Winston Keyes (left), meet director Covenant/PediaSure Over Distance Prep School, accepts the symbolic cheque for $350,000 from Joelle Bernard (right), sales and marketing manager, Cari-Med Ltd, during the media launch at Cari-Med office yesterday. Also in photograph are Marvia Wilson (second left), principal of Covenant Christian Academy; Rachel McKenly (centre), Jamaica International Insurance Company representative, and Claude Braithwaite, sales manager, Northern Caribbean Region Abbott Nutrition International. - Contributed

Cari-Med Limited handed over a $350,000 cheque for the 14th staging of the Coven-ant/PediaSure Over Distance Prep Schools' meet yesterday.

The meet is set for Saturday, April 13 at the Jamaica College school grounds, starting at 8:30 a.m.

Some 25 preparatory schools are down to participate in the one-day meet, which is sanctioned by the Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA).

Winston Keyes, meet director, said the event started on April 13, 2000 with nine schools and has grown to 28 eight years later. Now for this year's renewal, the meet has attracted 25 schools.Vaz Prep are the defending champions.

Keyes gave the overview at the media launch at the head office of sponsor Cari-Med on Lady Musgrave Road, St Andrew, yesterday. He explained that the meet is called Over Distance because "We make the kids do a little bit more. For example, in a 400 metres race, athletes will run a distance of 500 metres".

"It takes cash to care, so thanks to the sponsors for making the meet possible. Without them there would be no meet, so I want to underscore the value of the sponsors," Wayne Robinson, chairman of JISA, said.

He added that sports is big business nowadays, so parents should encourage their children to participate in sports.

"It is important to balance academics and sports, which would make a better individual as some things like teamwork are not taught in the classroom. "The parents should help to organise the children's time," Robinson said.

The JISA chairman reminded the coaches not to burden the athletes at such an early age but to let them enjoy whatever they wanted to do.

"The coaches must encourage the athletes to compete in their event, whether they win or lose. It should be about the athletes enjoying themselves."

Claude Braithwaite, sales manager, Northern Caribbean Region, Abbott Nutrition International, and Allison Dexter, senior brand manager, Cari-Med Ltd, also spoke at the function.