Barbados Today

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, viewers both regionally and internationally will be able to view next month’s Barbados Secondary School’s Athletic Championships (BSSAC).

That will be the most notable change to this year’s event according to chairman of BSSAC’s organizing committee, Vasco Dash, who said he hoped the meet would finally be able to stream its broadcast live on the internet.

Speaking to the media during a press conference at the Barbados Olympic Association this afternoon, Dash said while they had been working to have the athletic championships streamed live over the past couple years, they were hopeful that goal would be realized at the upcoming event.

“We are hoping to get our streaming at BSSAC.org done this year. We have been trying over the last two years…we haven’t been totally successful but we are hoping to get that going this year so that those persons who can’t get to the stadium or those persons overseas who are interested in the meet can view the event,” he explained.

The other notable change to the five-day track meet – which will see the preliminary rounds being staged at the National Stadium from March 18 to 20, and the finals on March 26 and 27 –– will take place in some of the track and field events.

 BSSAC meet director, Dave Small revealed that both males and female athletes would now be throwing a lighter weight shot put.

He said the Under-15 girls would now be throwing a 3K shot put, while the Under-17 and Under-20 girls would throw 3.25K and 4K shot puts respectively.

Small added that the Under-20 boys would be throwing a 6K shot put, down from 6.25K.

Additionally the Under-15 boys will now be running 100 metre hurdles instead of the customary 80 metre hurdles.

Dash also disclosed they would be honouring persons who had contributed to the meet’s success over the years.

These include the late principal of Harrison College Winston Crichlow; former BSSAC chairman, Catherine Jordan; former meet director, David Oxley and Jackie Forde-Broomes.

Powerade will once again be the title sponsor and Bernard Frost, Marketing Manager of Banks Barbados Breweries Limited said he was extremely happy to once again be associated with the event.