The USA is set to bring the largest contingent of runners for the 2023 staging of the Reggae Marathon: Half Marathon & 10K event set for Negril from December 1 to 3, while Jamaica will have the second largest number of participants this year.
Twenty-five countries have already registered to be in Jamaica for the world-renowned race, including Austria, Bahamas, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and USA.
“The excitement is building. We cannot wait to welcome these runners and walkers to our beautiful island of Jamaica. In fact, the event has become a calendar event not only for the fact that it is hosted to international standards, but because of the beauty of the Negril beachfront and the weather,” said Mr. Alfred Francis.
As of this year, the annual run and walk event, known as Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K, will no longer offer an in-person marathon race.
According to Mr. Francis, it had become necessary to restructure the event as “we have been constantly challenged to provide the same level of runner care to our marathoners as those participating in the Half Marathon & 10K events. “
He said discussions regarding the change had been on the table for some time, but the Board of Directors of the world-renowned sporting event took the decision to offer the marathon virtually, while keeping the in-person Half Marathon & 10k event as part of the local brand’s offerings.
“Of course, we are disappointed that we have had to discontinue the marathon race of this popular run/walk. With this change, we can now focus comfortably on providing the best experience for the participants in our Half Marathon & 10k events, as well as to our supporters and partners", Mr. Francis said.
Many runners from Europe, Canada and USA have opted to participate in the virtual marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K events and will submit the results of their race to receive the race swag, consisting of a race bag, T-shirt, and a medal.
Participants in this year’s Half Marathon & 10K in Negril can expect a fun event in the company of repeat runners from all over the world, many of whom have become friends.
Race Day will also feature the Silver Birds Steel Band and popular Reggae artiste, Yaksta, as part of the fun.
On-line registration for the Half Marathon & 10K races will remain open until November 30, while on-location registration in Negril will continue on December 1 and 2.
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
Smith produces season’s best to win long jump at Texas Invitational
Texas junior Ackelia Smith produced an NCAA leading performance to take top spot on day one of the Texas Invitational at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday.
The 22-year-old reigning NCAA champion produced a season’s best 7.10m, her first jump over 7m this season, to win ahead of Trinidadian Puma athlete Tyra Gittens (6.72m) and UTSA’s Ida Breigan (6.65m).
This is a welcome return to form for Smith who suffered a torn hamstring at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.
Smith was Jamaica’s national champion in the long jump in 2022 and was a finalist in both the long and triple jump at that year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Paulino extends 400m winning streak to seven in Shanghai
Dom Rep’s Marileidy Paulino followed up her triumph at the season’s Diamond League opener in Xiamen last week with another victory at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday.
The reigning World champion produced 50.89 to win ahead of American Talitha Diggs who ran 51.77 and Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams who ran 52.00 in third.
Paulino’s winning streak in the 400m has now stretched to seven races.
It was déjà vu in the women’s 100m hurdles as reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn just pipped World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton on the line, just as it played out in Xiamen last week.
Camacho-Quinn ran 12.63 compered to Charlton’s 12.64. Two-time World champion Danielle Williams was third in 12.74.
The men’s 110m hurdles saw American Daniel Roberts get his second win in a row to kick off the Diamond League season. His winning time was 13.12, comfortably ahead of Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.23) and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment’s season’s best 13.26.
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