00:00 With just a few weeks to go before the National Primary School Track and Field Championship takes place,
00:07 the Victoria Education District on Thursday hosted its district finals to select the best of their best to move forward.
00:16 Of the 84 primary schools in this district, they were broken up into seven zones for the March Past and Track events.
00:24 Lenguabarakpore, Claxton Bay Tortuga, San Fernando North, San Fernando East, Williamsville, Gasparillo and Laramayne Day Bay.
00:34 Public Relations Officer of the Victoria Education District's Sport Association, Robin Dean, tells TV6
00:42 they were thrilled to organise Thursday's district finals ahead of the national event
00:47 as it's the first time since the pandemic that the children are able to compete on that level.
00:54 They've been behind their laptops and computers since the unfortunate pandemic.
00:58 And now they're getting back to out there. In the past when you ask a student to play a sport, he'll say let's go meet on the field.
01:06 But these days when you say let's play sport, they ask you for your PS5 handle.
01:10 So we're trying to build back the fact that we come outside.
01:13 Dean says their district tries to foster discipline in sport with a focus on teamwork.
01:20 He says they try to encourage students and parents to understand the role sport can play in a child's overall development.
01:29 We just have to battle with parents saying they have SA to write so they're not going to run.
01:34 And we say that our top 100 or top performing SA always has a sport outlet.
01:41 I think that that balance of discipline in sport and education has to go hand in hand.
01:45 And we need to step back from the archaic knowledge that OK, sport is secondary to education.
01:53 We believe it could go hand in hand and better the discipline and focus.
01:57 He says not enough people see sports as a future.
02:01 And they have been trying to show their students that it can not only be a way of life, but a livelihood as well.
02:08 Victoria has had an unfortunate label as being the bookworms of the nation.
02:16 But we pride ourselves in sport.
02:18 Mr Chinepu, who is doing well at the recently concluded games, was one of our very own.
02:24 So we're trying to show that we can be bookworms and be fast as well.
02:28 We know that we need doctors and lawyers, but we are trying to make it clear that this is a livelihood, this is our way of life.
02:35 And the superstars on the field should be just as recognized.
02:39 The winners of Thursday's District Sports Day will move on to represent the entire Victoria Education District
02:47 at the National Primary School Track and Field Championship on May 22, 2024 at the Haisley Crawford Stadium.
02:56 Cindy Raghubar-Tikasingh, TV6 News.
03:00 [INAUDIBLE] And it looks like Santa [INAUDIBLE]
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