IT’S ready, set, go for the third staging of the Ben Francis Invitational Track and Field Meet at the Vere Technical School ground in Hayes, Clarendon, starting 9:00 am today.

Three new events have been added to the programme in the javelin open for male and female, 100m hurdles for Class Three boys, and 70m hurdles for Class Four girls.

Six championships events for cash prizes of $40,000 will go to the winning school of the boys’ 4x100m, 400m, and 2,000m steeplechase, as well as the girls’ 200m Class One, high jump and 4x400m.

The other events include the shot put, long jump, discus, 400m hurdles, 800m, 5,000m, and 3,000m.

The organisers have chosen to honour alumna Merlene Ottey — one of the greatest female sprinters of all time — at this year’s event.

Ottey, 52, arrived in Jamaica on Monday for a week of activities that saw her receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Technology (UTech).

Most of the top schools, especially from the Corporate Area will be participating as they fine-tune their preparations for the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships set for March 12-16 at the National Stadium.

Admission to the Ben Francis meet will be adults $200, while children under-12 will pay $100.