Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

( L - R ) Wainard Talbert and Natoya Goule

Lion Heart Track Club's Wainard Talbert and Manchester High's Natoya Goule started the defence of their 2006 Foska/Jamdammers Road Race Grand Prix Series with victories at yesterday's Foska Oaks 5K.

The race, which took runners along Knutsford Boulevard, Trafalgar Road, Waterloo Road, West Kings House Road, Constant Spring Road, Half Way Tree Road before ending on Oxford Road, saw Talbert crossing the line in 16 minutes, 04.3 seconds while Goule secured the female section in 19 minutes, 18.9 seconds.

Top five finishers

Kemoy Campbell of Bellefield High (16:06.3), University of Technology's (UTech) Andre Drummond (16:32.8), Jamaica Defence Force's (JDF) Phillip Edwards (16:39.2) and Jason Saunders of Jamalco Track Club (16:.44.4) rounded off the top five finishers.

Talbert, winner of the series for the past four seasons, said yesterday's race was difficult.

"I was under a lot of pressure during the first half of the race, and even the latter part was challenging," he said.

"In the last few metres I had to sprint to the finish line, because Campbell was pressuring me," said Talbert, winner of the $7,500 first prize.

Tanice Bennett who recently returned home from studying overseas (20:12.0), Arieta Martin of G.C. Foster College (20:14.8), Rosemarie Aldridge of Bellefield (20:15.1) and Tamica Thomas (20:27.4) completed the women's top five.

Despite finishing far ahead of her rivals, Goule believes she was far from her best.

"I could have done better, I could have done a faster time," said Goule who won $7,500 for her school.

Goule added she had to run against the boys.

"At the beginning I had a rival (Bennett), but later I was the only female, so I had to run with the boys," explained Goule, who has not lost a race in three years.

Top teams

In the age-group section, Latoya Richards of Red Hills All Age (25:28.40) took the Under-9; Holmwood's Petrene Plummer (21:38.80) won the Under-14 Goule the Under-19; Bennett the Under-29; Nadina Henry (20:46.70) Under-39; Sophia Gayle of Windalco (25:10.00) came out on top in the Under-49; Marguerite Orane of Jamdammers (31:04.00) won the Under-59; Cecille Bordato (32:19.90) was the top Over-60 runner.

In the male section, Conroy Redwood of Vere (19:32.10) won the Under-14; Campbell, the Under-19; Talbert, the Under-29; Edwards, the Under-39; Andrew Gutzmore of Ebony (17:41.70) took the Under-49; George Allen (20:55.10) won the Under-59 and Roy Thomas (33:33.30) came out on top in the Over-60.

Vere, Holmwood, Edwin Allen, Manchester and Bellefield were the respective top female schools while Bellefield, Edwin Allen, Manchester, Holmwood, and Vere emerged the leading boys' schools.