By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Martin
WAINARD Talbert and Areita Martin captured the respective male and female segments of the Jamdammers Grand Prix Road Race Series at yesterday's Ministry of Health 5K at Emancipation Park.
Holmwood Technical's Talbert scored his third successive win to extend his lead, while Martin made it to the joint front-running position alongside Tamica, over whom she scored an upset.
In the men's event, Talbert clocked 16 minutes and 10 seconds to beat off the challenges of second place Linton McKenzie (16.25) and Robert Watson (16.39), who ended third.
"I promised that I was going to run 14 minutes, but the route was very difficult," Talbert said. "It was mostly uphill, a few downhill and with three mistakes, things became more difficult for me."
With two races left in the Series, Talbert's win pushed him to 42 points, four ahead of McKenzie (38), while Jason Ellson (34), Hurly Stewart (30) and Andrew Gutzmore (26) complete the top five.
"My aim is to win this Grand Prix, I told myself that I can do it, because if I don't try I can't win," Talbert stated.
Martin of Ebony Club ended Thomas' (19.59) three-race winning steak on her way to clocking 19 minutes and 44 seconds then exclaimed afterwards:
"The time don't matter, what is important is the victory."
She added: "For the last two weeks I only trained twice but I was confident in my training, so I just came out and made sure I got the job done."
The win gives her a share of the lead on 40 points with Thomas, while Venessa Whittle (36), Lorain McKenzie (33) and Kay Ann Thompson (33) are not far behind.
In the 10-14 age group category, Trudy-Ann Williams (Edwin Allen), Yanique Brown (Red Hills All Age) and Marvia Lewin (Edwin Allen) took the top three positions respectively.
The 15-19 division was won by Thomas (Tacius Golding) ahead of team-mate Whittle and McKenzie (Edwin Allen) respectively; while Lorna Williams won the 40-49 segment ahead of second place Grace Cameron and Tioma Allison.
The 20-20 category was won by Martin ahead of Nadine Henry (Windalco) and World Junior Championships bronze medallist Sheryl Morgan (GC Foster) who finished third, while in the 30-39 category, Annita Level, Ann-Marie Shaw (Ebony) and Hilda Baker (Windalco) were the top three respective finishers.
On the male side, Asbourne Allen (Seaforth High) took honours in the 10-14 age group by beating Garnet Gordon (Claude McKay), while Stephen Nelson (Glengoffe High) claimed third.
The 15-19 category was won by Talbert ahead of Elleson (Porus) and Ricardo Edwards (Tacius Golding) respectively, while Robert Watson (Windalco), Evan Allen and Kevin Campbell claimed 1-3 respectively in the 20-29 section.
Stewart (JDF), Gutzmore (Ebony) and third place Winston Taylor (Mandeville Police Youth) led the finishers in the 30-39 age group, while the 40-49 category was topped by McKenzie ahead of Mark Ashby (It Dat Club) and third place Alan Beckford (Jamdammers).
