RACE 5k walk/run event exceeds expectations

A 5km walk/run held last Sunday afternoon by JAMpro Entertainment, dubbed Running Against Criminal Elements (RACE), was a success, says chief organiser Julius Morgan.

Sunday’s 5k walk/run event was routed from the Sion Hill Intersection on to Murray’s Road into capital Kingstown. Runners/walkers then moved along Bay Street to Rose Place, and headed to Ottley Hall, via the area popularly known as “Nine Steps”.

RACE, according to Morgan, was another of the means of public acknowledgement of the Ottley Hall/ Edinboro communities, which over the years have been stigmatised by incidences of criminal activities.

RACE attracted a wide range of participation from schools, clubs, fitness groups, as well as groupings from within and attached to the RSVG Police Force.

Taking the Male Open category was Junior Ashton of Xcel Sport Club, whose time was 17 minutes 00:28 seconds, with IT- DAT Sports Academy’s Akani Slater, second and Ryan John, also of IT-DAT Academy, placing third.

Winning the Female Open category was IT- DAT Academy’s Linda Mc Dowall, who recorded a time of 19 minutes 52.36 seconds. Second to Mc Dowall was Shantel Compton of the Police Training School, with Rochelle Glasgow of the Coast Guard Services, third.

Desroy Jordan of Georgetown Secondary School in 18 minutes 41:28 seconds, won the Male Under-20 category, ahead of Handal Roban of St. Vincent Grammar School and third was Enriko Wilson of Sandy Bay Secondary School.

In the Female Under-20 segment of the event, Tamara Woodley of IT-DAT Sports Academy trumped with a clocking of 25 minutes 31.93 seconds, with her teammate Keifer Bailey in second place and third was Odesha John of Dr JP Eustace Memorial Secondary, finishing third.

Meanwhile, Lemron Mason of Ottley Hall was his community’s awardee, as he was the first to complete the distance in 19 minutes 54.31 seconds.

Likewise, Harris Grant of Edinboro, who took 22 minutes 18.31 seconds, won the other community prize that was at stake for the two locales. And, in the veterans’ category, the top male was Roger Young, whose clocking was 22 minutes 44.03 seconds, with Joonyah Garrick in second spot.

Norma Laurent won the top female veteran. Her time was 55 minutes 46.00 seconds. Cash awards were presented to the top awardees.