Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Tamica Thomas of G.C. Foster College of Physical Education celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the fifth staging of Radio2 Kingston Half Marathon, which started and finished at Emancipation Park, New Kingston on Sunday. Thomas won in 1:35.16. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
LION HEART Track Club's Wainard Talbert and Tamica Thomas of G.C. Foster College of Physical Education admitted scoring easy wins while retaining their Radio2 Kingston Half Marathon titles.
In the event that started and ended at Emancipation Park, New Kingston on Sunday, Talbert beat the Bellefield male relay quartet but the Edwin Allen female quartet was somewhat of a different proposition for Thomas.
Talbert, coached by Edward Hector, founder of Lion Heart Track Club, won in 1:14.17 ahead of Shawn Pitter (1:14.36), who tracked him towards the end, Jamaica Defence Force's (JDF) Phillip Edwards (1:16.16), Ebony's Andrew Gutzmore (1:16.20) and Hurley Stewart of JDF (1:17.46).
Talbert said it was a challenging race at one point as "Pitter was pressuring at the eight-mile mark, but I just maintained my form".
HAPPY
He continued: "I am 100 per cent happy with that time and I have to thank the Almighty Father God and everybody who put on the race."
Fans were anticipating a big showdown between Talbert and Rupert Green who won the Jamaica Half Marathon Trial, but the former hurt his knee during warm-up and pulled out just before the start.
Talbert believes he still would have won had Green competed.
In taking her second straight Radio 2 Half Marathon title Thomas recorded a reasonable 1:35.16 to beat Anmarie Shaw (1:44.40), Windalco's Nadine Henry (1:45.23), Carlene Blairgrove (1:47.46) and Hilda Baker (1:47.50).
Thomas hinted that she missed the challenges of Areita Martin and Marrecia James, her teammates at G.C. Foster.
"It wasn't difficult, I didn't have any competition ... I just went out there and did it by myself."
As for the time, she said: "I am pretty comfortable ... I think if I had competition I would run a better time."
The winners each walked away with $10,000 in cash and trophies, a weekend at Sans Souci, a return ticket to any Caribbean destination or Miami, gift package from Tang, and a 20-piece dinner set.
Meanwhile, Bellefield won the High School boys relay in 1:14.38 ahead of Holmwood (1:14.4) and Edwin Allen (1:16.27), while Edwin Allen with Marvia Lewin, Karone Miller, Tudy-Ann Williams and Jodian Richards took the female title in 1:27.09 ahead of Vere (1:27.29) and Holmwood (1:29.16).
EDWIN ALLEN THE CHAMPION SCHOOL
Overall (male and female) Edwin Allen took the champion school prize of a trophy, computer compliments of Cyber Media, plus the coach's prize of a Pullman Travel case/bag courtesy of Lerner Shops.
Holmwood were second and they got a Panasonic microwave oven from Learner Shops.
The second half of the "Jamdammers & the No Violence One Love Grand Prix Series" continues this Sunday with the Ministry of Health (MoH) 5K and ends with the Burger King 10K on Sunday, November 20.
