SECONDARY SCHOOL track and field athletes will have a packed schedule beginning at the end of September with a middle distance league.

The Secondary Schools track and field season was launched at the Central Bank Auditorium in Port of Spain, on Tuesday.

Many announcements were made including a name change from the TT Secondary School Track and Field Association to Secondary School Track and Field (SSTF).

President of SSTF Joseph Brewster, explaining the name change, said, “The name change talks about what we do…we are not just an association, but we do Secondary School track and field.”

Brewster said the new name is shorter and easier to remember.

A middle distance league will run off on September 25 at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain with a cross-country run.

SSTF is also trying to make events more accessible.

Following the cross-country, three cross runs will be held. One will take place in north Trinidad, one in south Trinidad and the other one in Tobago.

The two cross runs in Trinidad will be held on the same day and the event in Tobago will run off shortly after.

The difference between a cross-country and a cross run is a cross-country occurs on grass and the cross runs take place on different surfaces.

In November the athletes will be on a break, before three 5K events are held simultaneously in December in North, South and Tobago.

“The reason for that is to bring the 5K closer to people. For example, we would not have students from South travelling to North for a 5K,” Brewster said.

The middle distance league includes a one-mile run in January, also in North, South and Tobago.

Brewster said athletes will earn points for top performances in each event and winners will be awarded at the end of the league.

[caption id="attachment_972981" align="alignnone" width="759"] Secondary Schools Track and Field president Joseph Brewster shows their new logo during the launch of the 2022/2023 season at the Central Bank Auditorium in Port of Spain, on Tuesday. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]

Members of the public, university students and teachers/educators can also compete.

The action does not stop there as the North Regional, South Regional and Tobago Regional meets will happen in early 2023.

The events will be named after TT athletes.

The North Regional meet will be called the Walcott, Lendore, Ahye Regional Championships. It is named after TT athletes Keshorn Walcott, Deon Lendore and Michelle-Lee Ahye.

The South/Central Regional meet is being named the (Jereem) Richards, (Machel) Cedenio, (Cleopatra) Borel Regional Championships.

The Tobago Regional meet will be known as the (Akeem) Stewart, (Renny) Quow, (Kelly-Ann) Baptiste Regional Championships.

The top athletes will qualify for the National Championships in March.

One of the highlights of the calendar is in February at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.

Brewster said, “The marquee event for next year is the International Invitational Schools Relay…that is where we inviting schools from around the region to co