FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jamaicans Dominate at Reggae Marathon 12
NEGRIL, Jamaica...December 2012 -- Defending Reggae Marathon champion,
Jamaica's Rupert Green, took home the Bob Marley trophy for the men's
marathon for the fourth consecutive year at the 12th staging of the event
in Negril on Saturday, December 1 in a run that lasted 2:35:06. Spain's
Mahamud Isidro Pilar took the Rita Marley trophy for women with a winning
time of 3:09:13.
The Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K which attracted over 1400
participants, also saw Jamaican Gregory McKenzie emerging as the fastest
man in the Half Marathon completing the race in 1:11:00, while American
Maria Morales took the women's Half Marathon title in 1:22:09.
Steeplechaser Mandrea Hyman, who has represented Jamaica repeatedly in the
Olympics and World Championships, made her Reggae Half Marathon debut,
finishing second to Morales in 1:25:18.
In the Reggae Marathon 10K which marked the finale of the Burger King Grand
Prix Series of road races,
Jamaicans Shawn Pitter (29:56) and Tanice Barnett (37:24) took the titles
with Bank of Jamaica winning the open team 10K edging out Advanced
Integrated Systems and the Financial Services Commission.
The hotly contested high school competition saw St. Jago High taking top
honours among the high school girls' teams, trouncing Holmwood Technical
and Edwin Allen. In boys' action, Bellefield topped Holmwood and St Jago.
High school teams will face off again on December 15 when they vie for
spots on the national team to compete in the North America, Central America
and Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country Championships which Jamaica will host
on January 26.
According to Reggae Marathon race director Alfred "Frano" Francis, "This
was our biggest and best year yet. The participation shows that Reggae
Marathon is growing from strength to strength and we must say a big thank
you to the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), the Negril
community, Jamdammers and all our sponsors and volunteers who continue to
help us to put on a world-class event."
Francis notes that in addition to bringing runners from all over the world
to experience Jamaica's beauty and culture, Reggae Marathon and the Grand
Prix series are promoting a healthy lifestyle while building Jamaica's
strength in middle and long distance running. "The world already knows what
Jamaica can do in sprinting, but Reggae Marathon shows the world that we
are expanding our reach and becoming a true running powerhouse."
Hosted by the Jamdammers Running Club of Kingston, Reggae Marathon has
become an international favourite with participants coming from home and
abroad to experience the world-renowned Pasta Party featuring Negril's best
chefs; and non-stop reggae music, the signature on-course entertainment
provided by local sound systems.
This year's event drew athletes from 36 countries and more than two dozen
local and international media houses.
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