Even the cheerleaders run fast in Jamaica.

This year marks the one hundreth anniversary of the first boys' competition. The likes of Herb McKenley, Don Quarrie and Usain Bolt took their first steps to greatness here, and in recent years, have been joined by 'girls' like Merlene Ottey and Shelly-Ann Fraser.

For nearly two and a half hours, some of the competitors sat around the edge of the track watching dancers in red and green cloaks, and ankle length multi-coloured dresses,perform the opening ceremony. Some of us were even dancing in the aisles as the Jamaican military band made way for a South African dance troupe and then local stars like Etana, Ding Dong and DJ Nicholas.

Four days of intense competition is now underway, and come Saturday there will be 30 thousand people cheering the students on. Saturday's one thousand grandstand tickets sold out in half an hour - such is the desire to see the stars of the future and, in many cases, re-live rivalries from school days.

The police have refused permission for any pre- or post-Champs parties this year, in an attempt to avoid the violence and hooliganism that has blighted the event in recent years. And there's been a bit of a spat about the safety of the stadium, as well. The Bob Marley National Stadium was built to host the 1966 Commonwealth Games, and even though it has seen better days, those who run the stadium were less than impressed when the Mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie told the Jamaica Observer newspaper that it was a "death trap." He said Champs wouldn't have been allowed to take place there if it hadn't been such an auspicious year, which is hardly reassuring, but may not worry too many when a potential future Olympic champion is powering down the home straight on Saturday.

We will have all the flavour of Champs, as we ask Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser why Jamaica dominates the sprinting world, on Sportsworld, which comes live from the capital Kingston on both Saturday and Sunday.