WITH the Western Championship qualifiers on in Montego Bay, the fourth staging of the Ben Francis Invitational meet in Hayes, Clarendon, takes on a more significant role as a host of top Corporate Area teams are expected to step up their qualification process as Champs draws closer.

But several Corporate Area teams will be left in the cold as the new proposed Corporate Area Development Meet scheduled for today, has been postponed.

The Ben Francis Meet is normally the penultimate development meet that will serve as a qualifier for Boys’ and Girls’ Championships set for March 25-29 and those schools that were depending on the Corporate Area Meet as qualifiers, received a major setback.

This has added to the previously cancelled Central Hurdles and Relays, plus the GC Foster Classic and many schools, especially those in the Corporate Area, might have problems qualifying all their athletes for Champs in time.

But it’s all set and go for the Ben Francis meet at the Vere Technical School grounds in which 2004 Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist and past student Aleen Bailey will be honoured.

Former principal Colonel Ben Francis, in whose honour the meet is named, will be the patron.

“Not only do these meets serve as a measure of fitness and readiness, but these meets are useful in that they set the stage for a meet, greet and compete scenario among the schools,” said Colonel Francis at the launch of the event.

Colonel Francis added that development meets provide students with the opportunity to share ideas and experiences while enjoying healthy competition.

Athletes will take part in the 70m hurdles Class Four (Girls), 100m hurdles Class Three (Boys), 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, 4X100m relays, 4X400m relays, 800m, 2,000m steeplechase, 3,000m (Girls), 5,000m (Boys), long jump, high jump, shot put and discus.

There will be several championship events with a $40,000 prize attached to it. The 2,000m steeplechase; 200m Class I female; 400m Class I male; high jump Class I female; the 4x100m Class I boys and 4x400m Girls Open.

A maximum of four athletes is allowed per class for each event and action will get under way at 8:30 am.