Skilled and novice runners from throughout the Caribbean will converge on Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Saturday, July 5, for the eagerly anticipated Eighteenth CARICOM Road Races, a marquee sporting occasion held at the side of the forty ninth Common Assembly of the Convention of Heads of Authorities of CARICOM.
Set towards the scenic backdrop of the Rose Corridor shoreline, this yr’s occasion will function three race classes: a 10-kilometre (10K) open run, a 5K run, and a 5K stroll, all kicking off at 6:30 a.m. EST from the Montego Bay Conference Centre in St. James.
The CARICOM Street Races kind a part of the regional bloc’s ongoing push to advertise wholesome life and lift consciousness about non-communicable ailments (NCDs). Talking forward of the occasion, CARICOM Secretary-Common Dr Carla Barnett pressured the worth of bodily exercise as a software for regional well being promotion.
“On Saturday, 5 July, the Area’s well-known athletic prowess might be on show…this annual occasion is a part of regional efforts to focus on the significance of bodily train to good well being and high quality of life,” Dr Barnett mentioned.
Davion Leslie, Programme Supervisor for Human Useful resource Growth on the CARICOM Secretariat, echoed these sentiments, including, “The CARICOM Races replicate Member States’ dedication to leverage the combination motion to foster a tradition of well being and wellness throughout the Area.”
High finishers within the 10K occasion will stroll away with money prizes of USD 1,000 for first place, USD 500 for second, and USD 250 for third. The CARICOM Chairman’s Trophy (Male) and the CARICOM Secretary-Common’s Trophy (Feminine) will even be up for grabs within the 10K class.
Final yr’s race was cancelled resulting from Hurricane Beryl’s influence on Grenada. Nonetheless, the 2023 version, held in Guyana, noticed Attoya Harvey of Guyana declare prime feminine honours, whereas Nicholas Romany of Trinidad and Tobago led the lads’s discipline. Trinidad and Tobago additionally dominated the male podium, with Donnel Francis and Tafari Waldron securing second and third locations.
The CARICOM Street Races are open to all female and male athletes—skilled or novice—who’re nationals of CARICOM Member States and Affiliate Members. Past medals and trophies, the occasion is seen as a celebration of Caribbean unity and a platform to advertise wholesome residing throughout the area.
