For Release Upon Receipt - October 31, 2007
St. Augustine
The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus will partner with First Citizens to host its signature UWI Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) International Half-Marathon on Sunday 4th November 2007. Over 1,000 local, regional and international athletes will compete for over TT$125,000 in prizes, including specific categories for UWI students and staff, University Students and wheelchair, as well as physically challenged competitors. A new category for First Citizens Bank staff members has also been added this year.
At the launch at First Citizens Corporate Centre, Queen’s Park West on the 10th September, Director of Sport and Physical Education, Dr Iva Gloudon, confirmed that returning champions Ernest Kemeli and Jemima Sumgong would compete with several local and international runners on race day. The only traffic-free race of its kind in the region, the UWI SPEC International Half Marathon has increased in participation both locally and internationally since its inception in 2004. The participation grew from 300 in 2004, to 600 in 2006.
Once again, this year’s race will be electronically timed and any records broken in this AIMS-certified, and International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF)-accredited race will be recognised worldwide. Additionally, the UWI SPEC International Half Marathon has been recognised by the National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) as its official half marathon championship.
This year, by simply presenting valid picture identification and paying a registration fee at any First Citizens’ branch throughout Trinidad and Tobago, local participants have had the added convenience of registering for the UWI SPEC International Half Marathon.
The 13.1 miles route remains unchanged; the race will begin at the UWI SPEC at 6:00 a.m. and continue along the traffic-free Priority Bus Route (PBR) to the La Resource junction in D’Abadie, before doubling back to the UWI SPEC. The course will be complete with markers and water stops at every mile for the running convenience of the athletes from around the world including the Caribbean, Kenya, USA, Latin America and Russia.
This year a large field of runners—including students from the UWI Cave Hill (Barbados) and Mona (Jamaica) campuses—have confirmed their interest in taking part in this premier event in Caribbean long distance running, including regional runners Curtis Cox and Pamenos Ballantyne.
Registration has already been closed and there will be no registration on race day.