2nd National Secondary Schools Championships underway

The second edition of the revamped National Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships unfolded at the National Track and Field Centre (NTFC), Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD) on Wednesday morning, bringing together over 1200 of the country’s best athletes.
The championships will see several schools from the 15 Districts battling to dethrone inaugural champions President’s College.
As a combined band led the athletes in a pomp-and-splendour-filled march past, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips expressed Government’s commitment to sport, highlighting its transformative efforts over the years.
“Events such as this celebrate talent and discipline and provide a platform for young people to test their abilities and push their limits in pursuit of their athletics dream. Sports, as a whole, play a vital role in the development of our youth,” Phillips remarked.

The Prime Minister divulged, The “Government of Guyana, that I represent here today, remains deeply committed to supporting sports among you, our young people, recognising its importance in shaping well-rounded and healthy individuals.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Students, we have come a far way. Fifty years ago, when I was a hundred and 50 pounds lighter and was in secondary school, there was nothing like this. There was no all-weather track, we had to compete on grass fields. Today, with the investments by our Government, we are now having international-standard facilities for you, our athletes to compete on,” Phillips went on to state.
Also speaking during the opening ceremony, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr described the Championships as one of the most important events in Guyana.

“This is one of the most significant sports events in our country, because what it does is it identifies our future Olympians and World Champions. And amongst all of you here, the 1250 athletes, just know that we are behind you 100 per cent,” Ramson Jr declared.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Sonia Parag, under whose purview the Championships fall, disclosed its new venue for 2027.
Parag announced, “And our excellent MC, who has been on the mic, stating perhaps we can see Region 10 being the hosts next year. Well, I want to formally announce that Nationals will be held at Bayrock Synthetic Track next year, 2027. So, we will be taking it to Region 10.”
The National Secondary Schools Championships will run until Friday, March 13 at the same venue.