Saint Vincent and the Grenadines swept the male and female categories in the 14th CARICOM 10-Kilometer road race in Saint Lucia, Sunday 30th, June 2019 with female runner Linda Mc Dowald recording a hat trick of victories in the event.
Mc Dowald crossed the finish line in 40 minutes 40 seconds to add to earlier victories in the 12th and 13th editions, held in Guyana and Jamaica respectively. She also placed second in the 11th edition in Barbados, behind Guyanese Andrea Foster.
The second and third placed runners were also a repeat of last year, with Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal crossing in 41 minutes 32 seconds and Carlie Pipe of Barbados in 41 minutes 39 seconds.
In the male category, the Vincentian Junior Ashton moved up from third place in last year’s race to win in 34 minutes 22 seconds, ahead of Kalique St Jean of Antigua and Barbuda in 35 minutes 05 seconds and Justin Hodge of Anguilla in 35 minutes 09 seconds.
Dominica, Jamaica, Suriname, Anguilla and host Saint Lucia also competed.
In a supporting 5-K race for students, Tarrick Xavier of Vieux Fort Comprehensive and MicolPopote from the Gros Islet Secondary earned the top male positions. Zadie St Louis from Vieux Fort Comprehensive and Laurat-Lynn Limery of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College were the top performing females.
The event was witnessed by CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, who was joined for the presentation of prizes by his Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development, Dr Douglas Slater, Saint Lucia’s Ambassador to CARICOM Elma-Gene Isaac, Sports Director Patrick Mathurin, and Saint Lucia’s CARICOM Youth Ambassadors (CYAs).
The CARICOM 10-K is held annually around the July Meetings of CARICOM Heads of Government, aimed at fostering people relations while also promoting healthy living. Saint Lucia will host this year’s Heads of Government Meeting from Thursday 4th to Friday 5th July at the Sandals Grande Resort, with an Opening Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday 3rd July at the Royalton Saint Lucia Resort.