Make that two in a row for Barbados’ top distance duo.
There’s just no stopping Jerome Blackett and Carlie Pipe after the two standout runners predictably won the men’s and women’s categories respectively of Sunday’s third leg of the Co-operators General Insurance 5K Road Race series on the Six Roads course.
It was the second win in as many events for both Pipe and Blackman, who both copped their first victories of the series on the Bridgetown circuit a race ago.
But the pace wasn’t nearly as blistering as last week’s flyer, with Blackett edging Pierre Stanford after running a pedestrian 17 minutes and 35 seconds – well off the 16:49 clocking he set last week.
Pipe, who finished ninth overall, came home in a time of 19:55 to relegate Elizabeth Renondeau (20:15) into second place again after her training partner got the better of her in the series’ first race in Speightstown.
“It’s always nice to win but at the same time we train together so I also want her to do well,” admitted Pipe moments after the race.
“Of course I’m happy with the win and it was a pretty good run, just not as quick as last week because the course was a little bit more challenging as it was hotter and there were more inclines.”
There was no such challenge for Blackett though, with the top local distance runner comfortably pacing himself through the race before using a strong kick to rid himself of Stanford some 75 metres away from the finish.
This was after Blackett and Pacers teammate Hakeem Newton led a five-man lead group that quickly separated itself from the rest of the field well before the race entered Emerald Park.
But Blackett and Stanford soon dropped them too, running much of the race stride for stride by themselves right up until the former turned on the afterburners to leave Stanford in his wake.
“I went into cruise control mode and I could see that he wasn’t looking to pass me so I was just waiting for the finish,” explained Blackett.
“Unfortunately, there wasn’t really the competition I was looking forward to but it was still very hot and humid so that proved challenging.”
Stanford eventually crossed the line second in 17:38 while Oein Josiah, the winner of the series’ first race, placed third after posting 18:08. Newton was fourth with a time of 19:11.
