All set for the Track and Field “trilogy”

The 2026 National Lotteries Authority Inter Primary Schools Athletics Championships (IPSAC), and the Inter Secondary Schools Athletics Championships (ISSAC), are set for the Diamond Track Facility, next Wednesday and Thursday, March 25 and 26, 2026, respectively.

The following day, March 27, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College will host their championships.

These championships are events that are high on the sporting calendar for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Beyond the mass participation from student- athletes, as well as from patrons, they serve as gauges for the next generations of national representatives on the regional and international Track and Field scene.

The aggregate of the three consecutive events creates the zenith of Track and Field happenings here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, as they are the real tests of the nationwide Athletics resources.

In the case of IPSAC and ISSAC, they are the culmination of the previous inter- house rivalries that brewed over the past three months, whilst the college’s showcase puts a lid on that tertiary institution’s sporting calendar; hence, the embedded anticipation and hype that these events generate. Therefore, the stage is set for intrigue and excitement.

Given the pre-shows, IPSAC should provide the most competitive championships.

On evidence, primary schools have pulled out all the stops, as hidden talents that reside at some of the institutions are coming to the fore.

This makes for an evenness rather than the usual suspects igniting the track and walking away with most of the spoils.

But the same cannot be said with ISSAC, as the perennial winners in the Male segment- the St Vincent

Grammar School, appears to have the title sown up once again.

Similarly, the Barrouallie Secondary is tipped to be once again crowned as Female champions.

Meanwhile, the competition at the college’s affair may not be as defined, as there are dark horses prepped to upstage the apple cart.

Hopefully, the administrative apparatus is fully activated, as the execution of an almost flawless three days of Track and Field gets top priority.

These entail officials who are well-prepped for the events, are astute and knowledgeable in the dispensing of their duties.

Of note too, that the hierarchy of the events’ administration, pay special attention to the minute details, as image is everything.

Consideration and meticulous efforts must be expended on the product itself, given that these championships are streamed, and are accessible to the audiences near and far.

What we put out for others to see defines our capabilities as a country administratively and otherwise.

Keeping the programmes running as smooth as possible, avoiding too much down time between events, have to be addressed with a level of urgency.

It is not too late for the organisers to have footage of St Vincent and the Grenadines to show to the world at large as part of the entire streaming package.

Likewise, the commentators on set have to arm themselves with relevant background information on the athletes and the schools, thus adding that extra professionalism to the broadcasts.

Neither is it a big ask of the organisers to move away from having current principals of schools present medals to the athletes on the podium.

They can utilize former standout athletes who have blazed the trail at these championships to handle that task, thereby recognizing their contributions over the years.

These demands are against the backdrop of reliability, as the athletes to grace the stage on the synthetic surface will give of their best, thus it is imperative for those at the helm of decision making to reciprocate.

In the interim, the country is bracing itself for three days of Track and Field at the Diamond Track

Facility, March 25, 26 and 27, 2026.