Guyanese athletes Jelicia Wright, Cleveland Thomas, and Timothy Smith, along with their coach Jonathan Fungudes, arrived in Jamaica on Friday ahead of today’s CARICOM 10K Road Race in Montego Bay.
The team, accompanied by General Secretary of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), James Cole, paid a courtesy call on the National Sports Commission (NSC) before departing Guyana.
Guyanese athletes Jelicia Wright, Cleveland Thomas, and Timothy Smith, along with their coach Jonathan Fungudes, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, and NSC Commissioner Christy Campbell before departing for Jamaica
There, they met with Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, and NSC Commissioner, Christy Campbell. Ninvalle disclosed that all expenses related to Guyana’s participation in the event were fully covered by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry and the National Sports Commission.
He noted that Guyana has had strong performances at the CARICOM 10K in previous years and expressed confidence that this year’s team would continue that tradition.
Ninvalle added that the Government of Guyana fully supports the athletes and, on behalf of the nation, wished them the best of luck in the “Land of Wood and Water”.
The 10K and 5K races, along with a 5K walk, will begin at 6:30 (Eastern Caribbean Time) from the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James.
The road races are among the fringe events being held in conjunction with the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr Andrew Holness.
The winner of the Open 10K Race will receive US$1,000, while the second- and third-place finishers will earn US$500 and US$250, respectively.
Additionally, the top male and female athletes in the 10K will be awarded the CARICOM Chairman’s Trophy (Male) and the CARICOM Secretary-General’s Trophy (Female).
The 2024 edition of the CARICOM Road Races was previously cancelled due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl on Grenada.
At the 16th CARICOM Road Races in 2023, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago dominated the podium. Guyanese distance runner Attoya Harvey won the overall female category and captured the CARICOM Secretary-General’s Trophy.
Samantha Shikla (Trinidad and Tobago) and Laura Lynn Limery (Saint Lucia) finished second and third, respectively.
Trinidad and Tobago swept the men’s division, with standout Nicholas Romany claiming the CARICOM Chairman’s Trophy. His compatriots Donnel Francis and Tafari Waldron secured the second and third positions.
