JAAA Puma junior and senior championships open Thursday at National Stadium

Preparations are complete for the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Puma National Junior and Senior Athletics Championships, which get under way on Thursday at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Athletes will use the four-day meet to push for places at this summer's Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Senior Championships, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, the NACAC Under-18 and Under-23 Championships, and the World Under-20 Championships.

Thursday's opening session starts at 9:00 a.m., with senior qualifying in the 100 metres among the main draws. Three senior finals are on the schedule, along with five junior finals.

Ludlow Watt, chairman of the organising committee, said officials are focused on sound officiating, punctual running of the programme, and giving spectators a smooth, welcoming experience. He believes fans have much to anticipate, noting that Jamaica's sprinting depth has drawn international attention after 11 Jamaican women have run the 100 metres in under 11 seconds.

"They know that we will always have a good championships," Watt said, adding that the world will be watching.

Although several high-profile names will not compete, Watt said the overall standard should remain strong. He estimated that only about two men and two women among the established stars are missing, with the bulk of the top performers still in the field.

He pointed to athletes chasing Diamond League opportunities, Commonwealth Games selection, and even junior pathways into senior international teams as reasons the competition should stay fierce.

"The standard will be good, the competition will be good, so I don't think we'll have any difficulty in terms of the quality of the athletes," he said.

Live coverage of the championships will air on TVJ and TVJSN, stream on 1spotmedia.com, and broadcast on radio via Fame 95 FM.