After two years of postponement due to the COVID 19 pandemic, 610 participants turned out for the 39th edition of the SportsMax Run Barbados Series which started at Barclay’s Park, St Andrew yesterday.
It was the first time the event had been held on the east coast of the island.
Kenyan Alex Ekesha won the Sand Dunes 10k Run with a time of 34 minutes 30 seconds. Completing the podium was Barbadian duo Joshua Hunte and Shamel Maynard at 35:24 and 37:16, respectively.
A time of 40:18 earned four-time Barbados National Triathlon men’s champion Oein Josiah a fifth place finish.
Ekesha said he enjoyed competing in the race as part of his preparation for Sunday’s Morgan Lewis Marathon, but had some issues with the course.
“I’m so happy. It’s so good that I came in and won the race. Unfortunately there were some hiccups. At some points the road was not that good because I think it was dug up so I think they need to do some things to rectify that for next time,” he said.
Those views were echoed by Hunte, winner of the 2019 Gynathon 5kWalk/Run.
“This location is great for tourism, it’s great for a fete, it is not ideal for a run. The surface is bad and quite uneven and to be honest there were some mistakes made in the planning which can be corrected,” said the former CARIFTA Games 5
The 298 participants at the start of the 5K run.
000m runner.
“They have to pave the road if they want to host it here again and organise the start times of each event better so that there is less bobbing and weaving for the faster athletes. Overall it was a good event, but bittersweet.”
Hunte will be back on Sunday in the Morgan Lewis Half Marathon.
Natasha Wodak from Canada won the women’s 10k with 35:57, two minutes ahead of Frenchwoman Felix Hermiarintosa (37:44) and Barbadian Carlie Robinson came third with 43:18.
In the Men’s Round Rock 5k Run, Barbadians Fynn Armstrong and Luke McIntyre came first and second respectively, finishing with times of 17:30 and 17:43. Great Britain’s Paul Freary completed the podium with 18:04.
A time of 20:20 was enough for Canada’s Victoria Shaw to win the women’s 5K run. Barbadian Laila McIntyre and Lisa Smith from Great Britain wrapped up the top three on times of 22:03 and 22:23, respectively.
On Sunday, the Morgan Lewis Marathon and Half Marathon begin at Barclay’s Park at 5:30 a.m., the Infra Rentals Casuarina 3K race starts at 5:50 a.m., the Sleeping Giant 7K race at 5:52 a.m. and finally, the Joe’s River 5K walk at 7:20 a.m. (JC)
Some of the 610 medals for all of the day’s participants held by volunteers working for Visit Barbados.