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December 2008
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COOL RUNNINGS :
Uganda and Guyana lead the way in UWI SPEC International Half Marathon
Uganadan runner Nicholas Kipruno has won the UWI SPEC International Half
Marathon 2008. he twenty year old athlete took home gold in a time of
1hour, 5 minutes and 35 seconds, more than two minutes ahead of his
competitor, Cleveland Ford of Guyana (1:08.22) and Pamenos Ballantyne of
St Vincent and the Grenadines (1:08.53). Last year it was USA runner
George Towett who won the race trophy and US $2000 cash prize in a time
of 1:05:13.
 In
fact, the overcast weather conditions also proved favourable for Anika
Morgan. The eighteen year old Guyanese runner is one of the youngest to
win gold in the Open/International Female category in a time of 1hour 27
minutes and three seconds. She took the title away from defending
champion, Shermin La Saldo, who brought home silver for Trinidad and
Tobago (1:27:46) in 2008. Last year La Saldo’s winning time was much
faster, with 1:27:17. Tanice Barnett of Jamaica placed third.
In The University of the West Indies Student category, Tanice Ballantyne
from the UWI Mona Campus in Jamaica, emerged as the winner in the Female
category in a time of 1:28:51, with Brian Maynard retaining his title
and winning first place in the Male category on his home ground.
In the UWI Staff category, lecturer Denise Demming emerged as the winner
for the women, in a time of 2:45:43 with Darrin Grenade wining first
place in a time of 1:25:24 for the men.
Although both runners can claim faster times in the Over 80 Category
last year, they defended their titles this year, with Granny (Lynette)
Lucess taking home first place in a time of 3:27:47 for the women; and
Charles Spooner also winning first place in a time of 3:14:13 for the
men.
Over 700 athletes took part in the November 2nd race, one of the most
popular events on the athletic calendar, with over $120,000 in prizes in
a myriad of categories. Presenting sponsors First Citizens once again
partnered with UWI donating $350,000 to the event in 2008.
“First Citizens joins with UWI SPEC in the nurturing of a dream, a dream
that positions this halfmarathon as the premier race of its kind in our
region,” Manager, Group Corporate Communications, Dexter Charles stated
recently.
The Corporate Sponsor, the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago also
supported the ‘green’ race, as well as Blue Waters, the official water
of the race. Mrs. Patricia Charles, Race Coordinator, who initially
thought of ‘greening the race’, explained that over 25,000 plastic water
bottles used by athletes as they ran along the traffic-free Priority Bus
Route were collected for recycling. Twenty large garbage bins and 2000
garbage bags, donated by Rotoplastics Trinidad Limited, were placed in
high traffic locations around the UWI Sport and Physical Education
Centre SPEC) venue and bus route. The plastic bottles have been given to
a local company for processing.
This commitment to recycling was praised by UWI Professor, John Agard.
The Faculty of Science and Agriculture lecturer and former Head of the
Environmental Management Agency, who officially started the race. He
posited that it is important for UWI to become a leader in recycling,
reuse, conservation and protecting the environment. |
