4,000 participants a great accomplishment – Silvera

Sunday’s sixth staging of the MoBay City 5K/10K Walk and Run saw more than 4,000 people participating for the first time, and for Janet Silvera, chairman of the organising committee, this signals a great accomplishment.

The event, which was held at the Old Hospital Park on Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, saw some 4,145 participants.

“It is a great feeling, because up to two weeks ago we had only registered 2,300 people, and in two weeks we’ve doubled the numbers. You can imagine I was a bit worried; however, to now, this morning, see over 4,000 people in the park is a great accomplishment. I am heartened, as it shows that there are lots of people in Montego Bay that believe in the importance of tertiary education and education on a whole,” Silvera said on Sunday.

G.C. Foster College students successfully defended their titles, sweeping the top spot in all four runs.

Oshane Archibald took the 10K men’s race in 33:10.34 minutes, with Shanice Gordon capturing the women’s section in 44:03.92 minutes. The 5K was won by Garfield Gordon in 15:15.92 minutes for the men, with Kelly-Ann Beckford taking the women’s section in 18:55.04 minutes.

The 5K walk was captured by Duwell Allen in 24.56 minutes for the men’s section, while Patricia Grant took the women’s equivalent.

Silvera said that she believed this year was also one of the best runs.

“This year we will be able to give $5 million to education again, which will take us to some $24.5 million in six years. That is a feat that many persons who are doing all sorts of activities like this have not accomplished,” she said. “We feel like it is a significant accomplishment for us as a charity run, to be able to give so much back to the city. We couldn’t have done it without our main sponsors, Courts, Sandals, among others, who put their money where their mouths are.”

Commercial Director of Courts Jamaica Janet Sylvester said the company is happy to sponsor an initiative that will impact Jamaica’s future.

“We are quite pleased with the turnout today (Sunday), because it is in support of education that is such a strong pillar of our social corporate responsibility. We believe that an educated nation is essential for the future of this country, so for so many people to believe that running for that cause is important, we are happy to be a sponsor,” Sylvester said.