It was a packed and competitive field in the 5K Run.

It was a packed and competitive field in the 5K Run.

ICBL challenge attracts over 3 600

 

Although summer is upon us and the mornings are not as cool as they come earlier in the year, thousands braved the heat on National Heroes Day yesterday for the 2016 edition of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Ltd. (ICBL) Family Walk and Run. With 5K and 10K courses being taken on just after 6:00 a.m. under the theme ‘Stride for Pride’, the event struck up record numbers as an unprecedented 3 600 registered participants crossed the line.
 
With 85 – 10K runners, 740 – 5K runners and close to 2 800 – 5K walkers beginning and ending at ICBL’s Roebuck Street headquarters, this year’s installment culminated with a massive extravaganza which saw patrons treated to sponsors’ product exhibitions and give-aways, zumba and fitness sessions as well as a martial arts demonstration.
 
Speaking to The Barbados Advocate, Corporate Communications Specialist, Randy Howard explained that it is believed that the large influx came out of the corporate programme which saw groups of 30 or more having their company and group logos printed on the shirts at no extra cost. 
 
“Last year we had about 2 300 individuals. This year, as of the count last night (Wednesday), we were just over 3 600. So to jump by 1 300 individuals in one year shows that the outreach activity that we took on this year, definitely worked. We did a few things differently. We brought on the addition of a corporate package for the for large groups,” he explained.
 
The road belonged to the younger runners this year and Hakeem Newton was the first person back home with a time of 18.26 minutes in the 5K run. The top-three was very close as Coleridge and Parry and national CARIFTA athlete Jonathan Jones was second in 18.36, while Pius Emilien clocked 18.44 seconds. In the 10K, Oein Josiah ran 38.35 minutes in his first outing at that distance for the year. Jerome Blackett was good for 39.04 minutes in second, and third place went to Gregory Mayers (39.51 minutes). (MP)

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