by Petra Williams

Competition intensified on Day two of the 2026 National Interschool Track and Field Championships at the YASCO Sports Complex, with defending champions Princess Margaret School (PMS) strengthening their hold on both divisions as the meet moved past its midway stage.

After 61 events, PMS sits comfortably at the top of the Girls’ Division with 139 points, opening a commanding lead over St Anthony’s Secondary School, which has accumulated 92.5 points. Pares Secondary School holds third position with 68 points, while Antigua Girls’ High School remains within reach of the podium on 56 points. All Saints Secondary School follows with 52 points, and Sir Novel Richards Academy currently occupies sixth place with 48 points.

Further down the standings, ABCAS has gathered 31 points, narrowly ahead of Ottos Comprehensive School with 30.5 points. Christ the King High School has accumulated 21 points, while Clare Hall Secondary School has 20 points. St Mary’s Secondary School sits on 8 points, followed by Island Academy with 7 points. Jennings Secondary School 5 points, Irene B. Williams Secondary School 4, and Sr McChesney George Secondary School round out the standings with 3 points.

The story is similar in the Boys’ Division, where Princess Margaret School also leads with 100 points, placing the defending champions firmly in control of the championship race.

St Joseph Academy currently sits in second place with 78 points, while Antigua Grammar School has surged into third position with 74 points, keeping the contest for the top places highly competitive. All Saints Secondary School holds fourth position with 66 points, followed by ABCAS on 56 points and Clare Hall Secondary School with 54 points.

Behind them, Pares Secondary School has accumulated 44 points, while Ottos Comprehensive School sits on 24 points and Jennings Secondary School on 22 points. St Anthony’s Secondary School has 18 points, Sir Novel Richards Academy 14, Island Academy 11, Irene B. Williams Secondary School 10, and Sr McChesney George Secondary School 5 points.

Records Broken

Beyond the team standings, Day Two produced several electrifying performances that rewrote sections of the championship record book and thrilled spectators at the YASCO Sports Complex.

In the Boys Under-15 100 metres, Garren Andrew of Clare Hall Secondary School sprinted to victory in 11.68 seconds, establishing a new Interschool record. Meanwhile, Tyra Fenton of St Anthony’s Secondary School delivered one of the meet’s fastest performances in the Girls Under-20 100 metres, clocking 11.50 seconds to break the existing (her previous) championship record. 

Field events also produced impressive marks, with Zonique Charles of Sir Novel Richards Academy breaking the Girls Under-17 Javelin record with a powerful throw of 46.05 metres. In the Boys Under-15 High Jump, Jaydon Gordon of St Joseph Academy cleared 1.52 metres, establishing another championship record. 

Perhaps the most electrifying run of the evening came in the Boys Under-17 400 metres, where Geron Henry of Princess Margaret School powered around the track in 48.77 seconds, setting a new championship record and surpassing the CARIFTA qualifying standard. 

Fenton later returned to the track to produce another outstanding performance, winning the Girls Under-20 400 metres in 53.27 seconds, once again rewriting the championship record books. In the Girls Under-20 High Jump, Jada Gunthropes of ABCAS equalled the championship record with a leap of 1.45 metres. 

Update from Meet Director
Speaking with Spectator Sports about the performances so far, Meet Director Heather Samuel, the Director of Sports, said the championships have already produced several promising displays from the nation’s young athletes.

“We had some really good performances from the athletes yesterday,” Samuel said. “Geron Henry was outstanding in the Under-17 boys 400, and Tyra Fenton has also been exceptional in both the 100 and 400 metres.”

Samuel also highlighted the emergence of other promising athletes, including Daniel Bailey Jr, who qualified for Carifta in the 100 metres, noting that the overall quality of competition continues to rise. “The competition on the track is hot, and we are expecting even more great performances as the championships continue,” she said.

With Saturday traditionally drawing the largest crowds, Samuel is encouraging the public to come out and support the athletes. “They deserve the opportunity to perform in front of big crowds,” she said. “We’re expecting more supporters in the stands and more great performances from the athletes.”

Samuel also acknowledged the support of sponsors and partners who have helped make the championships possible, including ACB Caribbean, Cool & Smooth, Joma Caribbean, INET, APUA, Subway, Sky Tiger, and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, which assisted with the Barbuda team’s participation.

With two days of competition remaining, the championships now enter their decisive phase. The points race is beginning to take shape, but several schools remain within striking distance. The final standings are far from settled. As the stadium prepares for its traditional Saturday surge of supporters, the nation’s young athletes will once again take the track chasing school pride, personal bests, and the possibility of writing their names into the record books.