News Releases

UWI launches International Half-Marathon 2012

For Release Upon Receipt - October 3, 2012

St. Augustine


The Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) of The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus, prepares to host its signature UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon on Sunday 28th October, 2012, with First Citizens as the presenting sponsor.

The race will commence at the UWI SPEC from 6am, with the 13.1 mile route remaining unchanged. The race will 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, USA, Latin America and Europe.  

This year’s race has an added dimension. The UWI SPEC has partnered with the Ministry of Health to provide screenings for certain Chronic Non-communicable Diseases (CNCDs) to supporters during the race. Stations will be set up at specific locations along the race route to encourage onlookers to visit and have their CNCD screenings.

Over 1,000 local, regional and international athletes will compete in the 2012 race, including specific categories for UWI students, UWI staff, and physically challenged competitors. The Half-Marathon, which is the only traffic-free race in the region, has grown tremendously from 300 participants at its inception in 2004 to 1,000 in 2010.

The race will be electronically timed. Any records broken in this Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)-certified, and International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF)-accredited race will be recognised worldwide. Another important feature is the recognition and sanctioning of the UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon by the National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA).

Race registration began on September 17th and continues until 5pm on October 17th for local runners, and 5pm on October 10th for international runners. Local runners can register at any branch of First Citizens, while international runners can register online at the Half-Marathon’s website (http://sta.uwi.edu/spec/marathon/international.asp). Registered participants can collect their packages at the UWI SPEC from October 8th-22nd, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm each day. International registrants can also collect their packages on the day of the race.

For more information contact The UWI SPEC at (868) 662-2002 Ext. 82660, or 83556 or specinfo@sta.uwi.edu.

For the latest UWI News, click http://sta.uwi.edu/news.

About UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

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