Each school has at least one division where they are strong and another where they can hold their own.
Some are fortunate to be strong in more than one, but that means there are several schools which are strong in the same division and points will be split.
The girls are weak all over, and this year, Queen’s College and The St Michael School have their best chance to wrest the title away from Springer.
It won’t be easy.
As usual, it is a close affair among the boys, but expect the same teams to be contending.
Add to this the intrigue of athletes who have switched schools – St Michael has benefited greatly from this; those who have left and the young talent coming in from the primary schools, and spectators can expect five exciting days of track and field competition. (SAT)
Day 1 Programme
Field events:
Under-13 Girls’ High Jump – 10:30 a.m.
Under-17 Girls’ Long Jump – 10:30 a.m.
Open Boys’ Pentathlon Discus – noon
Under-17 Boys’ Javelin – 12:30 p.m.
Under-20 Girls’ Long Jump – 1:30 p.m.
Under-13 Boys’ High Jump – 1:30 p.m.
Open Boys’ Pentathlon 110M Hurdles – 9:30 a.m.
Sprint Hurdles 75M to 110 Metres Heats – 9:45 a.m.
Under-17 and Under-20 400M Heats – 11:30 a.m.
1500M Juniors to Under-20 – 12:45 p.m.
Under-13 and Under-15 400M Heats – 2:30 p.m.
Open Boys’ Pentathlon 200 Metres – 3:30 p.m.
Under-17 Girls and Under-20 Intermediate Hurdles – 4:15 p.m.
How they finished last year:
GIRLS
1. Springer 423.5 points, 2. Queen’s College 231.5, 3. St Michael 191, 4. Coleridge and Parry 151, 5. Lodge 143.5, 6. Garrison 126.5, 7. Harrison College 125.5, 8. Combermere 120, 9. Parkinson 115.5, 10. Foundation 93, 11. Alleyne 66.5, 12. Deighton Griffith 35.5, 13. St George 32, 14. Princess Margaret 25, 15. Lester Vaughan 22.5, 16. Alexandra 22, 17. Ellerslie 20, 18. St Lucy 13, 19. Grantley Adams 13, 20. St James 10.5.
BOYS
1. Harrison College 237.33, 2. Queen’s College 228, 3. St Leonard’s 202, 4. Ellerslie 188, 5. Alleyne 146, 6. St Michael 125, 7. Lester Vaughn 120, 8. Lodge 119.83, 9. Combermere 119.50, 10. Coleridge and Parry 114, 11. Foundation 111.50, 12. Garrison 78.33, 13. Alexandra 56.5, 14. Deighton Griffith 51, 15. Grantley Adams 47, 16. Princess Margaret 39, 17. St James 26, 18. Parkinson 21, 19. St George 18, 20. St Lucy 14.
