SHAYNE FAIRMAN, STAR Writer

SOME 1,200 young athletes will compete at the 2015 JTA/Sagicor National Primary Schools Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on May 15 and 16.

Approximately 800 primary, all age and junior high school levels will face off at the highly-compact showpiece.

Several of the island's top athletes have competed at the Championships.

Nesta Carter, ranked fifth fastest sprinters of all time, high jumper Germaine Mason, who captured silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and 400m hurdler Markino Buckley, who has a best of 48.50 seconds, six-time Olympic Gold medallist Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, many-time world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Brigitte Foster Hylton, and Kerron Stewart have also competed there.

Next month's championship is sponsored to the tune of $5 million by Sagicor, while the JTA Cooperative Credit Union sponsored $1.4 million.

Collin Spence, chairman of the national sports committee, considers the championships unique.

"Critically, this meet is paramount to identifying and exposing the athletic talents of our country," he said.