By Morissa Lindsay
The Usain Bolt Sports Complex will be fully functional and ready to host a full return of the 2023 National Primary Schools’ Athletic Championship (NAPSAC) on Monday, February 6th, post Covid-19.
Chairperson for NAPSAC, Janelle Denny gave the full assurance that the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill owned facility, will be in suitable condition when the participating schools, sponsors, spectators and all other stakeholders are in attendance for the 21st staging of the premier Primary Schools track and field event.
Denny’s comments came following concerns raised this morning during an official launch of the NAPSAC press conference at the Assad Haloute Complex in Lears, St. Michael about the state of the bathrooms as well as the track at the Usain Bolt Complex.
“We would have had a site visit and discussion with the members of the UWI team and they have assured us that would be a non-issue because obviously we have an increased number of persons attending this year and they have promised us that they will ensure that they would be catered for appropriately. We will also make sure that is the case,” Denny explained.
Regarding the track, she added, “That would be best spoken to by UWI officials, I am not a track expert, so I don’t think I should really speak on that. But again within our site visit we would have recognised certain efficiencies and would have asked them to address them.”
NAPSAC Championship Director, Julian Pierre gave an outline of what is expected for the zonal meets which moved from five to right, the semifinal and final. The first day of competition starts, Monday, February 6th to Thursday, February 9th and Monday, February 13th to Thursday, February 16th while the semifinal will take place Thursday, March 2nd and final on Friday, March 10th.
Tickets can be purchased from Emerald City Six Roads, Esso Black Rock, Jordans Supermarket in Speightstown, CS Pharmacy, Sports Mart and Barbados Union of Teachers. No tickets will be sold at the Usain Bolt Complex venue.
During his outline, Pierre noted that the under-seven age group which was not included last year because of COVID-19 restrictions is back on the schedule.
There are three events planned for the Under-seven Division and they are the 50m dash, standing broad jump and tennis ball throw. The Under-nine category will contest the 80m, 100m, 150m, 4x100m relay, long jump and cricket ball throw.
The Under-11 Division will have the customary 100m, 200m, 300m, 4x100m relay, cricket ball throw and long jump. Meanwhile the Under-13s will have the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay, long jump, cricket ball throw and shot put.
Pierre also announced that there will be an open division for the Under-11 and 13 Divisions and that includes the 600m for girls and 800m for boys. Also, the medley relay which comprises 100m for the first and second leg, a 200m for the second leg and a 400m to complete the final leg. There is also the high jump for girls and boys respectively in the open event section.
At least four private schools are participating for the first time this year and they are Legacy Preparatory School, Warrens Primary, Beyond the Box Education and Imperial Education School.
Most of the zones – Rubis Caribbean Andrea Blackett Zone, Holiday Bermuda James Wedderburn Zone, Anton Norris Zone, Roma Pasta Marcia Trotman Zone, The Nation Publishing Patsy Callender Zone, Obadele Thompson Zone, Sunshine Cereals Ryan Brathwaite Zone and the Wibisco Freida Nicholls Zone – comprise of 11 schools each.
Pierre also shared that there will be a special needs awareness walk on Rock Your Sock Day known as World Down Syndrome Day and is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21st.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
A list of the zones and participating schools:
Andrea Blackett Zone: St. Philip Primary, the Ifill School, St. Martin’s Mangrove Primary, St. Gabriel’s, St. Bartholomew Primary, St. Paul’s Primary, Good Shepherd Primary, Eagle Hall Primary, the LITE School, Sharon Primary and Eden Lodge.
James Wedderburn Zone: St. Giles Primary, Ignatius Byer Primary, St. Matthew’s Primary, St. Lucy Primary, People’s Cathedral School, St. Stephen’s Primary, St. Luke’s Academy, St. Christopher Primary, St. Ambrose Primary, Roland Edwards Primary and Christ Church Girls Primary.
Anton Norris Zone: Reynold Weekes Primary, Cuthbert Moore Primary, Hillaby Turner’s Hall Primary, Welches Primary, All Saints Primary, St. Joseph Primary, St. John Primary, Grantley Prescod Memorial Primary, Arthur Smith Primary, Deacons Primary and Erdiston Special School.
Marcia Trotman Zone: Elliott Belgrave Primary, St. Mary’s Primary, St. George Primary, St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic School, Charles F. Broome Primary, Selah Primary, Trinity Academy, St. James Primary, St. Margaret’s Primary Bay Primary and Beyond The Box Education.
Pasty Callender Zone: West Terrace Primary (defending girls’ champions), St. Winifred’s School, St. Silas Primary, St. Albans Primary, Mount Tabor Primary, Westbury Primary, George Lamming Primary, Vauxhall Primary, Legacy Preparatory School, Wills Primary and Imperial Private School.
Obadele Thompson Zone: Hindsbury Primary, Eagles Academy, Milton Lynch Primary, St. Jude’s Primary, Gordon Walters Primary, St. Cyprian’s Boys’ School, Belmont Primary, St. Elizabeth Primary, Bayley’s Primary and Warrens Primary and Providence.
Ryan Brathwaite Zone: Lawrence T. Gay Memorial Primary, St. Mark’s Primary, A DaCosta Edwards Primary, Gordon Greenidge Primary, Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary, Ellerton Primary, St. Angela’s School, St. Catherine’s Primary, Half Moon Fort Primary and Blackman and Gollop Primary.
Freida Nicholls Zone: Holy Innocent Primary, Hill Top Preparatory School, Luther Thorne Memorial Primary, Wesley Hall Junior School, Workman’s Primary, Grazettes Primary, St. Bernard’s Primary, St. Lawrence Primary, Hilda Skeene Primary and St. Luke’s Brighton Primary.
