The curtain rises Tuesday on the 2026 staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, as Jamaica’s premier high school track and field spectacle returns to the National Stadium for another five days of elite competition.
More than 100 schools with in excess of 2,000 athletes are scheduled to compete, reaffirming the meet’s stature as the largest high school track and field event anywhere in the world. Action was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. with the opening round of the girls’ Class 3 1500 meters, launching a packed program that will steadily build toward the decisive days ahead.
Opening day built around early positioning
The first day will focus entirely on preliminary-round action on the track, with no finals scheduled.
In addition to the girls’ Class 3 1500m, the program includes the 400m, 100m, girls’ Open 400m, boys’ Class 2 400m hurdles, and boys’ Class 1 400m hurdles. The latter event is set to bring the curtain down on the day’s proceedings at 6:55 p.m.
Field events were set to begin at 9:40 a.m. with the first round of the boys’ Class 1 long jump. Also scheduled for the opening session are the girls’ Class 2 shot put, girls’ Class 2 long jump, and girls’ Class 1 discus.
The championship resumes with familiar powerhouses once again at the center of the spotlight.
Hydel enter as defending girls’ champions after toppling favored Edwin Allen last year in one of the meet’s biggest storylines. On the boys’ side, Kingston College return as title holders after extending their run to four straight championships.
Both teams now face the pressure that comes with being the reigning standard-bearers, but the wider sense heading into the meet is that neither title defense will come easily.
Edwin Allen positioned to reclaim the girls’ crown
On the girls’ side, Edwin Allen appear poised to mount a forceful response after surrendering the title a year ago.
Based on the season’s performances, the school has emerged as the clear favorite to regain control and capture an 11th championship. The program enters the meet with both confidence and emotional purpose, fueled in part by a desire to honor former hurdles coach Kirk Douglas and athlete Taneisha Gayle, who was part of last year’s winning sprint medley relay team.
That combination of depth, form, and motivation has made Edwin Allen the team many expect to beat over the next five days.
Boys’ battle shaping up as a fierce duel
If the girls’ championship appears to have a front-runner, the boys’ contest looks far less settled.
Kingston College and Jamaica College are widely expected to drive the fight for top honors, setting the stage for one of the meet’s most compelling rivalries. KC will attempt to stretch its winning streak to five consecutive titles, while JC are pushing to return to the summit and claim a 22nd crown.
The matchup also carries an added layer of intrigue because both programs are being guided by relatively new leaders. Richard Smith takes charge of Kingston College for the first time, though he brings years of experience within the system and around successful teams. At Jamaica College, Duane Johnson enters the championships believing his squad is better balanced than the one that finished third last year.
Class 1 strength could prove decisive
Jamaica College’s hopes appear to rest heavily on the strength of its Class 1 group, an area viewed as a potential separator in the title chase.
That depth could give JC an edge in a championship expected to be won through consistency rather than domination. Kingston College, however, remain formidable, with a balanced team and the experience of defending champions who understand what it takes to manage the pressure of Champs week.
As a result, the boys’ race is shaping up as a tight and potentially dramatic contest that may not be settled until the closing stages.
Another chapter begins
For now, though, the talking is over and the waiting is done.
The 116th edition of Champs begins with the familiar blend of ambition, tradition, and rising expectation, as hundreds of events and thousands of performances combine to write the next chapter in one of Jamaica’s great sporting institutions. Over the next five days, new stars will emerge, established programs will be tested, and two champions will eventually rise above the rest.
