Last year's event was cancelled due to the resurfacing of the synthetic track, but this year's event promises intrigue with a number of interesting individual battles set to take place.

"I think we'll see some good performances this year, especially coming off the recent performances by athletes at the CARIFTA games,'' said Bermuda School Sports Federation administrator Clint Smith yesterday.

Impending duels appear likely between jumpers Stephen Woodley and Rohaan Simons as well as middle distance runners Michael Donawa and Sharrieff Taylor.

All are grouped in the Over 15 age bracket with Woodley the star attraction on the tails of his double medal performance at CARIFTA in Barbados in the high jump (gold) and triple jump (bronze).

Still he will have to deal with Simons, his school-mate at Warwick Secondary.

"He (Simons) and Woodley can be expected to battle and on any given day anyone can win,'' noted Smith. "There is no lack of competition or love lost between those two.'' Meanwhile, Donawa possesses a clear edge over Taylor in the distance events and it will be up to the latter to prove that the talent gulf is not that great and that he indeed does belong on the same track as his fellow Berkeleyite.

Donawa, on the other hand, will be looking to add to his rapidly growing legacy and add more titles to the Bank of Butterfield Mile title won earlier in the year.

He also has the spectre of older brother Jay and his various successes looming over him, but that cloud appears to be diminishing as the latest of the Donawa clan continues to make giant strides of his own.

On the girls side there are the likes of Warwick Academy's Monique Hunt in the Over 15 sprints and long jump, Jarita Dill of Bermuda High School in the distance events (Under 15) and another sprint sensation Gina Cann in the Under 15's.

Berkeley, which has dominated the team events in the past, can once again be expected to do well, but Smith noted that the gap is closing.

"One of the interesting concepts is that a lot of the top young athletes are spread about the Island where before you had a lot at one school,'' said Smith.

"We always expect a school like Berkeley, which is a big institution, to do well as sheer numbers alone gives them an edge. But that is not to take away from their talent, because they do have some very outstanding athletes.''