The Tribune

THE quest for a 24th consecutive Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championship got off to a promising start for the perennial meet champions after a customary point total on day one. The St Augustine's College Big Red Machine posted 414.50 points to lead the field at the end of the first day of the meet at the new $30m Thomas A Robinson stadium. The three-day meet continues 9am today. Just 23 points separates the Big Red Machine from the Queen's College Comets who posted 391.50 points. Last year, the Big Red Machine led by 95 points after day one en route to capturing their 23rd title. The St Anne's Blue waves currently sit in third with 150 points, the Temple Christian Suns are fourth with 85 points, St John's College Giants fifth with 81.50, the St Andrew's Hurricanes are sixth with 80.50 points and Jordan Prince William posted 56.50 points. The Big Red Machine leads six of the eight divisions while the Comets head the bantam boys and the junior boys divisions. SAC leads the bantam, junior, intermediate and senior girls divisions along with the intermediate and senior boys divisions. The Comets scored 32 points in the bantam boys division. The Bluewaves sit in second with 18 points and the Giants in third with 14 points. In the junior boys division, the Comets lead by 33 points, leaving the Big Red Machine and the Bluewaves to fight for second and third with 37 points and 29.50 points respectively. Just a three-and-half point difference separates the bantam girls division. The Big Red Machine has scored 45.50 points and the Comets 42 on day one, while the Hurricanes are in third with 19 points. The Big Red Machine and the Comets both remain in contention for the intermediate and senior divisions, both girls and boys. In the intermediate girls, only three points separates the two schools and eight points in the intermediate boys. The Suns are third in the intermediate girls with 15 points and the Bluewaves have 13 in the intermediate boys. SAC leads the other two divisions by more than 10 points. The senior girls have the Big Red Machine at 75 points, the Comets 42.50 points and the Bluewaves 36 points. In the senior boys, the Big Red Machine have a total of 67 points, Comets 49 points and the Suns 22 points.