THE?ELITE?road running series in the land, Run Barbados, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this weekend.
Hometown fans will be expecting much from this country’s best – Jerome Blackett, Joshua Hunte and Mark Greenidge – in this afternoon’s 30th anniversary 10K to be run once more on the streets of Bridgetown.
The Powerade 10K, which attracted 313 runners last year, remains the major showpiece of the the three-day series, with the winner collecting US$1 500 while the first Barbadian earns BDS$1 000.
Last month, Blackett had a rare defeat, losing to the promising Rashid Blackman in the Cooperators General Insurance National Sports Council’s 5K Road Race, but for all of that, he remains the local favourite based on his form on the domestic circuit over the last two years.
He has been improving every year in the 10K. In 2010, he was 14th, in 2011, he was 11th and last year, he climbed to eighth place.
Blackett will be eyeing a place in the top six of an event that is expected to be dominated by the Kenyan Silas Kisorio, who is returning to defending the crown he won last year in 30 minutes, 58 seconds.
It is unsure whether Blackman will be racing this afternoon in the race that takes runners in and around the streets of the capital, but it is certain that Greenidge will once more contest the 10K and the half-marathon that is slated to start tomorrow morning at 5 at the Bay Street Esplanade.
Last year, Hunte (13th) and Greenidge (14th) were the second and third Barbadians to finish the 10K that had 292 finishers – 173 male and 119 female.
Leah Kigen of Kenya is the woman to watch this afternoon. Last year, she was the first female to cross the finish line in both the 10K and the half-marathon.
In 2012, highly touted schoolgirl Mary Fraser and national record-holder Sheena Gooding were the two fastest Barbadian women in the 10K and much is expected of them again.
Carlie Pipe, the most outstanding Barbadian woman on the road all season, is expected to line up in the half-marathon.
Jamaica made a major impact in the two marquee races last year with Shawn Pitter, Kirk Brown and Rupert Green taking third, fourth and fifth spots in the 10K. In the half-marathon Green was third and Browne, fourth.
Last year, 252 athletes entered the half-marathon, with 224 completing the 13-mile course.
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart will be attending the event. He will start both the 10K that is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. and the ICBL?3K set for 4:35 p.m.
