Carlie?Pipe continued her dominance among the women while young Joshua Hunte upstaged Jerome Blackett to stand highest on the runners’ podium as 384 athletes of all ages braved some early heat to compete in the Customs 5K Road Race and Walk yesterday.
The event began almost 35 minutes after the announced six o’clock start as the organizers accommodated late registrations.
The rising sun and heat might have affected the eventual times but certainly did not dim the enjoyment as the 247 runners and 137 walkers, ranging from six-year-old Savannah Corrigan to Brenda Farley, 79, started and finished.
Pipe was followed home in the women’s run by Elizabeth Williams, Liz Renondeau and Julia Coppin.
Hunte set a blistering pace from the time that Benny Rowe fired the gun to finish in 16:42 minutes with Blackett stopping the clock at 17:06. Raheem Skinner was third in 17:21 and Pius Emilien fourth with a time of 17:49.
Hunte, Skinner and Emilien also picked up additional prizes for capturing the first three spots in the 15-17 age groups. The 10-14 age group saw Nadico Smith taking the boys’ and Jeal Williams winning the girls. Shaquan Anderson won the boys’ under-10 while Sahara Gaskin took the girls’.
The walk was won by Rodney Blackman from Dudley Harewood while Matrid Griffith clinched the women’s section, beating favourite Lydia Albert into second.
The women’s walk produced the most fiercely fought battle as Sandra Murray pipped her BAMSAC teammate Angela Jackson on the line to capture third place.
The event was heavily subscribed by athletes from Elite Distance Programme, Crossfit Islandfit, BAMSAC, BDF Band and Surfside.