(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Guyana’s Cleveland Forde and Trinidad and Tobago’s Shermin Lasaldo ran away with US$1,200 and the top trophies as they emerged the champion male and female respectively at the fifth staging of the Annual CARICOM 10K Road Race in Guyana on Sunday.

Forde, who beat the reigning champion St Vincent and the Grenadine’s Pamenos Ballentyne into second place, finished the race in a time of 32.mins. 52secs and received the CARICOM Chairman’s Trophy; while Lasaldo finished ahead of Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal with a time of 40 mins.12 secs, also beating her teammate - last year’s second place winner, Christine Regis - into third place. In addition to her cash prize, she received the CARICOM Secretary-General’s Trophy. Trinidad and Tobago’s Curtis Cox maintained his third position. Four time winner Alika Morgan did not complete the race.

The second place finishers – male and female - in the big event, also received cash prizes of US$900 along with the HSD Trophy donated by the Human and Social Development Directorate of the CARICOM Secretariat, while the third place winners received cash prizes of US$700 and commemorative medals.

In the featured 5K event, Jamal Chisolm and Janella Jonas both of Guyana won the 16- 20 category, while Tishanna Doris and Daniel Bernard, also from Guyana, took the prizes for the 13-15 category.  Llewellyn Gardner won the Masters category of the 5K run and Chevez Sital and Rebicka Alexander took the Open category for the 10K.

The fifth CARICOM 10K Run was staged under the theme Health, Unity and Prosperity as part of the Community’s thrust to promote healthy lifestyles through physical activity.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Hon Dr Frank Anthony, observed that the Race was not just about planning a great event, but it was to underscore that physical activities were critical to health and wellness. As such, the Minister was of the opinion that the CARICOM Annual 10K Road Race should be used as a catalyst to galvanise people to recognise the importance of changing their lifestyle.

Moreso, he pointed to Sports and Culture as two ‘non contentious’ forces that should be propagated for the unification of the Region and noted that the CARICOM 10K event served to underscore the hidden potential sports held to unify the Region. “People to people’ contact is reinforced through sports and cultural activities. These kinds of activities should be given due prominence for their ability to promote regional integration,” the Minister reiterated.

Minister Anthony applauded the efforts of the participants, particularly the veterans, who he said had embraced the spirit of what the Region could do even at an advanced age. He also singled out for commendation, the youth who participated, noting that they too were leading the region in embracing a healthy lifestyle.

The Annual 10K Road Race is one of the major activities used to mark the Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas and is usually staged just prior to the start of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government of which its 30th Meeting is set to open on Thursday 2 July, in Guyana, where the first place winners of the 10K will be presented to the Community.

The fifth staging of this event was organised by the CARICOM Secretariat working in tandem with the Local Organising Committee led by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Athletic Association and was made possible with the kind sponsorship of Digicel, Trinidad Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited (GTM), First Caribbean International Bank (FCIB) Antigua and Barbuda, John Fernandes Insurance Services Limited, Ansa Mcal, Hand–in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Ltd, Laparkan, the North American Fire and General Insurance Ltd.( NAFICO), Banks DIH Ltd. and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org