It seems Jerome Blackett can be beaten – and beaten badly – in a road race after all.
In Sunday’s climax of the Cooperators General Insurance National Sports Council’s 5K Road Race Series, this season’s top man on the road was not only whipped but left in fifth place by a cadre of young talent.
Rashid Blackman took the event, which started at Cooperators’ headquarters in Collymore Rock and traversed the Wildey and Pine area returning to Cooperators, in 16.51 minutes.
Second place went to Joshua Hunte in 16.59, with Raheem Skinner third in 17.01 and Pius Emilien running home 22 seconds later, fourth. Showing obvious pain, Blackett finished in a time of 18.07.
Female champion Carlie Pipe, however, showed that she has no equal on the road, taking the women’s section in 20.21 minutes.
Second was 16-year-old Elizabeth Williams who finished in 21.02 ahead of Jane Evelyn (24.52) and Cheryl Edwards (25.37).
Several of the customary walkers were missing from the women’s category which was captured by Angela Jackson in 36.26. Kamila Griffith was second in 39.35, followed by Joanne rock 41.20 and Natalie Daniel 47.08.
The male section saw the usual suspects featuring prominently, with champion Rodney Blackman leading the way home in 28.14, followed by Dudley Harewood (28.52), Leroy Maynard (30.36) and Eon Mitchell (32.04).
The prizes were given out by Director of Sports Erskine King, and general manager of Cooperators, Anton Lovell. (KB)